Ranking the 50 Worst Soccer Transfers Since 2000

Transfers can sometimes bring glory but often produce puzzling failures. Some become club legends, while others fade into obscurity as costly mistakes.

Here’s a rundown of the 50 worst soccer transfers since 2000, an era when transfer fees ballooned dramatically.

How We Ranked These Transfers

• Cost: How much was paid relative to the market at the time.
• Financial Impact: Resale value and financial consequences for the buying club.
• Performance: On-field contributions and statistics.
• Expectations: Player reputation and anticipated impact upon arrival.

50. Ricardo Quaresma (Porto to Inter Milan, 2008)

• Transfer Fee: €18.6 million plus player exchange
• Quaresma, once a promising winger alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Sporting CP, struggled badly under Jose Mourinho at Inter.
• His attitude and inconsistent displays earned him the Bidone d’Oro award for worst Serie A player in his first season.
• He scored only once in two years before moving to Beşiktaş.

49. Sébastien Haller (Eintracht Frankfurt to West Ham, 2019)

• Transfer Fee: Up to £45 million with add-ons
• After prolific spells at Frankfurt and Ajax, Haller flopped at West Ham, failing to score regularly.
• Sold to Ajax after 18 months for half the amount West Ham paid Frankfurt.

48. Jesé Rodríguez (Real Madrid to Paris Saint-Germain, 2016)

• Transfer Fee: €25 million
• Jesé's move to PSG was marred by injuries and poor form, leading to multiple loans.
• Only 18 appearances over four seasons; contract terminated amid a scandal.

47. Jack Rodwell (Manchester City to Sunderland, 2014)

• Transfer Fee: £10 million
• Rodwell became emblematic of Sunderland’s mismanagement, plagued by injuries and scarce appearances.
• Despite limited playtime, he earned £70,000 per week during Sunderland’s decline.

46. Darwin Núñez (Benfica to Liverpool, 2022)

• Transfer Fee: £64 million rising to £85 million
• Despite scoring 26 goals in one Primeira Liga season, Núñez struggled with inconsistency and missed chances at Liverpool.
• Sent off for a violent headbutt and ultimately sold to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia at age 26.

45. Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus to AC Milan, 2017)

• Transfer Fee: €42 million
• Bonucci sought a new challenge but lasted only one tough season at Milan before returning to Juventus.

44. Rasmus Højlund (Atalanta to Manchester United, 2023)

• Transfer Fee: £64 million rising to £72 million
• Højlund failed to adapt to the Premier League, enduring a long goal drought and disappointing performances.
• Returned to Italy on loan where he regained form.

43. Dmytro Chygrynskiy (Shakhtar Donetsk to Barcelona, 2009)

• Transfer Fee: €25 million
• Signed after impressing in the UEFA Super Cup, Chygrynskiy played only 14 matches before heading back to Shakhtar.

42. Jackson Martínez (Atlético Madrid to Guangzhou Evergrande, 2016)

• Transfer Fee: €42 million
• After a poor spell at Atlético, Martinez moved to China but was hampered by ankle injuries and minimal appearances.

41. Jhon Durán (Aston Villa to Al Nassr, 2024)

• Transfer Fee: £64.5 million rising to £71 million
• Though scoring 12 goals in 18 games for Al Nassr, Durán left soon after for personal reasons, followed by failed loan spells.

40. André Onana (Inter Milan to Manchester United, 2023)

• Transfer Fee: £43.8 million rising to £47.2 million
• Onana's tenure at United featured numerous mistakes and poor composure, leading to a loan exit.
• Former player Nemanja Matić called him one of United’s worst goalkeepers.

39. Fábio Silva (Porto to Wolverhampton Wanderers, 2020)

• Transfer Fee: £35 million
• Wolves' record signing scored only five goals in 73 appearances before several loans and eventual sale to Borussia Dortmund.

38. Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid to Chelsea, 2017)

• Transfer Fee: £60 million
• Morata struggled to replicate Diego Costa’s impact, scoring 24 goals in 72 games but failing to impress consistently.

37. Renato Sanches (Benfica to Bayern Munich, 2016)

• Transfer Fee: €35 million rising to €80 million
• Sanches shone in Portugal but failed to establish himself at Bayern, leading to loans and eventual sale.

36. Winston Bogarde (Barcelona to Chelsea, 2000)

• Transfer Fee: Free transfer
• Bogarde rarely played but collected a high salary at Chelsea, famously stating he took the money regardless of playing time.

35. Ángel Di María (Real Madrid to Manchester United, 2014)

• Transfer Fee: £59.7 million
• Di María started well but faded quickly, leaving United after one season with just four goals.

34. Tiémoué Bakayoko (Monaco to Chelsea, 2017)

• Transfer Fee: £40 million
• Bakayoko never lived up to expectations at Chelsea and is remembered for a disastrous match against Watford.

33. Arthur & Miralem Pjanić (Barcelona/Juventus Swap, 2020)

• Transfer Fees: Arthur €72 million rising to €82 million, Pjanić €60 million rising to €65 million
• A costly swap deal between Barça and Juve involving two midfielders who failed to impress at their new clubs.

32. Juan Sebastián Verón (Lazio to Manchester United, 2001)

• Transfer Fee: £28.1 million
• Verón began well but struggled with the pace of English football and injuries, leaving after two years for half the fee.

31. Eliaquim Mangala (Porto to Manchester City, 2014)

• Transfer Fee: £31.8 million rising to £42 million
• Mangala’s time at City was marked by costly errors and discipline problems before his release in 2019.

30. Kaká (AC Milan to Real Madrid, 2009)

• Transfer Fee: €68.5 million
• Kaká arrived as the world’s most expensive player but was hampered by injuries and lost his place to Mesut Özil.

29. Shkodran Mustafi (Valencia to Arsenal, 2016)

• Transfer Fee: £35 million
• Initially promising, Mustafi became known for defensive blunders and was released by Arsenal in 2021.

28. Mario Balotelli (AC Milan to Liverpool, 2014)

• Transfer Fee: £16 million
• Balotelli failed to replace Luis Suárez’s goals, scoring just once before leaving Liverpool for free.

27. Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United to Manchester City, 2022)

• Transfer Fee: £42 million rising to £45 million
• Phillips impressed for England but struggled with fitness and form at City, remaining under contract despite lack of interest from other clubs.

26. Fernando Torres (Liverpool to Chelsea, 2011)

• Transfer Fee: £50 million
• Torres’s Chelsea stint was a shadow of his Liverpool peak, with low goal tallies and a memorable miss against Manchester United.

25. Jonathan Woodgate (Newcastle United to Real Madrid, 2004)

• Transfer Fee: £13.4 million
• Woodgate’s Real Madrid career was ruined by injuries and a disastrous debut featuring an own goal and red card.

24. Adrian Mutu (Parma to Chelsea, 2003)

• Transfer Fee: £15.8 million
• Mutu’s Chelsea time ended after a cocaine ban, leading to legal battles and damages owed to the club.

23. Paul Pogba (Juventus to Manchester United, 2016)

• Transfer Fee: £89 million
• Pogba’s second stint at United was marked by fleeting brilliance, frequent discontent, and an eventual return to Juventus for free.

22. Jean-Kévin Augustin (RB Leipzig to Leeds United, 2020)

• Transfer Fee: Loan with £18.4 million purchase option
• Augustin played only 48 minutes for Leeds but the club was forced to pay the full transfer fee and later compensation for breach of contract.

21. Mykhailo Mudryk (Shakhtar Donetsk to Chelsea, 2023)

• Transfer Fee: £62 million rising to £89 million
• Mudryk showed early promise but faced a four-year doping ban which was overturned after 19 months, leaving his future uncertain.

20. Nicolas Pépé (Lille to Arsenal, 2019)

• Transfer Fee: £72 million
• Pépé struggled to justify his record fee at Arsenal, often frustrating fans with ineffective play.

19. Tanguy Ndombele (Lyon to Tottenham, 2019)

• Transfer Fee: £63 million
• Ndombele showed flashes of talent but mostly failed to adapt to the Premier League, eventually leaving Spurs in 2024.

18. Danny Drinkwater (Leicester to Chelsea, 2017)

• Transfer Fee: £35 million
• Drinkwater’s Chelsea career fizzled quickly, marred by poor performances and off-field controversies.

17. Andy Carroll (Newcastle United to Liverpool, 2011)

• Transfer Fee: £35 million
• Carroll failed to fill Fernando Torres’s shoes, scoring just six Premier League goals before moving to West Ham.

16. Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United, 2021)

• Transfer Fee: £73 million rising to £78 million
• Sancho struggled with form, mental health issues, and public disagreements, ending in a failed loan and transfer.

15. Carlos Tévez (Boca Juniors to Shanghai Shenhua, 2016)

• Transfer Fee: Disputed but substantial
• Tévez was reportedly the highest-paid player worldwide but performed poorly in China, labeling his stint a “holiday.”

14. Luka Jović (Eintracht Frankfurt to Real Madrid, 2019)

• Transfer Fee: €60 million
• Jović’s rapid rise stalled due to injuries and a lockdown scandal; he left Madrid on a free transfer.

13. Gaizka Mendieta (Valencia to Lazio, 2001)

• Transfer Fee: €48 million
• Once a star at Valencia, Mendieta failed to score in 31 games for Lazio and was offloaded after one season.

12. Zlatan Ibrahimović (Inter Milan to Barcelona, 2010)

• Transfer Fee: €46.2 million plus Samuel Eto’o
• Zlatan scored 21 goals but clashed with Guardiola and teammates, leading to a quick return to Italy.

11. Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan to Chelsea, 2006)

• Transfer Fee: £30 million
• Shevchenko’s pace slowed in England, resulting in just nine Premier League goals before returning to Italy.

10. João Félix (Benfica to Atlético Madrid, 2019)

• Transfer Fee: €126 million
• Félix struggled to adapt to Simeone’s style, facing criticism despite winning La Liga in 2020-21.

9. Kepa Arrizabalaga (Athletic Club to Chelsea, 2018)

• Transfer Fee: £72 million
• Kepa became the world's most expensive goalkeeper but delivered poor performances and a notorious cup final incident.
• Loaned out before joining Arsenal for £5 million.

8. Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal to Manchester United, 2018)

• Transfer Fee: Swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan
• Sánchez failed spectacularly at United despite a lucrative contract, scoring only three league goals.

7. Ousmane Dembélé (Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona, 2017)

• Transfer Fee: €105 million rising to €145 million
• Dembélé battled injuries and discipline issues at Barça before winning the Ballon d’Or after moving to PSG.

6. Antony (Ajax to Manchester United, 2022)

• Transfer Fee: £81.3 million rising to £86.3 million
• Started brightly but quickly became a figure of ridicule, scoring just 12 goals in 96 appearances before being sold cheaply.

5. Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan to Chelsea, 2021)

• Transfer Fee: £97.5 million
• Lukaku’s return was marred by dissatisfaction and a quick loan back to Inter for a fraction of the price.

4. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool to Barcelona, 2018)

• Transfer Fee: £105 million rising to £142 million
• Coutinho failed to meet expectations and was loaned out after playing a role in Barça's humiliating Champions League loss.

3. Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid to Barcelona, 2021)

• Transfer Fee: €120 million
• Griezmann’s high wage contributed to Barça’s financial crisis and indirectly affected Lionel Messi’s future at the club.

2. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain to Al Hilal, 2023)

• Transfer Fee: €90 million
• Neymar arrived in Saudi Arabia past his prime, appearing in just seven games before contract termination.

1. Eden Hazard (Chelsea to Real Madrid, 2019)

• Transfer Fee: €100 million rising to €146 million
• Signed as Ronaldo’s replacement, Hazard struggled with weight issues, injuries, and poor performances, scoring one goal in his debut season.