Claudio Bravo, Granit Xhaka, Vincent Janssen… the worst Premier League transfer XI of the 2016-17 season
Football Whispers take a look at the least successful movers of the current campaign, including a host of expensive names
EVERY season tens of millions are wasted on signings who fail to live up to their billing.
With it being awards season we’ve honoured those players with a Worst Signings of the Season XI.
There are plenty of unwilling candidates. But who gets makes the cut?
We tasked our friends at with deciding a team comprised of this season’s worst signings.
Here’s what they came up with...
Claudio Bravo (Manchester City)
The expectations were high when Bravo joined from Barcelona in a £12million deal, taking the place of Manchester City favourite and England No1 Joe Hart.
But the Chilean was fortunate to avoid being sent off during his Manchester derby debut.
That set the tone for his season and he is now behind Willy Caballero having shipped 26 in just 20 error-strewn appearances.
Brice Dja Djedje (Watford)
It’s hard to include someone who has not even kicked a ball in the Premier League.
But the Ivorian defender has not been included in the Hornets’ Premier League squad since signing from Marseille.
The 26-year-old arrived injured which has been a big factor in his lack of minutes.
But his record of just 17 starts last season and previous for injuries should have been a hint for the Watford hierarchy.
Jose Fonte (West Ham United)
When West Ham brought Fonte to the London Stadium from Southampton in January for £8million, they hoped he would tighten up their leaky defence.
But the opposite has been the case and the Hammers have conceded 2.1 goals per game with Fonte – a 2016 European Championships winner with Portugal – and won just twice.
Luis Hernandez (Leicester)
Spanish defender Hernandez always had a tough task when joining Premier League champions Leicester City on a free from Sporting Gijon.
Breaking up a title-winning pairing of Wes Morgan and Robert Huth was not going to be easy.
But even with the Foxes leaking goals for fun and plummeting towards the foot of the table the former Real Madrid youngster managed just four appearances before joining Malaga for an undisclosed fee in January.
At least he made them money.
Joleon Lescott (Sunderland)
David Moyes’ fruitless attempts to keep Sunderland in the Premier League sunk to a new low in January with the signing of free agent Lescott on a short-term deal.
The 34-year-old, who was a mainstay of Moyes’ Everton side some years earlier, made his debut as a substitute in the 4-0 win at Crystal Palace in February.
He has not been seen since and the Black Cats are winless and goalless in the seven games since.
Jordon Ibe (Bournemouth)
Signed for a club-record fee of £15m, Ibe’s arrival from Liverpool was a sign of Bournemouth’s ambition this season.
But the former Wycombe Wanderers winger has been subbed off in all 13 of his league starts, failing to score or provide an assist for Eddie Howe’s side.
Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham)
Also signing for record fee this summer was Frenchman Sissoko.
The Newcastle United midfielder was reportedly a Real Madrid transfer target before he joined Tottenham for £30m after featuring for France at last summer’s Euros.
But Sissoko has failed to break up the midfield axis of Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele, making just seven Premier League starts and also falling behind homegrown midfielder Harry Winks.
Granit Xhaka (Arsenal)
One of the high-profile flops from last summer’s spend, Xhaka joined Arsenal for £30m with the promise of finally solving the Gunners’ holding midfield issue and add some bite.
The Swiss international made good on the second part and has been sent off twice in the Premier League this season, proving more of a liability than anything.
Back to the drawing board, Arsene.
Gokhan Tore (West Ham)
Tore joined on a season-long loan from Besiktas where he played under Slaven Bilic.
But the 25-year-old has failed to show why the Croatian brought him to England, making just three Premier League starts and recording a single assist.
West Ham have the option to sign him permanently this summer – it seems unlikely they will.
Vincent Janssen (Tottenham)
Signed from AZ Alkmaar for £17m to provide backup for Manchester United transfer target Harry Kane, Janssen has yet to add a Premier League goal from open play.
The 22-year-old Dutchman’s one league goal came from the penalty spot and he showed in last weekend’s 4-0 win over Watford why he is not the man to stand in for Kane by missing two gilt-edged chances.
Simone Zaza (West Ham)
West Ham’s search for a top-drawer striker last summer was as lengthy as it was unsuccessful.
Zaza arrived with some pedigree, signing on loan from Juventus, but failed to score in eight outings.
A clause in the deal meant the Hammers had to sign the Italian international after 12 appearances.
With number looming the loan was cut short and Zaza joined Valencia on loan for the rest of the season.
Zaza has scored four times in 14 appearances and has recently made that deal permanent.
