-
News
- 54 minutes ago
Five Premier League summer signings who are struggling
Suraj Radia
- 8 Oct 2025 18:35 BST
- 5 min read
Analysis
More than €3 billion was spent by Premier League clubs on new signings this summer so it may not be a surprise to find that some players have yet to live up to expectations two months into the season.
With Liverpool breaking the British transfer record twice in one summer and the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea all splashing the cash, many sides were hoping for an instant impact from their big money arrivals.
However, it has not yet gone to plan for a number of players and, while it is still far too early to write any player off, FootballTransfers takes a look at five new signings who have struggled to make an impact in the Premier League this season.
Florian Wirtz (Liverpool)
Liverpool were largely deemed to have ‘won’ the transfer window this summer after spending nearly €500m on the likes of Alexander Isak, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, all of whom have yet to hit the mark for Arne Slot.
Current ETV
Florian Wirtz
AM, M (C)
Liverpool
Florian Wirtz
AM, M (C)
Liverpool
ETV Range
€102.8M - €171.3M
However, the biggest disappointment so far will have been Florian Wirtz, who has yet to provide a goal or assist in nine games across all competitions since his €125m move from Bayer Leverkusen.
Although Wirtz has created more chances than any other player in the league this season, while also continuing to cover impressive ground with his pressing, Liverpool would certainly have expected a tangible output from their new creative wizard.
Perhaps most worryingly, Slot is still struggling to figure how to get the best out of Wirtz, which led to the German being on the bench for Liverpool’s loss to Chelsea and suggesting that it may take some time for him to display his true potential at Anfield.
Matheus Cunha (Manchester United)
Having initially suggested they would be strapped for cash in the summer, Manchester United raised some eyebrows by quickly activating Matheus Cunha’s €74m release clause at Wolves as their first signing of the transfer window.
However, the investment has yet to pay off for United, with Cunha drawing a blank in his six league matches so far this season and being dropped to the bench already by Ruben Amorim.
Such a vast outlay on another attacking player may have been a poor allocation of resources given the other areas of the pitch that needed strengthening and Cunha will need to recapture his form from Wolves in order to avoid becoming a costly flop at Old Trafford.
Jamie Gittens (Chelsea)
In true Chelsea fashion, the Blues went on another spending spree this summer and restructured their attacking unit, including on the wings with the signings of Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho.
Current ETV
Jamie Gittens
F, M (L)
Chelsea
Jamie Gittens
F, M (L)
Chelsea
ETV Range
€67.1M - €82M
While neither player has yet to impress for Chelsea, Gittens slow start has proven rather alarming, with the €56m youngster appearing way off the mark during his 161 minutes of action so far.
The 21-year-old has made just two Premier League starts and has struggled in all his cameos, having also tailed off during his breakout campaign at Dortmund last year and indicating that Chelsea may have jumped the gun with the lavish purchase of a raw youngster.
Anthony Elanga (Newcastle)
Newcastle had been hoping for a transformative summer after their best season of the century which saw them end a 70-year trophy drought and return to the Champions League this season.
Perhaps no-one expected just how transformative the summer would be given the drama surrounding Isak but Eddie Howe was still able to spend nearly €300m on players, including a long-term transfer target in Anthony Elanga.
However, despite some notable cameos in Europe, Elanga has struggled to adapt to a different style of play in the league since his €61m transfer from Nottingham Forest and Newcastle have relied more on Jacob Murphy, leaving their new man fighting for his place already after a significant outlay.
Jadon Sancho (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa made somewhat of a panic signing with their deadline day loan move for Jadon Sancho, in which they will cover 80% of the winger’s €300,000-per-week wages.
Sancho rejected a number of permanent moves away from Manchester United in order to keep hold of his lucrative contract, perhaps suggesting where his priorities lie, with the 25-year-old in the last year of his deal at Old Trafford.
Yet, despite it evidently being a final chance for Sancho to prove his ability in the Premier League, the forward has played just eight league minutes so far and his career at the top level could be heading to a premature end unless things improve.
Football transfer news headlines today
Fabrizio Romano Transfer News: Rodrygo MESSAGE, Guehi decision CONFIRMED, next Man Utd SIGNING
Neymar: The ‘crazy idea’ to supercharge World Cup 2026 dream
The FootballTransfers app
Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.
The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:
