While players deserve time to acclimatize to new surroundings, we’ve reached the point where some cursory judgments feel fair. Below is a list of five players who have struggled most to justify their hefty price tags.
5. Jamie Gittens – £55m (Borussia Dortmund → Chelsea)
It’s been a rough period for incoming Bundesliga talent (Simons, Frimpong, and Benjamin Šeško all came perilously close to making this list). Jamie Gittens just sneaks his way into the rogues’ gallery.
The 20-year-old enjoyed a promising 2024/25 campaign at Dortmund, shining in the first half before fading as the season wore on. Chelsea paid around £55m for his services in July, a figure that made my eyelid twitch, but the direct left-winger has yet to find his feet in England. He’s gone nine league outings without a goal or assist, with only a stunning League Cup strike hinting at his potential.
To make matters worse, Alejandro Garnacho and Estevão have been electric in wide areas. Gittens will need to Gitten better soon (apologies, truly).
4. Mads Hermansen – £20m (Leicester City → West Ham United)
The first of two goalkeepers on this list, Mads Hermansen has endured a nightmare start to life at West Ham.
After showing flashes of quality at Leicester, the Dane earned a £20m move to replace the outgoing Łukasz Fabiański. But his Premier League introduction was calamitous, conceding eleven goals in his first four games, including some horror moments in the London derby against Chelsea.
Alphonse Areola has since reclaimed the No.1 shirt, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Nuno Espírito Santo dips back into the market for another keeper come January.
3. Anthony Elanga – £55m (Nottingham Forest → Newcastle United)
This one’s been surprising. Former Manchester United forward Anthony Elanga was a revelation for Nottingham Forest last season, registering 18 goal contributions in a counterattacking setup that suited him perfectly.
Newcastle splashed £55m, the same fee they paid for Sandro Tonali in 2023, expecting him to replicate that form in a more possession-heavy side. Instead, Elanga has yet to register a single goal or assist in the league. Of Newcastle’s wingers, only Jacob Murphy has impressed domestically.
Harvey Barnes’ recent strike at Brentford was the first Premier League goal (or assist) from the trio of Gordon, Elanga, and Barnes all season. Elanga’s lack of refinement in tight spaces may be limiting his effectiveness against organized defences.
2. James Trafford – £27m (Burnley → Manchester City)
This one’s been a letdown of Shakespearean proportions.
James Trafford was on top of the world last summer. The young English keeper had impressed at Burnley, prompting Manchester City to activate their buy-back clause. He was meant to challenge Ederson for the No.1 spot, but fate had other ideas.
When Ederson left for Fenerbahçe, Trafford suddenly found himself thrust into the starting role. He struggled immediately, looking particularly nervy in City’s 2–0 home defeat to Spurs. Pep Guardiola, never sentimental acted swiftly, signing Gianluigi Donnarumma in what may prove one of the summer’s shrewdest moves.
Now consigned to the bench, Trafford is reportedly eyeing a loan move. Once a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England squads, his recent dip in confidence saw him omitted from the latest call-up. And Tuchel won’t take a keeper to next year’s World Cup who’s short on belief.
1. Florian Wirtz – £116m (Bayer Leverkusen → Liverpool)
Gary Neville perhaps said it best: Wirtz “looked like a little boy” during Liverpool’s 3–0 defeat to Manchester City. A touch condescending, maybe, but hard to entirely disagree.
The German playmaker is yet to score or assist in eleven league appearances, leaving many questionings Liverpool’s planning. With Dominik Szoboszlai already excelling in that advanced midfield role and Alexander Isak (who narrowly avoided this list) brought in to operate through the middle or on the left, Wirtz’s fit has always looked awkward.
There’s still time for the 21-year-old to adapt, you don’t go from being one of Europe’s most exciting attacking midfielders to Robbie Savage in a few months, but the weight of that £116m fee is clearly pressing down on him. And for a twinkle-toed creator, being weighed down is never a good thing.