There have been plenty of disappointing signings completed in the Premier League in 2024, but which players make up the top 10?

Another exciting year of Premier League action is nearly over, with drama taking place at both ends of the table during the past 12 months.

We have seen some exceptional new signings made by various clubs taking their teams to another level, but not every transfer can be a success, meaning some players will have managers regretting their decision in the market.

Here are our picks for the 10 worst signings in the Premier League in 2024.

10 Raheem Sterling Chelsea to Arsenal (loan)

Having been cast aside at Chelsea, with Enzo Maresca making it clear that there was no future for him at Stamford Bridge, Raheem Sterling completed a loan switch to Arsenal in the summer.

On the face of it, it looked like a shrewd piece of business by the Gunners, but now 30, the Englishman is a fading force. He has started just twice in the Premier League, despite the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard struggling for top form.

9 Savinho Troyes to Manchester City

When Savinho made his Manchester City debut against Chelsea on the opening weekend, it looked like the champions had signed the new Riyad Mahrez.

While much focus has been on City’s struggles in defence and midfield this season, the wide players have also been a big issue, including their new signing.

Savinho is yet to score in the Premier League, despite making 13 appearances, and a lack of substance has become increasingly evident as the weeks have passed.

8 Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall Leicester City to Chelsea

When Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall joined Chelsea from Leicester City, there was arguably a nagging feeling that he wasn’t at the level required for the Blues.

Granted, Maresca knew him well from their time together with the Foxes, but he has struggled to make any kind of impression this season, featuring for just 56 minutes in the Premier League in the first 16 matches.

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez look on a different level to him and his move has so far been a colossal waste of money.

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2 ByStephan Georgiou Aug 23, 2024 7 James Ward-Prowse West Ham to Nottingham Forest (loan)

Not many felt that James Ward-Prowse’s loan move from West Ham United to Nottingham Forest in the summer was bad business, with the midfielder’s experience and set-piece ability having the potential to make him a good signing.

But while Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have shone in 2024/25 to date, the Englishman hasn’t, only managing sporadic outings in the league and looking like a player past his best.

A red card against Chelsea summed up a disappointing campaign thus far for Ward-Prowse.

6 Ben Brereton Diaz Villarreal to Southampton

Southampton knew the importance of signing a top striker after their promotion from the Championship, and Ben Brereton Diaz was brought in as the man to add extra firepower.

The Chile international may have done relatively well at Sheffield United last season, scoring 6 goals in 14 league appearances, but he has flopped badly for Saints, not yet netting in the competition this term.

5 Kalvin Phillips Manchester City to Ipswich Town (loan)

The manner in which Kalvin Phillips’ career has drifted in recent years has been sad to see, having become such an important player for Leeds United and England at the turn of the decade.

Ipswich Town offered the midfielder a chance to end a miserable spell at Manchester City, signing him on loan, but he has continued to be an ineffective figure.

Phillips has managed seven Premier League starts, but his influence has not been what Kieran McKenna hoped for, hence him not being a regular starter.

4 Matthijs de Ligt Bayern Munich to Manchester United

It was clear that Manchester United needed at least one new centre-back signing in the summer, and Matthijs de Ligt came in as a high-profile £42.9m acquisition alongside youngster Leny Yoro.

The fact that Bayern Munich were willing to sell the Netherlands international acted as a potential warning sign to the Red Devils, and the defender has struggled in these opening months of the season.

In truth, De Ligt hasn’t looked like much of an upgrade on Harry Maguire, which is damning in itself, often finding himself at the scene of the crime when goals are conceded, and generally looking a long way from the prodigious talent that emerged at Ajax.

3 Joao Felix Atletico Madrid to Chelsea

A former Golden Boy winner, Joao Felix’s permanent move to Chelsea in the summer felt exciting following his previous loan spell.

While plenty of attacking players at Stamford Bridge have shone from Cole Palmer to Noni Madueke, the Portuguese has been a spectator for much of the campaign.

Felix has started only twice in the league and scored just once in nine games in the competition, and now 25 years of age, he is in danger of not reaching his vast potential.

2 Eddie Nketiah Arsenal to Crystal Palace

Eddie Nketiah’s time at Arsenal reached its natural conclusion at the end of last season, as it became abundantly clear that he was never going to be up to the level required to be a top player at the Emirates.

The English striker’s £30m move to Crystal Palace was always going to be intriguing, and while there was hope that he could flourish in south London, he has endured a horrible season to date.

Nketiah hasn’t scored in his first 13 Premier League appearances and his confidence appears to be extremely low, as summed up by a poor one-on-one finish against Brighton.

1 Joshua Zirkzee Bologna to Manchester United

Manchester United signed Joshua Zirkzee for £36.5m during the summer window, and while far from a vast amount in the modern game, he has still been a huge flop, failing to come close to justifying his price tag.

The Dutchman may have scored the winner on his debut at home to Fulham, but since then, he has netted in just one other game in the Premier League, as well as lacking the pace to be a dangerous threat in the final third.

While Rasmus Hojlund is raw but has clear potential, it’s hard to see Zirkzee being a success under Ruben Amorim, so it wouldn’t be a shock if he lasted no more than one season at Old Trafford.

Manchester United are already working on a £10 million January deal for Ruben Amorim that they are confident will get done, according to a new report.

January presents the first opportunity for INEOS to make changes to their squad under the management of Amorim. The Red Devils are not expected to be busy, but they appear to have their eye on one or two deals.

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Brett Worthington

Nov 14, 2024

Man Utd transfer news

It has already emerged this week that United have made early transfer moves to understand where certain players lie with their future. It started with the Red Devils making an enquiry to Chelsea over the availability of Christopher Nkunku, a player who is unhappy with his situation at Stamford Bridge.

It was then claimed that United have also made an enquiry over the possibility of signing Geovany Quenda from Sporting. The 17-year-old is very highly rated and obviously has a connection to Amorim, but this may be one that waits until the summer, as Amorim made it clear he would not be signing any Sporting players in the New Year.

Now Amorim’s new side is prepared to offer Joshua Zirkzee in exchange for star striker Viktor Gyokeres. The Swede continues to impress this season, and it looks as though a move at the end of the campaign is likely, and United are trying to get ahead of the rest by offering one of their own players as part of the transfer. But it could be a £10 million transfer that is United’s first piece of business in the New Year.

Man Utd chiefs confidently working on £10m youngster deal

According to TBR Football, Manchester United are working on a deal to sign Sverre Nypan from Rosenborg in January. The 17-year-old midfielder is regarded as one of the hottest properties in football and emerged on many clubs’ radars after his performances last season.

Nypan has scored seven goals and recorded seven assists in 26 Eliteserien appearances this season, as well as grabbing three assists in three Europa Conference League qualifiers. This report states that United, who have had an interest in the youngster for some time, are confident of getting a deal over the line, as Rosenborg have told him to begin choosing his next club once their season finishes in December.

Sverre Nypan’s Rosenborg stats
Apps	58
Goals	12
Assists	11

Nypan is said to be available for £10 million this January, but the deal could go up to £20 million after add-ons are added. The Red Devils are aware of this and are set to sit down with Nypan and his representatives to discuss their options.

The Premier League side have been tracking Nypan from a young age, and coming up against him during pre-season will have allowed them to take a closer look at his ability. If United are keen to wrap up a deal, they will need to be quick, as teams such as Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Aston Villa are also interested and have made contact with his agents in recent months.

Newcastle United are believed to be happy to sell a “unique” player during the January transfer window, according to a fresh update regarding his future.

Newcastle transfer news

One player who the Magpies have been linked with signing in recent days is Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush, who is enjoying a fantastic season for the Bundesliga club. Scouts are said to have been sent to watch the 25-year-old in action, having registered 18 goal contributions (11 goals and seven assists) in just 11 league appearances in 2024/25 to date.

In what would be a shock signing, in many ways, Paul Pogba has also emerged as a rumoured transfer target for Eddie Howe, with the 31-year-old available to play again in 2025 after completing a ban. The free agent has reportedly turned down Neecastle’s advances, though.

Miguel Almiron has been linked with a move away from St James’ Park plenty of times in recent months, with the Magpies targeting upgrades in his right-sided attacking role. One such figure is PSV Eindhoven ace Johan Bakayoko, who is a young winger with so much potential.

In terms of other attacking targets, Bournemouth hero Antoine Semenyo has been backed to join Newcastle, too, having matured into one of his side’s most important players. He is also predominantly right-sided, however, so it is unlikely that both he and Bakayoko would come in.

"Unique" Newcastle player allowed to leave

According to a new report from The Telegraph‘s Luke Edwards, Newcastle and PIF will let Almiron leave in the January window, allowing the £60,000-a-week winger to enjoy a new challenge in his career, possibly in Saudi Arabia.

The Paraguayan is happy to move on to pastures new and find another club, having increasingly struggled to become an important part of Howe’s plans at St James’ Park.

A January exit for Almiron makes complete sense of everyone involved, with the winger clearly no longer an influential figure at Newcastle, and understandably wanting more playing time at the age of 30.

He has always been a popular figure among Magpies supporters, such is his team ethic, but a lack of end product has too often been a problem, with only 30 goals coming his way in 216 appearances in a wide attacking role.

That said, Howe has always been a big fan Almiron, heaping praise on his “unique” style last year, saying: “He’s (Almiron) a unique footballer. I don’t think there’s anyone better at doing what he does – all energy, all action. I’d like to see his physical stats today because I’m sure they’d be through the roof.”

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Given his age, however, and the fact that he is out of contract in the summer of 2026, now feels like the right time to move him on, receiving a fee for his services and using those funds to find a superior replacement in January or next summer, making this one to watch in the coming weeks.

The San Diego Wave captain delivered a rousing pre-game speech that set the tone for home opener win

Sheridan's motivational team talk energized the WaveSan Diego secured 3-2 win against Utah Royals FCVictory Wave's first of the 2025 NWSL seasonDenis Poroy-Imagn ImagesWHAT HAPPENED

Prior to San Diego Wave FC's home opener against Utah Royals FC last weekend, captain and goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan gathered her teammates for an impassioned pre-game speech.

Her pep talk proved effective as the Wave went on to secure a 3-2 victory over the Royals. Sheridan urged her teammates to show the crowd exactly what they could do in their home opener.

“These people, they’re here for you guys. They want to see you perform at your best. That’s all you got to give them, is your best today and we’ll bring that energy today,” Sheridan said in a video captured by the San Diego Wave’s social media team.

AdvertisementWATCH THE VIDEOTHE BIGGER PICTURE

San Diego Wave FC secured the win in their home opener at Snapdragon Stadium. The Wave took an early lead with goals from María Sánchez and Adriana Leon.

Utah Royals fought back in the second half, equalizing with strikes from Mia Fishel and Scarlett Camberos. However, Gia Corley's late goal sealed the win for San Diego.

Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

San Diego Wave FC moved up to fourth on the NWSL table with four points. They sit two points behind league leaders Orlando Pride after two league games and face them next on the road on March 28.

He was stifled by slower balls, tucked up by short ones and undone by a straight one by which time Royal Challengers were well on their way to losing the game

Alagappan Muthu in Bangalore19-Apr-2015Chris Gayle was 6 off 18 balls at the end of the Powerplay chasing 210. He had been dropped once, would be dropped again, but when he ran and swung blindly outside the line of a relatively straight and flat delivery, he trudged back to the pavilion with 10 to his name. Off 24 balls. At a strike rate of 41.66.And yet it began in much the same template as any of his innings. The shadow practice in the middle of the pitch. A leave outside off, the bat whisked inside the line of the ball, which was then free to thud into the keeper’s gloves. Mitchell McClenaghan liked the carry, and that Gayle wasn’t keen on the shortish length. Full speed ahead.Two bouncers came on cue. One was not bothered with. The other beat Gayle for pace. Neither ball was legal according to the umpire, but it didn’t matter to Mumbai Indians. They knew it was a chink in Gayle’s armour. They knew it has been exploited before, especially by quick bowlers who can will the ball up to his ribs. Tucking him up so that he doesn’t have the room to unfurl his powerful hands through the ball. The eye of the Gayle storm, and Mumbai’s bowlers had found a way to make that their home.As ever Lasith Malinga was the lynchpin. He doesn’t have the pace he used to, and on occasion can be lined up. Gayle is a stand and deliver kind of batsman and his success depends on being able to read a bowler. That tends to get a smidge harder with a slingy action and terrifically disguised slower balls. The contest began with a maiden – five balls off pace, one of them beating Gayle’s lead-footed flailing cut, and one stinging leg-stump yorker. There were two more balls for the blockhole, both only barely handled, and finally the slower ball to finish. Gayle was able to take only two runs off Malinga.No pace to work with. Nothing to get underneath for leverage. No longer quick on the pull, not against balls on leg stump and rising above his stomach. He is too rigid as opposed to still and balanced when he times the ball. He doesn’t flow into the shot. Those big, burly shoulders can’t get moving. The best Gayle can do is nurdle and try to get off strike but midwicket and mid-on do not allow him the luxury. Nor does that notorious back.It has been eight overs and he has been unable to cope. His greatest weapon – power – has been negated by the lack of balls in his half of the pitch. Thirteen of his 24 balls were short or shortish. He wrangled three runs from them. As cool as Gayle seems, he was neck deep in hot water. Something had to give. And it would be the off stump. He was walking back for 10 runs. Off 24 balls.For context, AB de Villiers faced less than half as many and came away with 41 runs to his name – 11 deliveries, eight of them banished to the boundary. There was only one dot ball in the mix. Rohit Sharma faced 15 and sent seven of them to the ropes.Keeping batsmen quiet in T20 is no mean feat. Keeping a batsman like Gayle quiet in T20 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is like walking on a tightrope across two skyscrapers with greasy feet. You are bound to slip. But Mumbai just did not. At least, not until de Villiers went on a rampage.Royal Challengers had gone into this game with one hand behind their back and the other pumped full of performance enhancers. All four overseas players were batsmen, leaving the bowling attack under the care of Varun Aaron, who has never played an T20 international, David Wiese, who is more a batting allrounder, two uncapped spinners and one uncapped medium pacer. And they had stuck this motley crew into the fire by opting to field. Virat Kohli was gambling here. But one thing he would never have seen coming was this Gayle innings.

It will be the women’s equivalent of the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for the outstanding male cricketer of the year

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jan-2023

Debbie Hockley was the first woman to be elected NZC president•Getty Images

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is introducing the Debbie Hockley Medal at this year’s annual awards ceremony, to honour the outstanding female cricketer of the year. The medal will be the women’s equivalent of the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for the outstanding male cricketer of the year, and will be a regular feature at the NZC’s annual awards. This year’s awards will be held on March 23 in Auckland. Hockley herself will present the new award on the night.Hockley played 118 ODIs and 19 Tests for New Zealand from 1979 to 2000. She was regarded among the best batters across two decades in the 1980s and 1990s and is considered a pioneer of the women’s game. She is the only woman to win the New Zealand Cricketer-of-the-Year award, in 1998, 13 years before the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal was introduced.”I feel honoured, personally, of course – but also thrilled that the country’s outstanding women’s cricketer of the year will be recognised on an annual and ongoing basis,” Hockley said. “It’s been wonderful to watch the progress of the women’s game in New Zealand over the past five or six years and this is another very positive development.”Women’s cricket is going from strength to strength; the growth at all levels has been amazing.”I’m looking forward to presenting this award to the inaugural recipient in March.”Hockley was the fourth woman to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, in 2013, after Australia’s Belinda Clark and England’s Enid Bakewell and Rachael Heyhoe-Flint.Hockley held several records during her playing and captaincy days. She became the second-youngest captain in a woman’s Test at the age of 21, she is still the format’s fourth-highest run-scorer and the highest for New Zealand, she finished her Test career with an average of 52.04, scored the joint-second-most Test centuries (four), and scored ODI hundreds in consecutive innings, among a host of records.Hockley scored over 4000 ODI runs while averaging nearly 42, including four centuries. She was the first woman to cross 4000 ODI runs, and also the first to play 100 ODIs.She was the first woman to be elected NZC president.

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani is potentially set to go head to head with the incumbent Greg Barclay in the ICC chairman election scheduled for next weekend. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Mukuhlani, who has been on the ICC board for a long time as the ZC representative, has declared his intention to enter the contest – subject to his getting enough support from the smaller Full Member countries as well as the Associates.ESPNcricinfo recently reported that Imran Khwaja, the ICC deputy chair, was going to stand, but he is believed to have withdrawn. Khwaja suffered a fractious defeat in the 2020 elections against Barclay. Back then, Barclay secured influential support from the BCCI which paved the way for the New Zealander to win by 11 votes to five, in what turned out to be a two-round contest.In July this year, after the ICC annual general meeting, Barclay declared he was ready to contest for a second two-year term. Barclay is believed to be bullish about his prospects, especially as election rules have been tweaked with the winner to be decided on the basis of a simple majority. In 2020 the winning candidate needed a two-third majority from the 16-strong ballot. The 16 votes are from the ICC board of 12 Full Members, one independent director (Indra Nooyi) and three Associate directors which includes Khwaja.Khwaja had received six votes in the first round two years ago, but Cricket South Africa’s vote in the second round tipped the contest in Barclay’s direction. Once beaten, twice shy, Khwaja, one of the most experienced directors on the board, weighed his options and eventually decided not to contest this time, despite having got the mandatory one vote to get nominated.While it could not be confirmed on October 20, the nomination deadline day, Mukuhlani, too, had been proposed by one of the ICC directors. And now he has the second vote, enough to support a nomination. While he is keen to fight the elections, Mukuhlani will likely take a final call in the next week once he senses the kind of support he could expect.Greg Barclay is the current ICC chairman and is looking for another term•Kai Schwoerer/ICC/Getty Images

Mukuhlani is part of the ICC’s Audit Committee and chair of the Membership Committee. He is also part of the global body’s Olympics working group, which is tasked with pushing for cricket’s entry in the Summer Games. Popularly known as ‘Doc’ in ICC circles, Mukuhlani believes he has the experience to take over the leadership and become a voice for smaller members and Associates. He is hedging his chances mainly on getting support from a majority of Asian countries except for the BCCI. At the moment, it is believed that the BCCI vote is leaning towards Barclay, but options remain open till election date. The election is planned to take place during the ICC meetings, scheduled on November 12-13 in Melbourne.Mukuhlani’s manifesto revolves around striving for equity among members and advocating for governance changes. It aligns with the vision Khwaja has had for several years and was to an extent able to put into effect during the four years Shashank Manohar was ICC chairman (2016-20). Both men worked closely to dismantle the Big Three power structure and put in place a fresh financial model where smaller countries received an enhanced share from the ICC revenue pool.That pot has now grown much bigger after Disney Star* bought ICC broadcast rights for men’s and women’s events between 2024-27. The deal, to broadcast in the India market only, is reportedly worth over US$3 billion, considerably more than what the ICC got in the previous rights cycle (which was for eight years, and globally). Barclay, too, is drumming up support and is believed to have put a re-look at the financial distribution model as well as modifying the governance model at the forefront of his strategic plan for a second term. Other than looking at enhancing individual countries’ share of the pie, Barclay wants to invest money in strategic funds as well has promotion of women’s cricket.

MatériaMais Notícias

da fezbet： Na sexta-feira (19) o Corinthians iniciará a venda de ingressos para a partida contra o Red Bull Bragantino. O jogo contra o Massa Bruta será disputado no sábado (27), às 20h30, na Neo Química Arena, pela 24ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. No primeiro turno, o Timão venceu a equipe de Bragança Paulista por 1 a 0, com gol de Renato Augusto.

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da dobrowin： + GALERIA – Confira o balanço da janela de transferências do Corinthians

A diretoria alvinegra manteve o valor de todos os setores em relação ao último duelo em Itaquera do Timão no Brasileirão, na derrota por 1 a 0 contra o Palmeiras.

As vendas dos ingressos serão feitas exclusivamente online, pelas plataformas www.fieltorcedor.com.br e www.ingressoscorinthians.com.br.

CONFIRA ABAIXO OS PREÇOS (sem descontos do Fiel Torcedor)
NORTE – R$ 50,00
SUL – R$ 90,00
LESTE SUPERIOR – R$ 110,00
LESTE INFERIOR LATERAL – R$ 130,00
LESTE INFERIOR CENTRAL – R$ 150,00
OESTE SUPERIOR – R$ 170,00
OESTE INFERIOR CORNER – R$ 200,00
OESTE INFERIOR LATERAL – R$ 300,00
OESTE INFERIOR CENTRAL – R$ 500,00
OESTE BUSINESS – R$ 500,00

+ TABELA – Veja datas e simule o mata-mata da Copa do Brasil

Os associados do plano Minha Vida, do Fiel Torcedor, terão vantagens que variam entre 20% a 57% do preço dos ingressos mais baratos, dependendo do setor. Já os que configuram no plano Minha História terão descontos entre 25% a 56%.

A venda, como já é de costume, acontece de forma escalonada, de acordo com prioridades estabelecidas pelo clube alvinegro.

Os sócios com créditos relativos aos jogos que tiveram suspensão de torcida, por conta do início da pandemia da Covid-19, em 2020, poderão adquirir as entradas às 11h desta sexta-feira (19). No mesmo horário, será aberta a vendado estacionamento para os proprietários adimplentes do plano Minha Cadeira, do programa Fiel Torcedor.

No sábado, às 13h, os associados adimplentes que possuem a partir de 55 pontos terão a venda liberada para todos os setores disponíveis. Ainda no dia 20, às 15h, os sócios com pelo menos 35 pontos serão liberados para adquirir as entradas. Às 17h, os membros do Fiel Torcedor com 15 pontos poderão adquirir ingressos para o jogo contra o Bragantino.

No domingo (21), a partir das 11h, todos os sócios torcedores do Timão poderão comprar os ingressos. Somente na quinta-feira (25), a partir das 15h, a venda será aberta para o público geral.

continua após a publicidade

تحدث محمد بركات، لاعب الأهلي السابق، عن مباراة الأحمر اليوم أمام إنتر ميامي الأمريكي، وذلك ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العالم للأندية.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع إنتر ميامي، على ملعب “هارد روك”، في إطار مباريات الجولة الأولى للمجموعة الأولى من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025.

وقال محمد بركات في تصريحات عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر 2”: “اللعب في كأس العالم للأندية مختلف تمامًا عن الأجواء المحلية، الأهلي يشارك في البطولة العاشرة، اعتاد عليها والنتائج أصبحت أفضل”.

طالع أيضاً.. تشكيل الأهلي أمام إنتر ميامي في كأس العالم للأندية.. موقف زيزو ووسام

وأضاف: “أريد أن أنزل كي ألعب وأموت نفسي بسبب الأجواء الموجودة في الملعب”.

وأكد: “لدينا ثقة في الأهلي، الأحمر مشارك في البطولة من الباب الكبير، نتمنى التوفيق للاعبين وأن يُقدموا مباراة كبيرة”.

وتابع: “لا نعرف المجموعة إذا كانت صعبة أم سهلة، مفتاح الصعود دائمًا المباراة الأولى، حتى لو فريق إنتر ميامي يضم ميسي وهو مستضيف البطولة، فالأهلي بتاريخه الكبير قادر أن يحصل على الثلاث نقاط”.

وواصل: “في أي بطولة كبيرة مثل كأس العالم للأندية، يجب أن تقف على قدمك بشكل جيد في أرضية الملعب وتحصل على الثقة، الأهلي يمتلك فريقًا جيدًا، ولاعبون قادرون على تسجيل أهداف، مطلوب منّا أن نحافظ على المنظومة الدفاعية”.

وأتم: “تشكيل الأهلي كشف عن مفاجأة وهي مشاركة إمام عاشور كجناح أيمن، ريبيرو فكر في تأمين وسط الملعب، وإطلاق الحرية لمحمد علي بن رمضان، المدرب يرى أن الأهلي لديه مشاكل في قلب الدفاع وظهرت في الفترة الأخيرة”.

da jogodeouro： There’s no way to sugarcoat it; the last few weeks have been abysmal for Tottenham Hotspur.

da betway： Ange Postecoglou’s side recovered from their shock loss to Ipswich Town by hammering Manchester City 4-0 at the Etihad, but instead of going on a run after such an incredible result, the North Londoners have seemingly fallen off a cliff.

They’ve drawn at home to AS Roma and Fulham, lost to Bournemouth and Chelsea and then last night, they drew away to Rangers in a game they really should have lost.

Bar Dejan Kulusevski and Fraser Forster, the whole team were dire, but one player in particular stood out for all the wrong reasons and could be Postecoglou’s own Roberto Soldado.

Soldado's Spurs career

When it comes to transfer flops at Spurs in the last 20 years or so, one name that will always pop up, rightly or wrongly, is striker Roberto Soldado.

The Spaniard joined the North Londoners in the summer of 2013 for a then-club-record fee of £26m, and while that was a lot of money, it seemed reasonable at the time as he’d just scored 57 goals and provided 11 assists in 97 appearances across the prior two campaigns for Valencia.

However, while there were certainly glimpses of brilliance during his time in N17, like a couple of hat-tricks, the Valencia-born poacher just couldn’t get to grips with life in the Premier League and went from one of the most dangerous forwards in Europe to below-average at best.

Soldado before and after joining Spurs

Season

11/12

12/13

13/14

14/15

Appearances

51

46

36

40

Goals

27

30

11

5

Assists

6

5

5

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.64

0.76

0.44

0.27

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Moreover, due to the disconnect between expectation and reality, the Spaniard became something of a scapegoat for the team’s troubles, with journalist Sam Tighe describing him as the “flop of the season.”

This simply put more pressure on him to perform, and as every mistake was magnified it became something of a spiral until he lost his place in the team and was eventually sold to Villarreal two years after joining the club.

It would be hard to describe his time at the club and transfer as anything other than a failure, and now it looks like Postecoglou could have his own Soldado in the current squad.

Postecoglou's own Soldado

So, to get straight to the point, the player in question is Timo Werner.

The first thing to say is that due to him being on loan and not a club-record signing, the pressure on the German to perform for the Lilywhites isn’t exactly the same as the pressure on Sodaldo.

However, unlike the Spaniard, the winger has shown very little quality at all during his time at the club, and is earning a whopping £165k-per-week, so he has received just as much criticism from fans and pundits alike.

Werner’s Spurs record

Appearances

33

Minutes

1616′

Goals

3

Assists

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.27

Minutes per Goal Involvement

179.55′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

This criticism, based primarily around his simply abysmal finishing, is the crux of the reason why he’s become the club’s new scapegoat and, therefore, arguably Postecoglou’s version of the former Valencia ace.

However, the manager is the man who made or agreed to the “astonishing” decision, per talkSPORT pundit Andy Townsend, to re-sign him in the summer, so the criticism of the 28-year-old is partly on him as well.

However, the former Chelsea ace was so dismal against Rangers that even the Australian couldn’t ignore it.

He ruthlessly took him off at half-time and doubled down in his post-match press conference, telling the media that the German’s performance “wasn’t acceptable,” which could be the most scathing he’s been about a particular player since taking the job last year.

Ultimately, while Werner doesn’t have a hefty price tag hanging over his head, he is on mega money and has been even more woeful in front of goal, which has seen him become the team’s current scapegoat, akin to what eventually happened to the Spaniard at Spurs.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 13, 2024