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The footballing season is about to end and the season for transfer rumours is about to begin and big clubs in the Premier League will be linked with every single player there is out there. The teams will be looking to strengthen their side for the next season by bringing in some of the best talents from across Europe. Some signings will work wonders while others will struggle to adjust to the pace of the Premier League.
Many top-class players arrived in the last summer who struggled to adjust to the Premier League and we pick the five most hyped summer signings who have struggled in the Premier League this season.
#5 Naby Keita (Liverpool)
Naby Keita was bought from RB Leipzig for a reported fee of £54 million in the summer transfer window. There was a lot of hype around the player due to his performances in the Bundesliga the previous season. The 24-year old scored 6 goals and contributed another 5 assists as a Leipzig player.
He inherited the iconic number 8 jersey of Steven Gerard at Liverpool. Keita's arrival excited many of the Liverpool fans their team lacked a player in midfield with his qualities. He can ease past players and brings loads of creativity on the table.
He did show signs of promise at the early stages of the season but has found himself on the bench for the most part of the season. He has played just 1209 minutes across all competition this season for Liverpool managing just 1 assist.
His creative influence on the team has not been great and he averages just 0.3 key passes per game which is a significant drop to his 1.6 key passes per game for RB Leipzig the previous season.
Keita has the quality to succeed in the Premier League and can come good in a Liverpool shirt, but there are reports suggesting that he could be sold in the summer after an underwhelming season with Liverpool.
#4 Fred (Manchester United)
Manchester United snatched Fred from their rivals Manchester City's grip in the summer for a reported fee of €59 million. The 26-year old Brazilian had a very good season with Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukranian league and the Champions League which caught a lot of interest from big sides across Europe.
The midfielder's ability to turn his opponents and play through high presses made him the ideal player for Manchester United to sign to bolster their midfield. He did start the first 3 games of the Premier League this season but has struggled for playing time since then.
The Brazilian was expected to get back into the side after the arrival of caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but he has only managed just 3 starts under the Norwegian manager.
The 26-year old is finding his form back and his performance against PSG was his best ever in a United shirt. But he is yet to justify the money the Red Devils splashed for his signature in the summer.
#3 Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
Riyad Mahrez was Leicester City's talisman when they did the unthinkable and lifted the Premier League trophy back in 2016. His performances earned him a 7th place finish in the Balon d'Or and were considered amongst the best in the Premier League. He was signed by Manchester City for a club record fee of £61 million in the summer.
He was expected to take Manchester City to another level as they target the prestigious Champions League trophy this season. But Mahrez has struggled to get into the side with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva, and Leroy Sane competing for the same position.
He has played just 1456 minutes this season for Manchester City, scoring 11 goals and contributing 7 assists. He has spent most of his time on the bench, which is not good enough for the club record signing.
#2 Yerry Mina (Everton)
Yerry Mina had a brilliant World Cup with Columbia last summer. The 24-year old was a subject of a lot of transfer speculation with Manchester United and Everton reportedly interested in signing the player from Barcelona.
He moved to Everton for a reported fee of £28 million and was expected to lead Marco Silva's side at the back. But he has struggled for playtime with injuries and has made just 9 appearances so far in the Premier League this season.
The 6'5'' centre-back is perfectly suited to succeed in the Premier League with his physicality and ability on the ball, but lack of form and injuries has hampered his progress.
He has found himself down the pecking order, with Michael Keane and Kurt Zouma preferred over the Columbian. The 24-year old has done very little to justify the money Everton paid for him and his injury record this season is not helping his cause.
#1 Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea)
Mateo Kovacic was brought in by Maurizio Sarri on loan from Real Madrid to be the creative influence in midfield. The midfielder has 26 appearances in the Premier League for Chelsea so far this season, which includes 18 starts. But the Croatian hasn't been able to do the job he was brought in for.
His creative influence on the team has been below-par. He only averages 0.8 key passes for Chelsea across all competitions. He has created just 1 big chance in his 26 appearances in the Premier League. He has contributed to just 2 assists in the Premier League, 3 in all competitions.
His performances have failed to impress the Chelsea supporters and many of them have asked for the Croatian to be dropped from the starting 11. Chelsea has the option to buy Kovacic on a permanent basis but will like to see more from Kovacic before making any big decision.
