Florian Wirtz arrived at Liverpool as one of the most exciting talents in world football, but his struggles continued in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.
The £116 million signing endured another frustrating afternoon at Anfield, losing possession repeatedly and failing to make a meaningful impact before being substituted in the second half.
It’s the latest disappointment in a difficult Liverpool career, and questions are growing over whether the German will ever justify his enormous price tag.
But Wirtz is far from the first expensive Premier League signing to struggle, and we’ve ranked the 10 biggest Premier League transfer flops of all time, counting down to number one.
10. Rasmus Hojlund – £72m (Atalanta to Manchester United, 2023)
Manchester United spent a potential £72 million bringing Rasmus Højlund to Old Trafford in 2023, hoping the young Danish striker would become their long-term answer up front.
Although he showed flashes of his potential, Højlund struggled to deliver the consistent Premier League goals United desperately needed. His physical qualities and work rate were rarely questioned, but the enormous transfer fee created expectations he couldn’t meet.
For a club desperate for a reliable goalscorer, it proved another expensive gamble that failed to pay off.
9. Alexander Isak – £125m (Newcastle to Liverpool, 2025)
Liverpool broke the British transfer record to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle, expecting the Swedish striker to transform their attack.
Instead, injuries and disrupted availability have prevented him from building momentum at Anfield. He was also absent from Sunday’s defeat to Manchester City, leaving Liverpool without their record signing for one of the season’s biggest fixtures.
Isak’s proven Premier League quality means there’s still plenty of time for him to turn things around, but Liverpool have received nowhere near the return they expected from such a huge investment.
8. Wesley Fofana – £70m (Leicester to Chelsea, 2022)
Chelsea paid around £70 million for Wesley Fofana in 2022, believing they had secured one of the Premier League’s most promising young defenders.
Unfortunately, serious injuries have repeatedly interrupted his Chelsea career, preventing him from establishing the consistency required to justify such a massive fee.
Fofana’s ability has never been the main concern. Instead, Chelsea have struggled to get enough football from a player they invested so heavily in.
7. André Onana – £47.2m (Inter Milan to Manchester United, 2023)
Manchester United signed André Onana from Inter Milan to replace David de Gea, with his distribution and confidence on the ball seen as ideal qualities for a modern goalkeeper.
However, high-profile mistakes quickly became a recurring problem, particularly in European competition, and his performances frequently attracted criticism.
Although Onana produced impressive saves and occasional excellent displays, his inconsistency made him another costly disappointment in United’s recruitment history.
6. Nicolas Pépé – £72m (Lille to Arsenal, 2019)
Arsenal shattered their transfer record to sign Nicolas Pépé from Lille in 2019, following a sensational season in Ligue 1.
The Ivorian winger arrived with enormous expectations, but struggled to establish himself as a consistently influential Premier League player.
Pépé did produce memorable goals and moments of quality, but never came close to justifying his £72 million price tag. Arsenal eventually allowed him to leave for free, making the transfer an expensive lesson in recruitment.
5. Jadon Sancho – £73m (Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United, 2021)
After years of speculation, Manchester United finally signed Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund for £73 million in 2021.
The England international had been one of Europe’s most exciting attacking players in Germany, but his Old Trafford career never reached those heights.
Inconsistent performances, limited attacking output and a public fallout with manager Erik ten Hag ultimately overshadowed his time at the club.
What was supposed to be a transformative signing became another example of United paying a premium for a player who couldn’t reproduce his previous form.
4. Florian Wirtz – £116m (Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool, 2025)
Liverpool’s £116 million move for Florian Wirtz was supposed to bring one of Europe’s most gifted playmakers to Anfield.
Instead, the German has struggled to replicate the creativity and attacking influence that made him a superstar at Bayer Leverkusen.
Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City only intensified the criticism. Wirtz lost possession 16 times in the first half and struggled to create opportunities before being replaced in the 66th minute.
His performances have become a major talking point, with Liverpool still waiting for their enormous investment to consistently deliver.
At just 23, Wirtz has time to turn his career around, but his disappointing start has already placed him among the Premier League’s most heavily scrutinised big-money signings.
3. Romelu Lukaku – £97.5m (Inter Milan to Chelsea, 2021)
Chelsea paid £97.5 million to bring Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge in 2021, believing they had finally found the striker to lead their attack.
Lukaku had been outstanding at Inter Milan, but his second spell at Chelsea quickly unravelled.
After a promising start, his performances declined, while a controversial interview questioning his situation at the club created further problems.
He managed just eight Premier League goals during the 2021/22 season before returning to Inter on loan.
For almost £100 million, Chelsea expected a world-class goalscorer. Instead, they got one of the most disappointing transfers in the club’s history.
2. Antony – £86m (Ajax to Manchester United, 2022)
Manchester United spent approximately £86 million to reunite Antony with Erik ten Hag in 2022.
The Brazilian winger arrived with a reputation for flair, creativity and spectacular goals, but his Premier League performances rarely justified the price.
Despite occasional moments of individual brilliance, Antony struggled with end product, predictability and consistency.
His enormous fee became a constant source of criticism, particularly as United continued to struggle in attack.
Few Premier League signings have demonstrated the dangers of paying such an inflated price for potential rather than proven performance.
1. Mykhailo Mudryk – £62m (Shakhtar Donetsk to Chelsea, 2023)
Chelsea beat Arsenal to the signing of Mykhailo Mudryk in January 2023, agreeing a deal worth up to £89 million including add-ons.
The Ukrainian winger arrived with explosive pace and enormous potential, but struggled badly to translate those qualities into consistent Premier League performances.
Despite flashes of talent, Mudryk’s attacking output fell well short of expectations, while his Chelsea career was further disrupted by a provisional suspension following an adverse doping test.
For a player who generated so much excitement and commanded such an enormous financial commitment, the outcome has been deeply disappointing.
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by Akingbehin Tosin
Florian Wirtz