Top 5 footballers who have struggled after big-money transfers

These 5 players cost their current clubs hefty amounts, but are yet to live up to expectations
These 5 players cost their current clubs hefty amounts, but are yet to live up to expectations

#3 Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona) - €135 million

Coutinho is yet to make an appearance this season
Coutinho is yet to make an appearance this season

Philippe Coutinho joined Barcelona from Liverpool as one of the best midfielders in the world for a reported initial fee of €122 million plus add-ons, believed to currently amount to €135 million. However, the Brazilian has completely failed to justify the huge transfer fee that the Catalan club paid for him back in 2018.

Coutinho has struggled with injuries and loss of form at the club which has seen him fall down the pecking order of all his previous managers. The Brazilian spent the 2019-20 season on loan at Bayern Munich, impressing in his spell at the Bavarian outfit.

However, things have just not worked out for the midfielder at Barcelona and he is now being deemed surplus to requirements by manager Ronald Koeman. It would benefit all the parties involved if Coutinho leaves the club in the near future, given that he is still technically in the prime of his career at the age of 29.


#2 Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona) - €135 million

Dembele in action for Barcelona
Dembele in action for Barcelona

Ousmane Dembele's tenure at Barcelona has been ravaged by injuries which have not allowed him to reach his potential at the club. One of the world's most exciting players on his day, the Frenchman has just failed to string together a consistent run of games for the club due to his constant injury troubles.

Dembele joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for a reported fee of €105 million plus €40 million in add-ons. Since then, he has only managed 118 appearances for the Catalan club. Ronald Koeman, however, seems to be a huge fan of the Frenchman, and has made him an integral part of his attack.

Dembele's inconsistency in form has stemmed from the fact that he cannot play a string of games without getting injured. Barcelona will hope that the Frenchman can stay out of injury trouble for the rest of the 2021-22 season.


#1 Eden Hazard (Real Madrid) - €146 million

Hazard has had a terrible stint at Real Madrid
Hazard has had a terrible stint at Real Madrid

When Eden Hazard left Chelsea in 2019, he was touted as one of the best players in the world. Real Madrid brought in the Belgian (for a reported fee of €100 million which could rise to €146 million) with a view of him being Cristiano Ronaldo's replacement at the club.

However, none of that has gone to plan for Los Blancos as Hazard has barely played since joining the club. The Belgian has been consistently injured during his Real Madrid tenure and has only made 46 appearances for the club since joining back in 2019.

This has led to many fans calling for the club to cut their losses and get rid of the winger. However, new manager Carlo Ancelotti seemingly trusts Hazard and has started him in two of Real Madrid's three games so far this season.

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Edited by Aakanksh Sanketh