Source: Nathan Rogers on Unsplash
As we tick into the new year we also tick into a new silly season as the January Transfer window opens. Last summer was one of the wildest windows of all time as the Saudi Arabian Pro League announced its arrival as a major player by sealing the signings of stars such as Neymar and Sadio Mane. That is expected to continue this winter, however, a January panic buy doesn’t always yield success. Here are the three worst January transfers of all time.
Alexis Sanchez: Arsenal > Manchester United
Alexis Sanchez’s transfer from Arsenal to Manchester United in 2018 was supposed to be a game-changer for the Red Devils. Nowadays, websites offering up a no deposit free bet to new customers such as Paddy Power have listed the Red Devils as rank outsiders for the Premier League this season, but that wasn’t the case five years ago. The Chilean forward was Arsenal’s talisman and was expected to make a similar impact at Old Trafford, but it never materialized.
He was supposed to be the final piece in Jose Mourinho’s puzzle at Old Trafford, even rejecting their cross-city rivals Manchester City to play for the Special One, but the former Barcelona man struggled to adapt to his new surroundings and failed to replicate the form he showed at the Emirates.
Sanchez struggled to adapt to the club’s playing style, and injuries hampered his chances of showing his best form. Over 18 months at Old Trafford, Sanchez managed only five goals and nine assists before being loaned out to Inter Milan. After a spell at Marseille, he’s now back at Inter, but the 35-year-old is now a shadow of the player he was in North London.
Andy Carroll: Newcastle > Liverpool
Transfer deadline day back in January 2011 was one of the wildest of all time. The planet stood still as Fernando Torres swapped Liverpool – where he was beloved – for Chelsea in a British record £50m deal. But Kenny Dalgleish and the Reds acted fast, opting to bring in target man Andy Carroll from Newcastle United for £35m. Fans balked at the fee, especially considering that the giant Englishman had only played in the Premier League for just six months.
The club thought that they had bagged themselves a promising young striker who could lead their line for years to come but it proved to be a huge mistake as Carroll failed to live up to his price tag. He was injured on the day he arrived at Anfield, which meant he didn’t make his debut until March, and that would be a sign of things to come. The striker’s time on Merseyside was plagued by injuries and a lack of form, and he managed only 11 goals in 58 appearances over two seasons. After a loan spell at West Ham, he made the move permanent for £15m, but he was unable to replicate any kind of form before returning to Newcastle on a free some years later.
Savio Nsereko: Brescia > West Ham
Savio Nzereko’s transfer from Brescia to West Ham for a club record £9m in 2009 seemed like an excellent opportunity for the Hammers to sign a promising young talent. However, the move turned out to be one of the club’s poorest-ever decisions. The Nigerian-Italian forward failed to make an impact in the Premier League and scored just one goal in 10 appearances before being shipped out on loan to Fiorentina. The only positive was that the East Londoners somehow managed to recoup £2.5m of the money they wasted, with the young striker going on to play for clubs such as 1860 Munich and Chernomorets Burgas barely two years on from his money-spinning move.