The Premier League broke all manner of transfer records in 2025, but spending big is no guarantee of success.Â
Just ask Liverpool, who splashed out more cash on new signings in a single window than any other team in history. The Reds looked like they might be building the Scouse Galacticos, but instead Arne Slot’s side have looked a rabble in the first half of the season and as a result will relinquish their title.
Meanwhile, Sunderland recruited on a much more modest budget, but their smart buys have helped them defy expectations. The Black Cats are just four points behind the Merseyside outfit in the table.
It is hugely satisfying when a thrifty deal works out better than expected, but it is bitterly disappointing in equal measure when an expensive one turns out to be a dud.
The most underwhelming Premier League transfers of 2025:
Alexander Isak – Newcastle Utd to Liverpool (£125m + £5m)
Not only did Alexander Isak’s move to Anfield break the British transfer record, it came after the summer saga to end all summer sagas. This was one of the biggest deals of all time, in more than one sense, yet it has turned into the dampest squib possible.
The striker arrived lacking fitness, which is understandable given he didn’t have a pre-season, but even after a few months he looked like a pale imitation of the player who excelled at Newcastle.
There was a grim irony to Isak breaking his leg while scoring his second Premier League goal for Liverpool, ruling him out for months.
Read – The longest goalscoring streaks in Premier League history
Viktor Gyokeres – Sporting CP to Arsenal (£55m + £8.6m)
For the longest time, the one position everyone said Arsenal needed to invest in to get to the next level was centre-forward. Get a goalscorer and they would be near unbeatable, was the logic.
That hasn’t quite turned out to be the case since they bought Viktor Gyokeres for a huge transfer fee. he has fared a little better than the other strikers on this list, scoring five goals in the Premier League, although two of those have come from penalties.
The Swede has looked awkward in Mikel Arteta’s setup and nothing like the man who destroyed defences in the Portuguese Primeira Liga.
Benjamin Sesko – RB Leipzig to Man Utd (£66m + £7.4m)
A new centre-forward was high on Manchester United’s list of priorities this past summer as the club sought to improve a flailing attack. They have certainly added more goals to the team, but precious few of them have come from Benjamin Sesko.
The Slovenia international has found the net just twice in the league since joining from Leipzig and looks out of place in Ruben Amorim’s side. Meanwhile, Rasmus Hojlund, the last young, unproven striker they spent big money on, is lighting up Serie A with Napoli.
Read –Â Every Premier League title winner who was outside the top four at Christmas
Yoane Wissa – Brentford to Newcastle Utd (£50m + £5m)
This was a pretty bad year for striker transfers, huh? Newcastle endured a torrid summer in the transfer market in general as they failed to land any of their targets for the first few months of the window.
They eventually grabbed Nick Woltemade, who has turned out to be a pretty good replacement for Isak, and Yoane Wissa. Unfortunately for the latter, he had to wait until December to make his debut for the Magpies after suffering a knee injury on international duty.
Wissa is yet to start in the Premier League this season, although he did start and score against Fulham to send Newcastle into the semi-finals of the League Cup.
Anthony Elanga – Nottingham Forest to Newcastle Utd (£52m + £3m)
Newcastle’s first big signing of the summer, Anthony Elanga’s pace and power fits the profile of player that Eddie Howe has generally targeted during his time as Magpies boss.
The winger enjoyed a decent start to life at St. James’ Park, but has not displayed a lot of quality in the final third. His first goal involvement, an assist against Everton, didn’t arrive until the end of November, and he has been in and out of the starting lineup all season.
It’s entirely possible the Swede comes good, but that £55m fee is looking like a huge overpay right now.
Read – When does the 2026 January transfer window open?
See Also – The longest winless runs in the history of the Premier League
