Transfer windows provide clubs with the chance to strengthen their squads, an opportunity often seized through bold investments in both rising talents and proven stars.

However, desperation can sometimes cloud judgment. In the scramble to solve pressing issues, decisions are made in haste, and more often than not, they lead to regret. Occasionally, luck shines through and a gamble pays off, but those moments are rare in a landscape littered with costly misfires.

With the 2024–25 season now concluded and a full campaign’s worth of evidence to assess, the mixed fortunes of summer arrivals have come into sharp focus. Some justified the hype, others exceeded expectations, but many failed to live up to their billing.

In a season marked by both standout performances and spectacular disappointments, we take a closer look at the latter.

From injury-plagued campaigns to signings that never find their feet, these players fell short of expectations, leaving their clubs in limbo. Below are the 10 worst Premier League signings of the 2024–25 summer window—a reminder that not every splash in the transfer market makes a ripple on the pitch.

10 Worst Premier League Signings of 2024-25

1. Federico Chiesa (Liverpool for €12 million)

Arne Slot’s only signing of the summer as he prepared to usher in a new era at Liverpool, following Jurgen Klopp’s emotional departure after nearly nine transformative years at the helm.

• Appearances: 6
• Goals: 0
• Assists: 0

Federico Chiesa did not arrive in Liverpool as a healthy player. After a brilliant debut season with Juventus in 2021-22, his employers have continued to live on the hopes that he may yet find his feet again.

Persistent injuries and dropped forms have both contributed to his misfortunes. In his final three seasons at Juventus, Chiesa struggled with injuries, and he didn't have it easier in his debut season with Liverpool, whom he joined in a €12 million deal.

Federico Chiesa didn’t arrive at Liverpool in peak condition. After a brilliant first season with Juventus in 2021–22, the Italian winger’s career has been marred by recurring injuries and a steady dip in form, issues that Juventus had long hoped he would overcome.

But those same struggles followed him to Merseyside. Signed for €12 million, Chiesa endured yet another frustrating campaign. His debut season with Liverpool was plagued by the same injury setbacks that haunted his final three years in Turin.

His debut was delayed by injury, and when it finally came, an 18-minute cameo in a 3-0 win over Bournemouth in September, it offered a glimmer of hope. But that flicker quickly faded, as he was soon back on the treatment table and wouldn’t feature again in the league for over four months.

His first and only Premier League start came in the penultimate round of the season, while an eight-minute cameo against Chelsea, after Liverpool had already secured the title, ensured he met the minimum requirement for a winner’s medal.

2. Armando Broja (Everton on loan with option)

The years of struggle continue for the Albanian, once tipped as the future of Chelsea's attack. That expectation has long since faded, and now, Broja is struggling to find a club at all.

• Appearances: 10
• Goals: 0
• Assists: 0

Broja joined the Toffees on a season-long loan with an option to buy, which would have become an obligation had certain conditions been met. But he was never anywhere close to being a success during his time on Merseyside. He didn't even manage a shot on target in the league.

He made ten ineffective Premier League appearances, only four of them as a starter. He eventually fell behind the more impressive Beto, finishing yet another season in disappointment. To make matters worse, he now faces the prospect of starting all over again with a return to Chelsea.

The challenging task of finding a new club after a failed campaign now lies ahead for Broja and his entourage. At 24, the coming years will be crucial for his development, making his next move a potential make-or-break moment in his career.

3. Joshua Zirkzee (Manchester United for €42.5 million)

A major disappointment for Manchester United, as the Dutch forward also failed to deliver, marking the second consecutive summer the club has splashed big money on a striker, only to watch him flop.

• Appearances: 32 games
• Goals: 3 goals
• Assists: 1 assists

After coming off the bench to score the winning goal against Fulham on his debut, kick-starting the season on a high, Joshua Zirkzee looked like the real deal. But as the campaign wore on, he proved to be just another false dawn.

He failed to stand out in the battle for minutes with Rasmus Højlund, who himself has yet to justify his price tag since arriving the previous summer. Zirkzee showed glimpses of flair and technical elegance, but that means little at a club desperate for a striker with a ruthless edge in front of goal.

A €42.5 million investment, the former Bologna striker started 14 of his 32 Premier League appearances, managing just three goals. A brace against Everton before the turn of the year accounted for most of his tally, meaning he only scored in two league matches all season.

Most damning of all, Zirkzee finished his on a run of 19 Premier League outings without scoring, a drought that summed up his underwhelming impact.

4. Kalvin Phillips (Ipswich Town on season-long loan)

Whatever happened to the Yorkshire Pirlo? Once the heartbeat of the England national team midfield, where his masterful outing in the European Championship in 2021 led to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City splashing £40 million to sign him from Leeds United.

• Appearances: 19
• Goals: 0
• Assists: 0

After two rough seasons, a quarter of which was spent in a failed six-month loan at West Ham United, the midfielder headed out on loan at the start of the season, joining newly promoted Ipswich Town to rediscover himself, and maybe play himself into the plans of his parent club in the future.

Unfortunately, things didn't quite go as he wanted. Trusted by manager Kieran McKenna at the start, he eventually lost his place in the team after his sending off against Leicester City at the beginning of November.

In 19 Premier League games, Phillips started 14, and failed to make any telling impact, as The Tractor Boys suffered relegation from the top-flight, ending their first year back in the top-flight in 22 years in disappointment.

5. Kienan Dewsbury-Hall (Chelsea for €35 million)

The English midfielder was the most highly anticipated of all Enzo Maresca's signings for his first season at Chelsea, as the duo had enjoyed a strong working relationship at Leicester City, where they helped secure promotion to the top flight by winning the Championship the previous season.

• Appearances: 13
• Goals: 0
• Assists: 1

Kiernan was an exciting signing for Chelsea, not only was he considered a 'Maresca man', but he had just registered 27 goal involvements under the Italian and was tipped to challenge several Chelsea starters for a place in the XI.

To everyone’s disappointment, he never put up much of a fight, expected of a €35 million signing. He featured regularly only in the Conference League and domestic cup competitions. Thus, he earned himself a spot among the 10 worst Premier League signings of the 2024-25 summer window.

The 26-year-old started just twice in 13 Premier League appearances, registering a single assist, where he set up Marc Cucurella for the second goal in a 3–1 home win over Wolves in January.

6. João Félix (Chelsea for €52 million)

João Félix’s first stint at Chelsea was far from convincing, yet it left just enough intrigue to suggest the story wasn’t over. That lingering sense of unfinished business tempted the Blues into revisiting the deal, and this time permanently, sealing a €52 million move from Atlético Madrid.

• Appearances: 12
• Goals: 1
• Assists: 1

Félix, who was infamously sent off on his first Chelsea debut in 2023, made a more positive impression in his second debut, coming off the bench to score the final goal in a 6–2 thrashing of Wolves at Molineux, just days after completing his permanent transfer.

But that would prove to be the high point of his season. Under Enzo Maresca, Félix struggled to earn meaningful minutes in the Premier League. The Italian manager preferred other options in attack and never seemed to fully trust the former golden boy winner.

Félix eventually departed Stamford Bridge in January, joining AC Milan in search of a fresh start. But his struggles followed him to Italy. Inconsistent performances and a perceived lack of intensity drew criticism, not just from fans, but also reportedly from within the Milan dressing room.

Though the noise around him grew louder, Félix managed a quiet response, ending his Serie A stint on a slightly more positive note by scoring in each of his final two appearances.

Still, the brief flashes of brilliance were overshadowed by yet another chapter of unfulfilled promise, making him rank as one of the 10 worst Premier League signings in the 2024-25 summer window.

7. Raheem Sterling (Arsenal on season-long loan)

In a desperate deadline day move, Mikel Arteta turned to the available Raheem Sterling, hoping to rekindle the productive partnership they once shared at Manchester City. Unfortunately, what he got was a shadow of the player he once knew.

• Appearances: 17
• Goals: 0
• Assists: 2

Raheem Sterling sealed a season-long loan move away from Chelsea just before the summer transfer window slammed shut, becoming only the second player after Nicolas Anelka to feature for all four of Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal.

He arrived at the Emirates with a renewed sense of optimism and hunger, determined to redeem himself after a disappointing debut season at Chelsea, and hopeful of recapturing the spark that lit up his successful seven-year spell at Manchester City.

Sterling’s early performances did not indicate that he was ready to challenge for a starting role. Yet, fate handed him an opportunity when Arsenal were hit by a wave of injuries to key attacking players — Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus all sidelined, leaving the door wide open.

But when it mattered most, Sterling offered next to nothing. He managed just seven starts in 17 league appearances, registering two assists, one inconsequential, and the other a simple pass to Leandro Trossard on the halfway line, with the Belgian doing the heavy lifting to find the net.

8. Julian Araujo (AFC Bournemouth for €10 million)

Bournemouth had high hopes for Julián Araujo when they brought him in from Barcelona last summer, earmarking him as a key solution at right-back. But every time the Cherries called on him, he was nowhere to be found, either sidelined, unfit, or simply overlooked.

• Appearances: 12
• Goals: 0
• Assists: 0

Plagued by injuries for much of the campaign, Araujo initially featured in the opening weeks of the season. However, a string of underwhelming performances quickly tested Andoni Iraola’s patience, and the Bournemouth boss eventually dropped him from the starting lineup.

From October to April, Araujo started just one Premier League match, as a lingering hamstring injury sidelined him for nearly four months. It was a frustrating debut season that never got off the ground, and will now leave the club with a decision to make over his stance in the team.

Araujo returned to the starting XI in May, delivering a couple of unimpressive performances against Arsenal and Manchester City, the latter where the curtain finally dropped on his season, as he was an unused substitute in their final game of the season against Leicester City.

9. Archie Gray (Tottenham Hotspur for €40 million)

Although the 19-year-old is still a newbie in the elite league, a €40 million price tag carries certain expectations, chief among them, reliability. Age is no longer a shield in this era, where a 17-year-old is amongst the leading contenders for the Ballon d'Or, the sport’s most prestigious individual honour. At that price, potential is only part of the package, consistent impact is the demand.

• Appearances: 28
• Goals: 0
• Assists: 0

It was a baptism of fire for the former Leeds United youngster, thrust into the spotlight midway through the season as injuries ravaged Tottenham’s defensive line. With little choice, Spurs had to rely heavily on him, even though he is more of a midfielder, and the Premier League showed no mercy.

His lack of experience was brutally exploited, leading to a string of costly errors that contributed to Tottenham finishing the campaign with the fifth-worst defensive record in the league. In his 19 starts, Spurs managed just two clean sheets, a telling statistic that underlined the struggles of both player and club.

It was a tough introduction to top-flight football for Gray. While he ended the season with a Europa League winner’s medal, his individual performances left much to be desired. Spurs can only hope the hard lessons of his debut campaign will serve him well, and that brighter days lie ahead for their €40 million investment.

10. Fabio Carvalho (Brentford for €32 million, add-ons included)

To build on an impressive loan spell at Hull City last season, Fábio Carvalho left Liverpool and joined Brentford on a permanent deal, becoming the Bees’ most expensive midfield signing.

• Appearances: 19
• Goals: 2
• Assists: 1

Carvalho started brightly, making an immediate impact in his first three significant league games, registering one goal and one assist during that stretch. Unfortunately, a groin injury disrupted his rhythm, and he struggled to rediscover his form for the remainder of the season.

He eventually lost his place in the team, as the quartet of Kevin Schade, Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, and Mikkel Damsgaard spearheaded Thomas Frank's attack, helping Brentford to a top-ten finish, their second-best since returning to the top flight in 2021–22.

Carvalho was not helped by injuries. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in February, with his final appearance coming in a trip to Leicester, where he came off the bench to score the final goal in a 4–0 victory.