Premier League clubs shelled out just shy of £5 billion ($6bn) on new players across the two 2022-23 transfer windows as unprecedented new spending records were set, and that culture of excess only continued last summer. According to Deloitte, a final outlay of £2.36bn ($3bn) was recorded when the summer market closed on September 1, which smashed the previous record mark by £440m ($550m) - raising fears over an unsustainable future for the English top flight.
Profit and sustainability rules (PSR) took centre stage in January after breaches from Everton and Nottingham Forest, both of whom ended up with point deductions, and the rest of the clubs in England's top division reacted by tightening the purse strings, leading to a spike in loan deals and free transfers. Still, another £96m ($120m) went out in the winter window expenditure column to take the overall number for the campaign beyond the £3bn mark once again, and there are plenty of teams who may now be regretting their recruitment decisions as the campaign reaches its conclusion.
Some players haven't come even close to justifying their huge fees, while others have barely been worth the time and effort of chasing in the first place, and may not get another chance to prove themselves at Premier League level.
GOAL has ranked the 21 most disappointing signings of the 2023-24 season below, starting with a Dutchman who has struggled to hit the ground running on Merseyside...