The worst signing of all time from each Premier League club

Summer transfer window fully in motion

With the summer transfer window fully in motion, every Premier League club is actively looking to improve their squad ahead of the new season.

Bad purchases

This makes it perhaps the perfect time to remind all the sporting directors out there that it's important to do your homework before committing massive fees. Here are each club's worst-ever signings, with stats sourced from Transfermarkt.

Aston Villa – Micah Richards (free, 2015)

Just because it's free, it doesn't mean it's without cost. Richards arrived at Aston Villa for nothing after leaving Manchester City, where he had shown massive promise early in his career. Villa fans had high hopes that the former England international would solidify their defence. Unfortunately, the newly named captain struggled with fitness and form, making just 31 appearances across four seasons, one of which ended in relegation from the Premier League.

Bournemouth – Jordon Ibe (€18m, 2016)

Bournemouth broke their transfer record for Ibe when he joined from Liverpool, but the then-promising winger managed just three goals in over 90 appearances. Ibe later admitted that personal struggles contributed to his lack of confidence and inconsistent form, but the move was a financial and footballing disaster for the normally savvy South Coast side.

Brentford – Fábio Carvalho (€23.4m, 2023)

Carvalho’s spot on this list highlights Brentford’s rare misstep in the transfer market. Known for smart spending, the club splashed £22.5m on the Liverpool outcast, per the BBC. Just months in, after limited appearances, reports suggested he was already unhappy and looking for a way out.

Brighton & Hove Albion – Jürgen Locadia (€17m, 2018)

Another club that is usually a shrewd operator in the market, Brighton made a major misstep when signing Jürgen Locadia from PSV. The forward arrived as Brighton's record signing but netted just six goals in over 40 appearances. He failed to adapt to the pace of the Premier League, and his career has been in freefall ever since. Loan spells in Germany and the MLS failed to revive his career, and he now finds himself playing in Spain's third tier after stops in Iran and China.

Burnley – Wout Weghorst (€17.5m, 2022)

Weghorst arrived at Burnley in January 2022 as a tall, technically neat forward meant to save them from relegation. However, he struggled to score, netting just twice as Burnley went down. He then spent time out on loan, including an equally maligned spell at Manchester United, where he showed flashes of effort but again failed to win over fans. Eventually, he left the club in 2024 for a mere €2.4 million.

Chelsea – Mykhailo Mudryk (€70m, 2023)

Chelsea hit rivals Arsenal with a last-minute gazump to bag the signing of Mudryk in 2023. A couple of years on, however, the deal appears to have been a major mistake. The Ukrainian has failed to make an impact on the pitch, and to make matters worse, now faces a possible four-year ban after being charged by the FA over a doping offence, according to the BBC.

Crystal Palace – Alexander Sørloth (€16m, 2018)

Sørloth's Palace career yielded just one goal in 20 appearances. Struggling with confidence and Premier League intensity, he was loaned out to Turkey. Ironically, he thrived at Trabzonspor, scoring prolifically, only for Palace to sell him cheaply. His subsequent success in Europe, eventually moving from RB Leipzig to Atlético Madrid via Real Sociedad and Villarreal, has only made the transfer look even worse.

Everton – Davy Klaassen (€27m, 2017)

Klaassen arrived at Goodison Park with a pedigree as one of Europe's top creative midfielders when he joined from Ajax. However, like many players from the Eredivisie, he failed to adjust to English football, contributing little when given a rare opportunity to shine. Dropped by successive managers, he lasted just one season and was sold at a significant loss, epitomising Everton's wasteful spending in recent years.

Leeds United – Jean‑Kevin Augustin (€21m, 2020)

Leeds brought in Jean‑Kevin Augustin on loan from RB Leipzig in January 2020, hoping his pace and pedigree would boost their promotion push. Instead, the French striker managed only three substitute appearances, looked far from match fitness and never scored. A complicated obligation‑to‑buy clause later triggered a costly legal battle, leaving Leeds with a multi‑million bill for a player who barely kicked a ball.

Liverpool – Darwin Núñez (€85m, 2022)

Núñez joined Liverpool from Benfica for a club-record fee, with expectations that he would become the Reds' long-term successor to Roberto Firmino. While his pace and work rate were never in question, Núñez struggled badly with composure in front of goal. While Jürgen Klopp often gave him the benefit of the doubt, he hasn't won over Arne Slot, and he looks set for a summer exit.

Manchester City – Benjamin Mendy (€57.5m, 2017)

When Manchester City signed Mendy for £52m in 2017, he was expected to be a game-changing full-back. Instead, constant injuries limited him to no more than 19 league games a season (Transfermarkt). Legal issues then sidelined him completely for his final two years, and he was released on a free in 2023.

Manchester United – Antony (€95m, 2022)

The Brazilian winger was reunited with his former coach at Ajax, Erik ten Hag, to bring flair to Manchester United's wide areas. However, his output has been nothing short of disastrous, with negligible goal and assist contributions. Having been signed for £82 million on £200,000 per week, according to Spotrac, to not even feature regularly in the first team ranks him as one of the Premier League's worst-ever signings.

Newcastle United – Michael Owen (€25m, 2005)

After a year at Real Madrid, Owen joined Newcastle for a club-record fee, but his time on Tyneside was a letdown. Hoping to replace Alan Shearer, he started well before injuries derailed his form; first a broken metatarsal, and then a torn ACL at the 2006 World Cup. He never regained his best, and his lack of fight during Newcastle’s 2009 relegation cemented him as one of their worst signings.

Nottingham Forest – Harry Arter (€5.5m, 2020)

During his three-and-a-half years in the East Midlands, Arter made just 14 appearances for Forest following his move from Bournemouth. He spent much of his time at the club as an outcast, unable to force his way into the team. Adding to the frustration of Forest fans, an automatic extension clause in Arter's contract was triggered when the Tricky Trees achieved promotion, keeping him on the books despite no contribution. Eventually, he left as a free agent in the summer of 2024.

Sunderland – Jack Rodwell (€12.5m, 2014)

Once billed as a future England star, Rodwell’s move to Sunderland in 2014 was a total disaster. Signed for big money from Manchester City, he was plagued by injuries and poor form, never resembling the dynamic midfielder he was meant to be. His hefty wages and unwillingness to move on during their relegation battles left Sunderland fans furious at the obvious waste of potential.

Tottenham Hotspur – Tanguy Ndombele (€62m, 2019)

Arriving as the club's record signing, Ndombele showcased glimpses of his talent at Spurs. However, inconsistency, poor fitness levels and questions about his work ethic led to him failing to earn the trust of multiple managers, including José Mourinho and Antonio Conte. Loan spells to Lyon and Napoli followed, with the midfielder struggling to find a permanent home, making him one of Tottenham's most underwhelming signings in recent memory.

West Ham United – Gianluca Scamacca (€38.6m, 2022)

Scamacca joined after a stellar season with Sassuolo, where he netted 16 goals in Serie A. The Italian striker was expected to solve the Hammers' long-standing goalscoring issues, but his time in East London was disappointing. Injuries and inconsistent performances limited Scamacca to just three Premier League goals in his debut season, and he struggled to adapt to the physical demands of David Moyes's system. After just one season, Scamacca returned to Italy with Atalanta, where he has since thrived.