As the 2025/26 campaign draws to a close, discussions surrounding the biggest Premier League flops have continued to grow, with several high-profile signings failing to justify the hype surrounding their arrivals.
Many of these players arrived for huge transfer fees after producing outstanding numbers at their former clubs, raising expectations that they would become instant hits at their respective new clubs.
However, 36 league games into the season, a number of those expensive signings have struggled to replicate their previous brilliance and now rank among the most disappointing Premier League flops of the campaign.
To some fans, including certain players in the Premier League flops list, it might seem unfair due to the injury setbacks they suffered throughout the campaign.
However, despite the opportunities they received, they still failed to produce the level of performance needed to truly inspire supporters.
Premier League Flops: Liam Delap
The former Manchester City prodigy was one of the most talked-about names among scouts following his breakout spell at Ipswich Town, where his performances quickly marked him out as one of the most exciting young forwards in England.
The 23-year-old even earned the nickname “Baby Kane”, with fans and pundits drawing comparisons to Bayern Munich‘s forward due to his similar playing style and long-term potential as a Premier League striker.
Both players share clear similarities in their physical profile and attacking approach. They operate as traditional target men, capable of dropping deep to link play, holding off defenders, and bringing teammates into the game.
They also possess a comparable finishing ability, striking confidently with either foot, which made Delap look like a standout talent in a developing Ipswich side.
At Portman Road, he looked like a player with huge potential. In that campaign, he registered 14 goal contributions in 37 games, though it was not enough to prevent Ipswich’s relegation.
That form convinced Chelsea to secure his services in a £30 million move to Stamford Bridge, but the switch has so far failed to deliver the expected impact.
In what many now view as one of the most underwhelming Premier League signings of the campaign, Delap has managed just one league goal in 26 Premier League appearances, despite starting 11 matches and coming off the bench 15 times.
His drop in output since joining the Blues has only intensified discussions around Chelsea’s cursed number nine shirt.
Although still young and occasionally showing flashes of promise — including a hat-trick of assists in the FA Cup and a well-taken goal against Esperance de Tunis in the Club World Cup — Delap has so far not lived up to expectations in a Chelsea shirt, making his start to life in London a disappointing one in the context of the Premier League flops this season.
Premier League Flops: Alexander Isak
Scoring 54 Premier League goals across three seasons established Alexander Isak as one of the most feared and clinical strikers in the Premier League.
His high-profile move from Newcastle United to Liverpool initially looked like the perfect transfer, with many expecting the Swedish forward to elevate Liverpool’s attack even further.
However, eight months into his debut campaign at Anfield, the move has quickly become one of the most disappointing transfers of the season.
Despite arriving for a British-record fee of £125 million on deadline day of the summer transfer window, Isak has struggled to make the impact many had hoped, managing just four goals in 22 appearances across the league campaign.
Injuries have played a significant role in his underwhelming season, with a broken leg and recurring fitness setbacks regularly interrupting his rhythm and preventing him from building momentum.
Beyond the physical issues, tactical incompatibility and the immense pressure attached to his transfer fee have also contributed to his difficult start at Liverpool.
While at Newcastle, Isak thrived in a system that maximised his movement in transition and allowed him greater attacking freedom. He also benefited from playing in a system where teammates consistently looked to find him, with the forward serving as their go-to man.
At Anfield, however, he has often looked isolated and far from the lethal striker who once terrorised Premier League defences.
While there is still enough quality for him to eventually turn things around, his first season at Liverpool has undeniably placed him on the list of the worst transfers of the season so far.
Premier League Flops: Tottenham Hotspur’s Trio (Randal Kolo Muani, Xavi Simons, Conor Gallagher)
Costing Tottenham Hotspur close to £90 million combined, the arrivals of these players were expected to strengthen the squad and push the club back toward competing in the upper half of the Premier League table.
Instead, they have become symbolic of Tottenham’s disastrous campaign and now find their names in the discussions surrounding the most underperforming players of the 2025/26 season.
Their collective struggles have played a major role in Spurs’ relegation battle, with the three players managing just four combined goals across 70 appearances in all competitions.
With only two league games remaining, Tottenham now require near-perfect results to stand any realistic chance of preserving their Premier League status.
Kolo Muani — who was left out of France’s World Cup squad — was a summer transfer window deadline day loan move from Paris Saint-Germain, but his signing failed to inspire the team as he recorded just one goal in 28 Premier League games.
Former Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who arrived from Atletico Madrid in January, has also endured an underwhelming spell back in the Premier League.
He has looked far from the energetic and influential midfielder many expected Tottenham to sign. The England international has struggled to make a meaningful impact in Spurs’ fight against relegation, contributing just one goal in 14 appearances while averaging a modest 6.9 rating across the season.
Meanwhile, Xavi Simons — one of the most sought-after young talents during last summer’s transfer window — arrived at the club with huge expectations, as the club hoped he could help soften the long-term loss of influential figures such as Son Heung-min and Harry Kane.
However, the Netherlands international has endured a difficult first season in England, struggling to adapt to the intensity, speed, and physical nature of the Premier League.
Across 28 league appearances, the attacking midfielder has managed just two goals and five assists — numbers far below what fans anticipated from a player once viewed as one of Europe’s brightest creative prospects.
A major contributing factor behind the 23-year-old’s disappointing output has been the managerial instability Tottenham has experienced over the past six months.
During that period, Xavi Simons has played under three different managers — Thomas Frank, Igor Tudor, and Roberto De Zerbi — making it difficult for him to settle into a consistent tactical structure or defined role within the team.
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Premier League Flops: Yoane Wissa
Following one of the most productive seasons of his career at Brentford, Wissa arrived at Newcastle with high expectations after being signed as the replacement for Alexander Isak.
Having proven himself as a reliable Premier League goalscorer with a 19-goal campaign, many expected the forward to seamlessly continue his impressive form at St James’ Park.
Instead, his debut season has quickly turned into one of the more disappointing Premier League transfers of the year.
After being handed the number nine shirt, he endured a disastrous start to life at the club, scoring just once in his opening 14 Premier League appearances.
A serious knee injury suffered before the season disrupted his fitness and sharpness, while his struggles were further compounded by being deployed as a traditional target man in a rigid 4-3-3 system — a stark contrast to the fluid winger or transitional forward role he thrived in alongside Bryan Mbeumo.
Premier League Flops: Alejandro Garnacho
Another Chelsea player has found himself on the list of Premier League flops of the season, and when two players that cost up to £70 million fail to deliver, it becomes easier to understand why the club have struggled so badly in attack this season.
The Blues, who recently ended a five-game goalless streak — their longest run without scoring since November 1912 — are on the verge of missing out on UEFA Champions League qualification and head into the FA Cup final against Manchester City as underdogs.
Chelsea’s season has largely been defined by key players failing to step up in decisive moments.
Whenever the Argentine winger takes to the pitch, the flank he occupies often becomes ineffective, with his performances reflecting a severe lack of confidence. He has struggled to beat defenders in one-on-one situations and rarely provides the attacking threat expected from a Chelsea winger.
As a result, sections of the fanbase have already begun calling for the club to move him on if there is no improvement.
One goal in 23 appearances is simply not the level Chelsea supporters are accustomed to seeing from their wingers.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Paul Marriott
Recording Date: 04.04.2026
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