With just a few weeks of the season remaining, the Premier League campaign is nearing its conclusion and attention is already turning to the summer and the next transfer window.
The gossip columns are full of rumours linking some of the biggest names with potential moves, and it promises to be another exciting pre-season for every club as they look to improve their squad.
And while we have reached that time of year where individuals are recognised for their contributions to the team, it’s also a good time to reflect on those players that have not been so fortunate this season.
While the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Diego Costa have proved to be big hits since arriving in the Premier League last summer, others have struggled and failed to live up to expectation since joining their new club.
Here are five of the worst summer transfers that so far haven’t gone to plan…
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Angel Di Maria
Having splashed out a club-record £60m for one of the world’s best players, Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria was expected to be a huge hit at Manchester United.
But unfortunately for the Red Devils his performances haven’t justified his price tag and having struggled to adapt to the Premier League he’s starting to look hugely overpriced.
He showed glimpses of his ability early on in the season, but these have been few and far between and he hasn’t proved to be the match winner that United would have hoped for.
Louis van Gaal is likely to stick with him for next season in the hope he can regain the sort of form that saw him named man-of-the-match in last year’s Champions League final, but the Argentine has a lot of work to do in order to silence his critics.
Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli was given the impossible task of replacing 31-goal star Luis Suarez in the summer but his career at Anfield really hasn’t worked out.
At £16m, the Italian was considered and astute signing by Liverpool despite the obvious baggage he brings, but he’s failed to live up to expectations and has found it difficult to hold down a regular place in the side.
The striker has been unable to produce the form that saw him become so vital to AC Milan last year, and with just one Premier League goal to his name has to go down as one of the worst signings of the season.
Rickie Lambert
Another of Liverpool’s summer recruits that unsurprisingly has also failed to make any significant impact since his arrival is Rickie Lambert.
Despite impressing at Southampton, it came as a bit of a shock when the Reds splashed out £4m for the striker given the fact he had spent most of his career in the lower divisions and had already past his thirties.
Like Balotelli, Lambert hasn’t been given much of a run in the side and has primarily been used as a substitute particularly when his side are chasing the game.
With just three goals to his name the England striker will surely be eyeing a move away from Anfield this summer.
Filipe Luis
Part of Atletico Madrid’s famous title-winning side that came within minutes of securing the Champions League, Filipe Luis was one of the stars that won a move to the Premier League off the back of the successful campaign.
But despite a hefty price tag of just under £16m, he has been used sparingly at Chelsea since his move to Stamford Bridge and has failed to earn a significant run of games in Jose Mourinho’s team, starting just seven league games.
The Brazilian has found himself behind Cesar Azpilicueta in the pecking order and has mostly been limited to appearances in the cup competitions which won’t have pleased him.
Reports are already linking him with a return to Madrid in the summer, something he may well consider given his lack of football this season.
Eliaquim Mangala
When you fork out £32m for a central defender, it would be fair to expect a far better level of performance than those displayed by Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala this season.
The former Porto man was highly regarded during his time in Portugal and had a number of clubs chasing his signature. With the Blues keen on finding a worthy partner for captain Vincent Kompany, it finally looked like they had their man, but it’s safe to say from a defensive point of view, this season has been a disaster for the Citizens.
The Frenchman has looked like a constant weakness in the back-four as the sky blues have slipped to fourth place in the league, albeit he has hardly been helped by Kompany’s dip in form.
It could just be a case of the famous first-season syndrome that many foreigners find when they arrive in the Premier League, and City will certainly be hoping he offers a better return for their money next season.
