6 most overrated players from the big six clubs in the Premier League

The Premier League has always been a hub for extraordinary talent. May it be players who have come through the academies or gifted foreign acquisitions, the Premier League has no dearth of pure footballing ability. Each season players get the chance to prove their worth and are often targets for bigger clubs across Europe.

The Premier League's Big Six have had a few forgettable transfers

Navigating through the transfer window can prove to be tricky. Over the years, some deals have turned out to be bargains while others have flopped massively. The pressure of justifying a high transfer fee combined with a new club’s atmosphere has often led to players failing to live up to expectations.

While we are in no position to judge a professional footballer's ability, these particular players have been chosen because so much is expected of them but they have delivered very little. Let's now take a look at the most overrated players from each of the Premier League’s “Big Six” sides.

#6 Emerson Royal - Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea - Premier League

One of Tottenham’s most recent signings, Emerson Royal was signed from Barcelona to reinforce the wing-back position. Spurs paid Barca a fee of around £26 million for the Brazilian right-back. Emerson featured in just three games for Blaugrana during his time in Spain.

Tottenham fans were elated by the transfer, given that the club is not known for their brisk transfer business. Much was expected from the 23-year-old defender. But Emerson has been average at best this season.

Spurs haven’t really benefited from the Brazilian’s services, who himself admitted that he has found adjusting to life in England difficult.

Although Emerson has often found space on the wing, his crosses have been far from satisfactory. He was also found guilty of losing possession on a few occasions.

Tottenham are currently sixth in the Premier League and are competing for a top-four spot. Fans will hope that Antonio Conte can mold Emerson under his system, which typically relies on the participation of wing-backs.

#5 Nicolas Pepe - Arsenal

Arsenal v Leeds United - Carabao Cup Round of 16

Given Nicolas Pepe’s record in Ligue 1, Arsenal fans were over the moon when the Ivorian was announced at the start of the 2019-20 season.The Gunners paid £72 million for Pepe, who is Arsenal’s most expensive signing. Pepe has shown flashes of brilliance for Arsenal but has rarely lived up to expectations.

Pepe has 26 goals and 20 assists for Arsenal in 101 appearances across all competitions. While they are not abysmal numbers, one expects Pepe to be much more involved in the goals for the Gunners. Pepe has started just five league games this season, with Arteta putting his faith in the young guns at Arsenal.

Pepe had incredible numbers in the 2018-19 season with Lille, in which he had 22 goals and 11 assists. The 26-year-old is running out of time and needs to put in better displays for the Gunners.

Arsenal have recovered after a shaky start and are fifth in the league. Fans will hope that Mikel Arteta can secure a position in the coveted Champions League spots.

#4 Jack Grealish - Manchester City

Manchester City v Leeds United - Premier League

After putting in spectacular performances at Aston Villa, Jack Grealish joined Manchester City at the start of the 2021-22 season. With a humongous transfer fee of £100m, Grealish became the most expensive player in Premier League history. However, the Englishman has failed to replicate his brilliance for City.

Another victim of an extravagant transfer fee, Grealish has hardly made an impact at Manchester City. In a squad brimming with superstars, the ineffectiveness of Grealish has gone largely unnoticed. Grealish has two goals and two assists in 15 league appearances for City.

Pep Guardiola has shown faith in Grealish and he has been a regular starter for City this season. Perhaps he has been judged too harshly given that this is his first season at the Etihad. But for somebody with vast Premier League experience, one expects Grealish to be more effective.

#3 Sadio Mane - Liverpool

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool - Premier League

Perhaps a more surprising inclusion on this list is Liverpool’s Sadio Mane. The Senegalese, who was Southampton’s standout player in the 2015-16 season, signed for Liverpool at the end of the campaign for a fee of close to £34 million.

Mane was superb for Liverpool in the period between 2018 and 2020 when they won the Champions League and Premier League. He was lethal on the wing, making dangerous runs and finding the back of the net at will. However, the 29-year-old has struggled to reach the same levels of late.

Mane has missed a lot of goalscoring chances and seems to be lacking confidence overall. Liverpool fans heaped praise on the Senegalese after his first few seasons, but it is clear that Mane’s impact at Liverpool hasn’t been the same. He makes this list solely based on how highly he is rated by the fans and his disappointing past couple of seasons.

#3 Christian Pulisic - Chelsea

Christian Pulisic caught the eye of numerous clubs during his time at Dortmund and was eventually signed by Chelsea in 2019. He is their fifth most expensive signing, costing the Blues £58 million. Like many on this list, Pulisic has shown mere glimpses of his talent but has struggled to make a significant impact.

Pulisic has three goals in 12 Premier League appearances this season. Injuries have also played a part in Pulisic's poor run of form, with him missing out on a large part of this Premier League season. The American's efforts in front of goal have also been a mixed bag. Although he may have scored a few worldies, Pulisic has often fluffed easy chances.

To make matters even more stressful, Pulisic is Chelsea’s number 10 and has to fill the shoes of the mercurial Eden Hazard. Pulisic is only 23 so there is a lot of scope for improvement. If the American can display a bit more consistency on the pitch, he will surely prove his doubters wrong.

#1 Jadon Sancho - Manchester United

Manchester United v Atalanta: Group F - UEFA Champions League

Jadon Sancho made the move from Germany to his homeland of England at the start of the season when he signed for Manchester United. United paid a hefty £73 million for Sancho, making him the third-most expensive signing in the club's history. Sancho has struggled to live up to the hype since his big-money move to Old Trafford.

The Englishman’s indecisiveness on the attack has led to United losing momentum on quite a few occasions this season. Sancho has started in the majority of games this season but has been sub-par.

Although Sancho is targeted by fans and pundits mainly for his lofty price tag, one still expects the youngster to put in better performances. Given his potential, there is no doubt that Sancho can still improve at United.