The Premier League’s 11 worst acquisitions for the 2024–2025 campaign have been identified.
Joshua Zirkzee and Matthijs de Ligt, two Manchester United players, have not impressed.
Joao Felix and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall of Chelsea have not yet been given consistent playing time, and Federico Chiesa is already pressuring Liverpool to let him go.
Any football team’s new recruits are supposed to be its ray of optimism. the hope that a player will join and make the same difference as Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool or Eric Cantona at Manchester United. Regretfully, only a select few unique names possess the power to change a club’s fortunes at the touch of a switch.
For the most part, they either do their duties to a respectable level or, worse, fall short of expectations entirely. Unsurprisingly, the Premier League saw a lot of transfer activity throughout the summer, but not all of the players have adapted successfully. Given that they are the worst additions of the season thus far, these 11 players will have to spend the most time in front of the mirror.
Ranking Elements
The price tag
Results in important statistics
Effect at the new club
Expectations prior to arrival
11Ben Brereton Diaz
Southampton
The fact that Ben Brereton Diaz added Diaz to his last name after being unexpectedly called up to the Chilean national team makes him an intriguing character. However, he has demonstrated that he can contribute in the highest division by scoring six Premier League goals in 14 games while playing for a miserable Sheffield United squad. It’s amazing to have found the net so frequently on a gloomy side.
However, he has fallen short of those expectations at Southampton. His greatest accomplishment to date is inciting Fabian Schar to be sent off on his debut; he has more yellow cards than goals. Since the January transfer window deadline, he has been on loan at Sheffield United once more and has yet to score in a Saints shirt.
Premier League statistics for Ben Brereton Diaz as of 24/25
Games
10
Goals
0
Assists
0
10Niclas Fullkrug
West Ham United
Aside from his Achilles injury, Niclas Fullkrug won’t be particularly proud of his move from Champions League finalist to mid-table bench warmer. The target man was at the height of his powers in the summer. He was a handful the entire time against Real Madrid at Wembley, came dangerously close to scoring, and was subsequently called up to the Germany squad for Euro 2024, which was played in his native country.
The Michail Antonio curse has beset Fullkrug in England, a problem that many other number nines have encountered before him. It appears that the Irons would always go back to their most dependable Premier League goal scorer, regardless of who is signed to replace him. The former Dortmund talisman, who was born in Hannover, has only scored twice in 368 minutes of play for the east Londoners.
The 24/25 Premier League statistics for Niclas Fullkrug
Games
9.
Objectives
2.
Helps
One
9Ilkay Gundogan
Manchester City
A real Manchester City legend thanks to the vital part he has played in their Premier League dominance throughout the years, fans were upset once Ilkay Gundogan left in the summer of 2023 for sunny Barcelona. It didn’t take long for Gundogan to complete a stunning homecoming, as the summer after, he was back under Guardiola’s spell.
The defending champions have suffered overall in the Spaniard’s absence, but his partner in crime and five-time Premier League winner, Gundogan, has missed him the most. This time around, however, things are much less successful with the central midfielder, who is usually remembered as a dependable presence in the middle of the park, not at the races without the talismanic Rodri by his side. Ilkay Gundogan’s 24/25 Premier League stats: Games played, 22 goals, 0 assists, 2 goals, 8 Matths de Ligt United
8Matthijs de Ligt
Manchester United
Of the acquisitions that came into Old Trafford during the supposedly revolutionary new football system at Manchester United, none electrified fans quite like Matthijs de Ligt. A world-class defender whose numbers rivalled those of the top players in the league – this was a deal that was guaranteed to cure United’s defensive frailties.
The Dutchman was nothing short of a liability at the Theatre of Dreams in the infancy of his career with his current employers, with his positioning being slandered and justifiably so. One of De Ligt’s supposed strongest assets is his mental toughness, and he’s used that to great effect in recent weeks by proving what he is worth. Now, Ruben Amorim and his entourage just need a layer of consistency to get over what has been a rocky start to life in England.
Matthijs de Ligt’s 24/25 Premier League stats
Games
23
Objectives
One
Helps
0
7Eddie Nketiah
Crystal Palace
Despite having many admirers during the summer, Eddie Nketiah’s £30 million move to Crystal Palace has not produced any noteworthy results, and he has yet to consistently claim a starting berth. The young striker has only scored two goals, both in the Carabao Cup.
The centre forward recently scored against his old employers, which was his greatest moment since moving across London. It is not entirely Nketiah’s fault because, overall, the Eagles have not been the same formidable team that Oliver Glasner transformed them into as soon as he arrived last season. However, since he can no longer count on potential to present him with opportunities, the 25-year-old needs to start proving his value.
Premier League statistics for Eddie Nketiah as of 24/25
Games
18
Objectives
0
Helps
One
6Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Chelsea
157 minutes of Premier League action for £30 million? It raises the question of whether Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was indeed necessary for Chelsea. The midfielder was a vital component of Leicester City’s midfield under Enzo Maresca, so you can get the allure from both the manager’s and the player’s points of view. But two persons worth £100 million are unlikely to be ousted since Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez are ahead of him.
The Europa Conference League has benefited from the presence of the Englishman. Moving to Stamford Bridge and playing on Thursday nights and in dead rubber League Cup matches against less well-known opponents, however, was hardly his ambition. It’s unclear if Maresca intends to utilise the former Fox more frequently in the second half of the season, but so far, it’s been the mother of all catastrophes.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s Premier League statistics for the 24/25 season
Games
7.
Objectives
0
Helps
One
5Kalvin Phillips
Ipswich Town
The man that Gareth Southgate couldn’t replace. This is fascinating since, with his present form, Kieran McKenna is presumably feeling a different way. Truth is, Kalvin Phillips has not been the same player since joining Manchester City, and he seems like a man devoid of any form of self-belief or confidence.
His loan experience with West Ham last season was so poor that his finest contribution to them occurred this season when he lost possession in prior to the Hammers scoring against Ipswich. It begs the very important question of whether supporters at Portman Road will ever get to see the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ in full force. At the time, it appears doubtful.
Kalvin Phillips’s 24/25 Premier League numbers
Games
14
Objectives
0
Helps
0
4Raheem Sterling
Arsenal (on loan)
Raheem Sterling’s loan move from Chelsea to Arsenal suited all parties: the latter were receiving a serial Premier League winner and the winger himself was, hopefully, enjoying some much-needed game time. It’s been a far from rosy start to life in north London, however, as Sterling, 30, has failed to pull up trees per se, even after being given a bigger role following an injury crisis in the attacking unit.
Given very little opportunity to flourish by Mikel Arteta and his entourage, the left-winger — one of the greatest English strikers in football history – has clocked up a meagre 822 minutes of action in all competitions. In that time, one goal has been scored, and he’s also assisted teammates on two occasions. It’s not exactly the type of form that enhances your chances of an international remontada, is it?
Raheem Sterling’s 24/25 Premier League stats Games 10 Goals 0 Assists 1
3Joshua Zirkzee
Manchester United
Joshua Zirkzee’s Premier League career appears to be ended before it has even begun, much like the Liverpool player mentioned earlier. The only bright spots are an outstanding performance against Southampton and a goal that won the game on debut at the Stretford End. Regarding the rest, he has appeared to be a player who is not putting in the necessary amount of effort, which is similar to what Vincent Kompany once criticised him for at Anderlecht.
Consequently, the Dutchman was booed and jeered by his own fans when he left the field inside 30 minutes of United’s home game against Newcastle, creating an unpleasant scene. The 23-year-old, clearly upset, went right down the tunnel instead of sitting on the bench. Even if recent games have showed glimpses of Zirkzee’s brilliant linkup play, no one seems more like a victim of dubious recruitment than Zirkzee, who has seen several careers crumble at Old Trafford during what has turned out to be their worst-ever start to a Premier League season.
The 24/25 Premier League statistics for Joshua Zirkzee
Games
25
Objectives
3.
Helps
One
2Federico Chiesa
Liverpool
Liverpool has long been praised for their successful but modest hiring practices. Federico Chiesa, a lightning-fast Juventus winger, was confidently hailed as the ideal Mohamed Salah understudy when the club was able to sign him to a deal worth just £13 million. The fans at Anfield, who have grown accustomed to transfer hits in recent years, felt that they might be in for a true treat as they watched the 27-year-old experience a career comeback.
However, this planned masterpiece has failed. Chiesa’s tumultuous injury history has returned after just 25 minutes of Premier League action by the end of the season, and he hasn’t been much more than a three-pin plug in Europe when it comes to providing his Egyptian teammate with a break.
The 24/25 Premier League statistics for Federico Chiesa
Games
3.
Objectives
0
Helps
0
1Joao Felix
Chelsea
What did Chelsea want all summer long? A striker. What was it they really didn’t need? A player who performs well on either flank or as a number 10. Therefore, the Blues chose a path they had already tried and didn’t like when the obvious choices of Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen were ready to be taken.
Joao Felix is undoubtedly talented. Furthermore, it is undeniable that Atletico Madrid was not the ideal venue for him to display it. Stamford Bridge, however, is scarcely superior. The Portuguese international has no chance of defeating Cole Palmer, and players like Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke have been too brilliant to let go. Given that the club gladly gave up £46.3 million to make the deal, only to send him out on loan in January, it begs the question of why this move was ever approved.
Joao Felix’s Premier League statistics for 24/25
Games
Twelve
Objectives
One
Helps
One
