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The English Premier League is usually a choice destination for most of the best talents from around the world. The league itself boasts a good number of all-time greats whose football legacies are forever etched in memory. Many players come to pitch their tent in the Premier League after proving themselves worthy in other leagues, but there are nearly as many failures as there are successes.
The English Premier League has had a large number of unsuccessful transfers
Nearly every team in the Premier League has had several players come into their club and not perform over the years. Some teams have even had players conning them with fake identities. The clubs have faced various mishaps in the transfer window and here are the five worst signings in Premier League history.
#5 Mario Balotelli (AC Milan to Liverpool)
After the exit of mercurial striker Luis Suarez, Liverpool went in search of a replacement as they pursued a first Premier League title. The club identified Mario Balotelli as the perfect fit for the position.
The Italian striker made a name for himself as a youngster with Internazionale before mixed spells with Manchester City and AC Milan. He signed for Liverpool in a €20 million deal in August 2014 and managed only one goal in 16 Premier League appearances.
The controversial striker managed four goals in 28 appearances in all competitions and was loaned out exactly one year into his contract at the club. By August 2016, he was released by Liverpool and went on to join OGC Nice for free.
Balotelli currently plies his trade in the Turkish Super Lig with Adana Demirspor, and has caught the eye of the national team selectors. The striker had a terrible spell with Liverpool, but has since moved past that period in his career.
#4 Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid to Manchester United)
Angel Di Maria arrived at Old Trafford with a CV that marked him out as an elite top-level midfielder. The Argentine international had just played an important role in helping Real Madrid secure their 10th UEFA Champions League crown in 2014. He joined Manchester United for €75 million.
Di Maria started his Manchester United career brilliantly and claimed the club's Player of the Month and Goal of the Month awards in September. That was the peak of his personal achievements at the club as he struggled for form and confidence. The midfielder managed four goals and 12 assists in 32 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils before deciding to pursue a move elsewhere.
Di Maria moved to Paris Saint-Germain for only €63 million after just one year of playing for Manchester United. The midfielder rediscovered his best form and has been a key member of the French side ever since.
#3 Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal to Manchester United)
Alexis Sanchez made a name for himself as one of the best players in the Premier League following his move from FC Barcelona to Arsenal. The Chilean endeared himself to the Arsenal faithful and eventually moved to Manchester United in a swap deal.
Manchester United thought they were getting the best winger in the league when they swapped Henrikh Mkhitaryan for Sanchez. They placed the winger on a huge salary. Sanchez flopped badly at Old Trafford.
The Chilean struggled to live up to the standards he set while at Arsenal and failed to deliver in his 18 months as a Manchester United player. Sanchez scored five goals and made nine assists in 45 appearances for the club before joining Internazionale on loan.
After the conclusion of his loan spell, Internazionale chose to make the move permanent, and Sanchez joined on a free transfer. The forward has enjoyed a mini renaissance at the San Siro.
#2 Danny Drinkwater (Leicester City to Chelsea)
In 2017, Chelsea went out and spent €38 million to purchase English midfielder Danny Drinkwater from Leicester City. The midfielder was a key member of Leicester City's title-winning team in 2016 alongside N'Golo Kante as the club looked to rebuild that partnership.
Drinkwater instantly looked out of place at Stamford Bridge as he was competing with Kante, Cesc Fabregas and Tiemoue Bakayoko for a place in the starting XI. The Englishman failed to break into the team and made only 23 appearances for the club in two years before leaving on his first loan spell. Drinkwater found the net once for the Blues during his stint at the club.
Drinkwater first moved to Burnley on loan, spending six months at the club before joining Aston Villa on loan. His loan spells on the Premier League were marred by off-the-pitch issues, and he made only six appearances in total. Drinkwater spent time in Turkey with Kasimpasa before moving to Reading, where he currently plays, on loan.
#1 Ali Dia (Unattached to Southampton)
The Premier League has seen a lot of stories, but none has come close to that of Ali Dia, the striker from Senegal. Dia is regarded as one of the greatest conmen in the history of football.
In 1996, Dia's supposed cousin George Weah put a call through to Southampton manager Graeme Souness about his cousin who had played with him at PSG. Dia lied to Souness that the 1995 Ballon d'Or winner was his cousin, and that got him a trial at the club.
Dia was due to feature in a friendly match against Arsenal, but the day's rain caused the match to be canceled. The striker trained with the team briefly and due to an injury crisis at the club, was included in the squad for their Premier League match against Leeds United.
A 32nd minute injury to Matt Le Tissier saw Dia thrust into action, but the less said about his performance the better. He was substituted off with five minutes of the second half left to play and was never again seen at the club. He earned over €2000 in wages in his two weeks at the club.
