Worst Premier League Signings of 2013-14

Transfers are some of the most talked about happenings in football, with rumours and gossip filling the back pages every day and deals being done for tens of millions of pounds.

Managers and sides live and die by the transfers they make and it must be remembered that for every Thierry Henry or Eric Cantona there is an Andy Carroll or Winston Bogarde.

Here we take a look at the five worst Premier League signings of 2013-14.

Andy Carroll

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We might be being a bit harsh on Andy Carroll this time around and whilst there was no doubt that his £35m capture by Liverpool in 2011 was the worst value signing that season (and perhaps in Premier League history?), at £15m he may have seemed like a snip to West Ham back in May.

However, as at Liverpool, he was badly hampered by injuries and didn’t even play a competitive game for the Hammers until mid-January, with further injuries and a suspension severely limiting his game time. Signed on high wages on a six year deal he has a lot to prove.

Marouane Fellaini

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David Moyes didn’t help his cause at Manchester United by panic-buying the crazy-haired Belgian for £27.5m – £4m more than the release clause Moyes was aware of and allowed to lapse. Fellaini was never going to be the answer to United’s lack of creativity and after a slow start the crowd got on his back and he never looked half the player he was when playing for the Toffees.

New United boss Louis Van Gaal will need to decide if Fellaini has a future at Old Trafford and if so in what position. He will also have to restore the Belgian’s confidence otherwise the lanky elbow-specialist will be looking for a new club quicker than you can say “go and get a haircut”.

Roberto Soldado

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Spurs paid more than £26m for Soldado – about an arm and a leg of Gareth Bale – but got little more than a toe’s worth from the Spaniard who looked immobile, clumsy and not keen on playing for Tottenham.

While 11 goals may not seem a bad return, he only managed two Premier League goals from open play all season.

Erik Lamela

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Another Spurs player who failed to fill the Bale-sized hole at White Hart Lane, Lamela cost £30m and made just 10 starts in all competitions for Spurs.

Like Soldado he struggled with the language and seemed uninterested and off the pace. He didn’t manage to score a single league goal.

Kostas Mitroglou

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The Greek striker was signed in January for a whopping £12m and was intended to save Fulham’s season and keep them in the Premier League. They’ll be in the Championship next season and the fact that Mitroglou played a grand total of 141 minutes for the Cottagers without scoring tells its own story.

Fulham fans will have the remaining four years of his contract to see if Mitroglou has any more to offer…it could be a long wait.

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