Money spent in football is not always money spent well. Big-money signings have become a norm in modern-day football and for the elite European teams to compete for the biggest prize. But what clubs do not understand is that not every time splashing the cash works and guarantees you silverware in football.
Ever since the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe moved to PSG for record sums of $222m and $180m respectively, cash flow has increased among clubs substantially. Like a domino effect, clubs have used the money earned by selling their star assets and reinvested through big-money signings of their own. Although what the clubs haven’t realised is buying star footballers does not always work. Keeping that in mind, FootTheBall assesses the most expensive transfer flops of all time.
Philippe Coutinho: Liverpool – Barcelona (2018) – €160m
The most unplanned and illogical transfer in the history of football has to be this one. It was in the same season when Neymar earned his big money move to PSG and left a gaping hole in the attacking trio of Barcelona.
Barcelona had attempted to sign Coutinho to replace Neymar in the same summer, but Liverpool were adamant not to sell one of their key assets. In the end when Barcelona once again came calling in the winter transfer window of the same season, Coutinho had his head turned by then.
The Brazilian attacking midfielder eventually got his move to the Catalan giants and has since made a permanent switch to Aston Villa after 4 abysmal years at the Camp Nou.
Antoine Griezmann: Atletico Madrid – Barcelona (2019) – €120m
Antoine Griezmann was at the peak of his powers in his first spell at Atletico Madrid before making that dreaded switch from Madrid to Catalunya. Josep Maria Bartomeu failed in his attempts to fill the Neymar void with Coutinho signing and decided to go and sign Griezmann from Atletico Madrid for another record fee.
Griezmann not only failed to justify the price tag but his performances were nowhere near his former self. In the end, Barcelona decided to send the World Cup winner back to Wanda Metropolitana where he has since stamped his mark there.
Joao Felix: Benfica – Atletico Madrid (2019) – €126m
He might still have age on his side but time is surely running out for the once Portugal wonderkid. Joao Felix recently completed a loan move to Premier League giants Chelsea, where he impressed in his first 55 minutes on the pitch, before being sent off.
Atletico Madrid will…
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