Player recruitment is a crucial part of professional football. Without transfer purchases, the top teams cannot reinforce their squad with quality players. With the sport becoming more competitive, the top teams are always out to get the best talents. Given its importance, football clubs pay top dollar to secure the best talents in the game.
On paper, certain transfers should work out well, given the qualities of the player coming in. However, for some reason, such moves end up being disasters. Our guide looks at some of the most recent expensive transfer flops in football.
Neymar (Al Hilal – Santos)
Much was expected from Neymar after he completed his move to Al Hilal for €90 million. However, the Brazillian has failed to meet expectations due to injuries. In an ideal world, the former PSG winger would be lighting up the Saudi Pro League with goals and assists. However, the reverse has been the case.
Neymar managed only one goal and seven appearances for Al Hilal. He reportedly earned €150m ($163.7m) annually during that period. Calling Neymar a flop is a bit harsh since he ruptured his ACL five games after his debut. Yet, given his enormous salary value, he perfectly fits this description.
Al Hilal terminated his contract after he played only 42 minutes in 2024. The decision has seen Neymar return for free to his boyhood club, Santos. He took a significant pay cut to complete the deal and will look to light up the Brasileirão Serie A again. However, his heydays are behind him now. For a player who has so much potential, Neymar will seek to move beyond his injury struggles at Al Hilal quickly.
Antony (Ajax – Man Utd)
In truth, Antony was not the biggest name in world football. He was a decent winger playing for Ajax in the Eredivisie. So imagine the surprise of many when news broke out that he was heading to Manchester United for £82 million. That was a huge mistake, and Manchester United has made similar bad decisions on most of their attacking signings after him.
Perhaps United’s recruitment team believed his scoring prowess would translate to the Premier League. They might also have hoped former manager Erik Ten Hag could get the best out of him. Whatever the case may be, Anthony has flopped at the Theatre of Dreams.
He was lively at the start of his career but ultimately failed to improve the attack significantly. His minimal impact on the team’s attacking prowess ultimately led to his current loan spell at Real Betis for the remainder of the season. Despite their poor season, United remain in contention for the FA Cup. Visit the Eagle Predict to get accurate odds for matches involving the Red Devils.
Eden Hazard (Chelsea – Real Madrid)
Often described as the worst signing in Madrid’s history, Hazard’s career at Real was very poor. Like Neymar, Hazard’s decline was due to injuries. The fiery Belgian was once the pride of London, putting on excellent displays and driving his team forward. However, his move to Real Madrid quickly became a nightmare.
At the start of his Madrid career, the winger was overweight for pre-season training. However, the injuries did more harm. When he eventually got fit, he could not replicate the dazzling performances he offered in the Premier League.
To his credit, Hazard won many important trophies at Madrid. However, he received those laurels from the sidelines. Hazard never played against Barcelona in the El Clasico throughout his term at Real. A stat that indicates how often he was injured.
Injuries are a part of the beautiful game. However, given his reputation before the move, Hazard ended his career as a flop. He lost his desire to play football after leaving Madrid and retired. It was an abrupt end to a once sterling career.
Related: UCL Playoff: Man City Must Stay Focused Against Real Madrid –De Bruyne
Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool – Barcelona)
Coutinho’s move to Barcelona offered much hope, given his exceptional midfield performance for Liverpool. However, it quickly became a transfer that left many scratching their heads. On paper, this was a sure thing. The midfielder was the right age, possessed the right qualities, and had exceptional attacking abilities.
All of these pros quickly turned cons as the Brazilian failed to live up to the weighty expectations placed on him. A key part of his issues was his role at the club. Was he signed to play as a midfielder or attacker? It is still unclear as we write this article.
During his four years on Barca’s books, Coutinho’s most significant contribution came in the quarterfinals of 2019/2020. In that game, he scored two goals against Barca while on loan to Bayern Munich. Coutinho won many trophies in his career but could not repeat his electric performances for Liverpool in any other club.
Paul Pogba (Man Utd – Juventus)
The second coming of Pogba to Juventus has been a horror show. The Frenchman moved back to Turin after completing his contract at Manchester United. However, he has been unavailable due to a drug ban. Before the move, Pogba had shown flashes of greatness at United.
Yet he was largely inconsistent, unable to make his mark as a top player. His move to Juventus was supposed to reassert his credentials among the game’s elite midfielders. However, he failed a doping test and received a lengthy ban. Currently, the Frenchman is without a club. Will Pogba still play at the top level of football? It remains to be seen. However, the discussion quickly moved by with him, and he promptly became a has-been.
Conclusion
Football transfers enable top teams to acquire the best players. Yet, it carries the inherent risk of buying the wrong players. With the January transfer window closed, we wait to see how transferred players perform at their new clubs.
