Premier League Worst Summer Signings 2025: Mid-Season Review of the Biggest Transfer Flops

Not every big swing connects. While the summer of 2025 produced several instant hits, it also delivered a handful of headline signings that have yet to justify their price tags.

January, patience starts to thin, narratives harden, and “adaptation periods” quietly become questions about fit, fitness, and value.

Here are the five Premier League summer arrivals currently under the most scrutiny, ranked from expensive inconvenience to full-blown mid-season concern.

5 – James Trafford | Manchester City

From: Burnley
Fee: £31m

Trafford’s return to City was meant to be a succession plan. Instead, it became collateral damage. In fact, a horror start saw Manchester City dip into the market, once again, this time, for Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The Italian’s arrival instantly closed the pathway Trafford was promised and, since then, chances have been far and few between.

Outside of a shaky cup outing, he’s been glued to the bench, a worrying stagnation for a young goalkeeper with England ambitions. At £31m, this already feels like a luxury City didn’t need.

4 – Jamie Gittens | Chelsea

From: Borussia Dortmund
Fee: £52m

Chelsea paid a premium for potential, but Gittens has struggled to translate promise into production. A disrupted pre-season left him chasing rhythm, and his confidence has dipped amid constant rotation. Simply put, Gittens has shown nothing to justify his purchase.

Zero league goals, limited starts, and a sub-72% pass completion rate in pressure games tell the story. For the most expensive uncapped English player ever, expectations were always high, and the gap between hype and impact is widening.

The only good thing for Chelsea is that Gittens has taken the spotlight away from signings like Alejandro Garnacho.

3 – Xavi Simons | Tottenham Hotspur

From: Paris Saint-Germain (via RB Leipzig)
Fee: £52m

Simons arrived with flair, but Thomas Frank’s system demands intensity without the ball, and that’s where things have unraveled. Too often caught dwelling in possession or failing to recover defensively, the Dutchman looks miscast.

With a solitary league goal and just two assists, he’s already lost his starting spot to oter players. The talent is obvious; the fit, less so. Just another lesson into what a Bundesliga purchase looks like in the bright lights of the Premier League.

2 – Alexander Isak | Liverpool

From: Newcastle United
Fee: £125m (British transfer record)

The biggest deal of the summer has been a major disappointment. Injuries have disrupted Isak’s rhythm, and tactically he’s yet to click in Arne Slot’s system. In fact, injuries and a disrupted pre-season is the only reason Isak does not rank first.

Two goals in ten league appearances simply isn’t good enough, especially when fellow signing Hugo Ekitike has thrived. At £125m, expectations were always brutal. Right now, the questions are louder than the answers.

1 – Florian Wirtz | Liverpool

From: Bayer Leverkusen
Fee: £116m

Wirtz was supposed to be Liverpool’s creative engine. Instead, he’s been overpowered by the league’s pace and physicality. The data still hints at promise, his xA numbers are respectable, but the output hasn’t followed.

One assist and two goals across 19 league matches is a stark return for a £116m signing. Right now, he ranks among the poorest value-for-money players in the division.