The signing of Angel Di Maria was a real sign that Louis van Gaal was determined to propel Manchester United to their former glory, whatever the cost. Di Maria’s arrival, for a British transfer record of £59.7m, sparked optimism across Old Trafford as the club looked to forget the fateful reign of David Moyes.
12 months on, the optimism surrounding Di Maria has faded around Old Trafford, and the Argentine looks set to complete a move to PSG imminently. Although Di Maria started the season in fine form, his contribution and influence in games began to diminish. Partly down to injuries, and partly down to a style that just didn’t suit the explosive winger, Di Maria found opportunities limited after Christmas and now it looks like United are willing to cash in on their unsettled superstar.
However, Di Maria isn’t the first big money signing who has failed to conquer the rigors of English football, and he certainly won’t be the last. I look at other players who have failed to live up to the hype in the English Premier League.
Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea: 2006-2009)
AC Milan to Chelsea – £30,800,000
Andriy Shevchenko joined Chelsea on the back of a seven-year spell at AC Milan where he scored an astonishing 175 goals in 296 matches. Despite AC Milan’s efforts to keep their prized asset, the lure of Chelsea was too much for Shevchenko, and in May of 2006 Shevchenko agreed to swap the San Siro for Stamford Bridge, for a then-British transfer record of £30.8m.
Shevchenko’s Premier League career never really got off the ground. In his first season at Chelsea, Shevchenko scored 14 goals in 51 appearances and the flashes of brilliance we were all used to seeing the Ukrainian produce were few and far between. Recurring back problems, the form of Didier Drogba, and the departure of Mourinho meant Shevchenko’s second season was spent largely on the fringes. With Mourinho gone, and Shevchenko’s game time thinning more and more, the Ukrainian was sent back on Loan to AC Milan for the 2008/2009 season.
After a disappointing loan spell at Milan, Shevchenko returned to Chelsea where we was deemed surplus to requirements. Shevchenko only made one more appearance for Chelsea before leaving for Dinamo Kyiv, where he finished his career.
Robinho (Manchester City: 2008-2010)
Real Madrid to Manchester City – £33,000,000
The signing of Robinho in 2008 was a clear show of intent as Manchester City looked to penetrate the infamous ‘top four’ in English football. The £33m fee paid to Real Madrid eclipsed the fee paid for Shevchenko and the Manchester club even beat Chelsea to the former Galactico’s signature.
Much like his fellow South American Di Maria, Robinho started his career in England well and ended his first season as the Premier League’s fourth top scorer. The Brazilian’s second season in England didn’t follow suit as an ankle injury restricted Robinho to 12 appearances and a solitary goal in the FA Cup. Robinho’s injury problems coupled with the arrival of Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tevez saw the Brazil international head back to Santos in search of match time ahead of the 2010 World Cup. Upon his return from international duty in August of 2010, Robinho was sold to AC Milan for £15m, at a loss of £18m.
Robinho now earns his trade at Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande, managed by former Brazil manager Luiz Philip Scolari.
Alberto Aquilani (Liverpool FC: 2009-2012)
AS Roma to Liverpool FC (£17,000,000)
The departure of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid in 2009 left Liverpool needing to find a successor to partner Steven Gerrard in midfield. Liverpool thought they had their man when they paid £17m to Roma for Alberto Aquilani.
However, in an injury-ravaged spell at Anfield, Aquilani only managed to make 28 appearances and find the net twice. Although Aquilani signed for Liverpool in August, it wasn’t actually until November when he made his Premier League debut, and then December for his first Premier League start. In fact, during his time at Liverpool, the Italian rarely completed a full 90 minutes. In the summer of 2010 and under the new leadership of Roy Hodgson, Liverpool sent Aquilani on loan to Juventus in an attempt to rejuvenate the Italian.
Aquilani didn’t return to Anfield and was again sent out on loan to AC Milan in July of 2011. However, the Milan club decided against making the move permanent and Aquilini finally ended his Anfield nightmare by completing a switch to Fiorentina in August of 2012.
Roberto Soldado (Tottenham Hotspur: 2013-Present day)
Valencia to Tottenham Hotspur (£26,000,000)
After the sale of Gareth Bale for a world-record transfer fee in the summer of 2013, Daniel Levy had the funds to construct a new look Spurs side. Tottenham saw Roberto Soldado as the man to spearhead their attack, and he didn’t come cheap. The former Real Madrid man cost the North London outfit £26m from Valencia, a club-record at the time.
Soldado was the name on fans’ lips as three goals in his first two competitive matches got his career in England off to the best possible start. However, the Spaniard’s early form evaporated and his first Premier League season saw him score six times, with only two of those goals coming from open play. In his second season in England, Tottenham favourite Harry Kane enjoyed a 31 goal-season that confined Soldado largely to the bench. One goal during the 2015/2015 Premier League season has resulted in Soldado falling perilously behind Harry Kane selection-wise, and it looks to get worse for Soldado.
With Adebayor looking set to join Aston Villa, West Brom startlet Saido Berahino is rumoured to be of interest to Spurs as they look to add to their attacking options. This move would certainly spell the end for Roberto Soldado’s Premier League career, and a move back to his native Spain looks likely at some point in the near future.
