Premier League clubs spent more out of any league in world football this summer, and as a result, some clubs spent well over the odds in some truly overpriced signings.
Whilst a few clubs managed to find some hidden gems in the market at a bargain rate, other teams went above and beyond to bring those desired targets in at a cost that will make anyone speechless, yet Premier League sides seemingly couldn’t get enough of these overpriced deals.
From Liverpool spending huge on a new attacker and somehow overspending on a loan signing to Manchester United doing their best to fund Ajax’s entire footballing operations for the next decade, there were some truly big deals this summer where the fees to the average football fan seemed completely out of place.
So here at HITC Sport, we will take a look at a Premier League overpriced XI following a record-breaking transfer window and name which players clubs spent way over the odds for despite their obvious talents and benefits they can bring to a certain team.
£75m Chelsea signing Fofana headlines overpriced Premier League defence
Let’s clear the air by first stating that Chelsea’s £8m move to sign Gabriel Slonina is hardly an overpriced signing, however, given the current market for goalkeepers and the impressive deals Premier League clubs pulled off for shot-stoppers this summer, the teenage American international is the only plausible candidate that could fit this feature.
The statement can’t be said for the rest of the backline, though, with Nottingham Forest’s £20m move for Neco Williams quite an expensive signing given the defender’s lack of experience in the Premier League, though early signs do suggest that the Wales international will be a solid long-term player for Steven Cooper’s side.
We obviously couldn’t have a Premier League overpriced XI without arguably three of the most contentious deals of the entire summer, Chelsea’s double swoop for Marc Cucrella and Wesley Fofana and Manchester United’s eye-watering move for Lisandro Martinez.
All three deals could cost as much as £60m each, and whilst the likes of Martinez and Cucurella have impressed for their new clubs, there’s no denying that better deals in the market could have been done from Chelsea or United, especially in the case of Fofana, who as signed for a reported £75m.
£70m Manchester United arrival Casemiro anchors midfielder with Arthur
Manchester United’s overspending will be something of a trend in this feature, yet it’s quite surprising that their reported £70m move to sign Real Madrid superstar Casemiro has gone as under the radar as it has given that the Brazilian international is now in his thirties and is now one of the Red Devils’ highest-paid players.
Indeed, whilst there’s a strong chance that the five-time UEFA Champions League winner will be a success at Old Trafford, the financial undertaking United have committed to for such a short-term player is astounding, and there could be some risks along the road based on spending so much to sign Casemiro.
Joining the defensive midfielder is, surprisingly, a player Liverpool signed on loan, with Arthur Melo being brought in on deadline day in a deal that could see Liverpool sign the Brazilian for a reported £32m come next summer, a transfer that would be a massive overspend for the Reds given how off the boil the Juventus maestro has been in recent years.
Completing the midfield is another Forest recruit, with the newly-promoted Premier League side signing Wolves talent Morgan Gibbs-White in a deal that could reach as high as £42.5m if certain add-ons and clauses are hit, a figure that Arsenal once paid to sign Mesut Ozil back in 2013. Oh how the times have changed.
£85m superstar Antony partners Nunez and Richarlison in attack
At last we’ve come to the apex of Premier League overpriced signings, the one that caught everyone by surprise and baffled fans and pundits everywhere over how extreme the deal is, we are of course talking about Manchester United’s £85m move to sign Brazilian star Antony.
The Ajax winger signed for the Manchester giants in the finals days of the transfer window in what was easily the biggest Premier League transfer of the entire summer, yet despite the astronomical fee, early signs seem promising for the 21-year-old, with the attacking bagging a goal on his debut against Arsenal.
Antony’s signing has been one of the most controversial of the window, yet it’s easy to forget that Liverpool’s potential club-record move for Darwin Nunez also caused similar reactions, with the Uruguay international signing for the Reds in a deal that could cost a reported £85m in total.
Indeed, whilst Tottenham’s move for Richarlison didn’t ignite as much reaction as his South American counterparts, Spurs’ move for the Brazilian could still be viewed as an overpriced signing, with Antonio Conte splashing a club-record fee to sign an attacker who has started just one game so far this season.
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