A collection of the most questionable summer deals completed by sides in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1
GettyTiemoue Bakayoko – Monaco to Chelsea
Chelsea spent as much on the French midfielder as they brought in from the sale of Nemanja Matic to Manchester United, but they can consider themselves to be down overall on that particular £40 million transfer front. While one proven performer headed for the exits, the man drafted in from Monaco as a natural successor has struggled to get to grips with life in the Premier League.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesRenato Sanches – Bayern Munich to Swansea City
Winner of the prestigious Golden Boy award in 2016 after helping Portugal to European Championship glory, the 20-year-old midfielder has suffered a rather humbling fall from grace. A high-profile move to Bayern Munich failed to deliver the expected results, while a forgettable loan stint at Swansea has further dulled a once glittering reputation and rocked seemingly fragile confidence.
Getty ImagesGylfi Sigurdsson – Swansea City to Everton
The Iceland international has, like those around him at Everton, improved over recent weeks, but there is still much work to be done if he is to justify a hefty price tag. The Toffees paid Swansea £40 million for the 28-year-old playmaker but have just four goals and one managerial change to show for that investment, with a summer of big-spending having delivered little reward.
Ousmane Dembele – Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona
Once identified as the man to fill the boots of Neymar at Barcelona, the France international set about forcing through a switch to Camp Nou. A 20-year-old with just two seasons of senior football under his belt was considered to be worth €105 million, but an untimely injury after just 51 minutes of La Liga action means the youngster still has everything to prove if he is to avoid becoming one of the most expensive flops of all time.