Andriy Shevchenko
AC Milan to Chelsea; £30.8m; 2006
Sheva was one of the most clinical strikers in the modern history of football. He was unstoppable during his career at AC Milan in Serie A. The Ukrainian forward played for Chelsea 2 full seasons before was loaned out to his former club. Shevchenko only managed to score on 9 occasions in The Premier League, which led to his departure. So, the transfer amount of £30.8m is one of the biggest transfer failures!
Robbie Keane
Tottenham Hotspur to Liverpool; £20.3m, 2009
Ireland’s top goal-scorer has 2 big transfer failures in his career. In 2000, Inter Milan paid £13 m. to Coventry, but the forward couldn’t adapt with the Italian football and recorded 14 appearances for Inter, before being sold to Leeds United for a close to his price amount, but the striker wasn’t impressive again.
However, after developing as a world class forward Robbie Keane moved from Tottenham Hotspur to Liverpool in 2008. The Merseysiders paid £20.3 m. to Spurs, but Robbie Keane only spent half a season at Anfield, before returning to White Hart Lane.
Albert Luque
Deportivo La Coruna to Newcastle United; £9.5m, 2005
Most common, when a player who has become an integral part of his club, when he leaves it – he hardly adapts to the new one. That was also the Albert Luque’s case. In 2005 he left Deportivo La Coruna for Newcastle. Luque made a great impression, when he helped Deportivo reach the semi-finals of The Champions League in 2004. So, The Magpies paid £9.5 m. to La Coruna. But, the winger suffered a hamstring injury in his second match for the club. Luque only managed to score once in The Premier League, before leaving for Ajax in 2007.
Francis Jeffers
Everton to Arsenal; £8m, 2001
Franny Jeffers was determined as the most talented English striker, before Wayne Rooney’s development. The forward started his career at Everton in 1997. Jeffers bagged 18 goals in 49 league matches for The Toffees, which made Wenger pay £8 m. for the youngster in 2001. However, Jeffers couldn’t impress the French manager during his stay at the Highbury Stadium. The forward scored 4 league goals in 22 matches for The Gunners, before he left the club. That’s a very sad story, because the talented forward made his debut in the Premier League at the age of 16. He also scored on his debut for the English national team against Australia in 2003 (that game was also a debut for Wayne Rooney). But, that was the first and final cap for Jeffers…
Adrian Mutu
Parma to Chelsea in 2003 for £15.8 million
You could expect Mutu to score anytime in the match. He was such an explosive striker, which was well known by Claudio Ranieri, who signed him in 2003. Roman Abramovich paid £15.8 m. to Parma for the services of the Romanian striker. He wasn’t bad in his first season at Stamford Bridge, but after the arrival of Jose Mourinho in 2004, Mutu failed a drug test and was soon released by the club.
Denilson
Sao Paolo to Real Betis for £21.5 million in 1998.
After a magnificent performance by the winger Denilson at the World Cup 1998, Real Betis amazed the world paying £21.5 m. for the Brazilian, setting a new record for the biggest transfer amount. The winger was expected to do magical things on the pitch, but he didn’t show anything great in his first season, scoring twice in 35 matches. His team finished in 11th position. Real Betis even relegated in 2000, which is a moment to forget for Denilson. At both ends, the Brazilian spent 8 years at Betis. His only trophy with the club was Copa Del Rey in 2005, just months before leaving the club.
Andy Carroll
Newcastle United to Liverpool for £35 million in 2011.
Again, Liverpool haven’t learned from the mistake with Robbie Keane. The £35 m. deal wasn’t worth! I think Dalglish still regrets for his stupid decision. Andy Carroll only recorded 44 Premier League matches and bagged 6 goals. In my opinion, these 6 goals don’t cost £35 m. However, The Reds tried to fix the problem and eventually took £15 m. for the striker, who moved to West Ham United in 2013.