In any transfer window, some teams spend better than others. Every single year without fail, some clubs are heralded for their transfers, ‘winning’ the window. But more often than not the team goes on to underperform expectations.
At the top end of the table whenever the biggest clubs ‘win’ the transfer window, the expectation should be a title push, and the disappointing reality is likely a sixth-place finish with no success in the cups.
Towards the bottom end, a team signing players seemingly ‘too good’ for them may raise their expectations to finishing in the top 10 and a decent cup run, but at times these teams who look like they’ve spent well find themselves in or around the relegation zone.
We’ve taken a look at some teams over the years who made what looked like exceptional business in August, but by the following May their season had ended in bitter disappointment.
Tottenham – 2013
The world knew Spurs were about to lose Gareth Bale for a world record fee in the summer of 2013, but they put the £90million they would receive from Real Madrid to good use – or so they thought.
Everyone backed Spurs for a top season after bringing in the likes of Roberto Soldado, Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela, Etienne Capoue and Paulinho among others, who was dubbed ‘the magnificent seven’, but what followed was a turbulent season of chaos.
Andre Villas-Boas was eventually sacked and replaced by Tim Sherwood as Spurs limped to a sixth-place finish and disappointed in Europe and the cups.
Losing both north London derbies rubbed a great big handful of salt into the wounds, and the pre-season excitement evaporated rapidly as heavy defeats at home to Liverpool and Manchester City compiled Tottenham’s misery.
Manchester United – 2014
Louis van Gaal replaced David Moyes as Manchester United boss and brought in some of Europe’s biggest names.
Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind arrived with big reputations, but the club went trophyless and performances were below par for most of the campaign.
An attack already containing Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata was, in theory, boosted significantly, yet goals were hard to come by and any talk of a title challenge was silenced by Jamie Vardy and Esteban Cambiasso in August…
🗓 On this day in 2014…
Leicester City Iconic Premier League fixture:
🆚️ Manchester United
🏟 King Power Stadium
⚽️ 5-3
🔵 Ulloa (2), Nugent,…
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