Our list of five past-it players signed by Premier League clubs, including those at Aston Villa, Everton, Stoke City and Queens Park Rangers.
Rio Ferdinand of QPR clears the ball from Christian Eriksen of Spurs at Loftus Road.
It's difficult to know what represents good value in the transfer market. Players' reputations are often so mixed or so enlarged that separating fact from fiction when assessing their potential is tough. It's even tougher in the case of former greats looking to gradually ease their way towards retirement.
Clubs are always tempted to pick up players from big clubs who need to take a step down as they've gotten older. Misjudging the potential of such signings is understandable enough, but still frustrating from a fan perspective. We've put together a list of some of the worst cases where – if it wasn't already obvious for Queens Park Rangers, Aston Villa, Everton and Stoke City fans – these former world-beaters would have been better outside of the Premier League altogether.
5. Samuel Eto'o - Everton
Everton striker Samuel Eto'o in action against Newcastle United.
Everton fans had every right to be optimistic about the signing of Samuel Eto'o back in 2014. The one-time Barcelona and Inter Milan hero had just enjoyed a fairly successful stint at Chelsea – generally performing better than the younger Demba Ba and Fernando Torres, and he came to the end of his one year contract with a tally of nine league goals in twenty-one games.
Eto'o signed for Everton after citing his desire to win the Europa League with the club, and he certainly seemed capable of bolstering their attacking options despite his advanced age. His overall contribution to the team, however, was poor. He managed only four goals in twenty appearances, and the club were happy to move him on to Sampdoria in January: hardly five months after they signed him.
4. Emile Heskey - Aston Villa
Emile Heskey of Aston Villa tangles with David Wheater of Bolton Wanderers at Villa Park.
To say that Emile Heskey was past his best when he signed for Aston Villa in 2009 is probably something of an understatement. The former England international had endured a long lean spell during his previous two seasons at Wigan, and Martin O'Neill must have felt especially ambitious about the chances of his coaching inspiring a late renaissance for the striker.
Three and a half seasons were to follow in which Heskey managed nine league goals in ninety-two appearances. It was the sort of form that saw him head straight for the Australian A-League at the end of his contract, where – to his credit – he lit things up in his debut season, only to quickly come off the boil once again the following year.
3. Michael Owen - Stoke City
Stoke City manager Tony Pulis (L) speaks to Stoke City's Michael Owen (R) during a match.
Signing a player with chronic injury problems is always a risky proposition, and Stoke City fans must have known there was a very real chance that Michael Owen would hardly feature for them once they secured his signature back in 2012. But since his services were secured on a free transfer, it might have seemed a risk worth taking.
His time at Manchester United was not particularly glorious, although he did substantially better in cup competitions than he did in the league: scoring a memorable opening goal against Aston Villa in the 2010 League Cup final. His time at Stoke however, was practically non-existent. He managed one goal for the club, and was limited to only eight appearances before announcing his retirement.
2. Rio Ferdinand - Queens Park Rangers
Rio Ferdinand of QPR tackles Danny Welbeck of Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
A player of Rio Ferdinand's calibre would be attractive to any club, but any chance of Rio rolling back the years after he signed for Queens Park Rangers began to seem unlikely. Although he'd always been known as a player whose intelligent reading of the game only improved his technical and physical attributes, it became apparent that his physical decline was making life far too easy for his opposition.
The team managed only five clean sheets all season and Ferdinand's reunion with Harry Redknapp was not the fairy tale it could have been. Having started the club's first seven games, he lost his place in the squad, and after a family tragedy also kept him from playing – his final season as a professional was one to forget.
1. Robert Pires - Aston Villa
Robert Pires of Aston Villa battles for the ball with Vince Grella of Blackburn Rovers at Villa Park.
Thanks to the appointment of Gérard Houllier in 2010, Aston Villa had the use of some continental footballing connections when looking to bring in players. The signing of a French player by a French manager would hardly surprise anyone, but seeing the 37-year-old Robert Pires arrive at Villa Park almost certainly left a few onlookers with puzzled expressions.
Having only been offered a six-month contract, it wasn't the greatest commitment by the club. That, at least, was something for Aston Villa fans to be thankful for. After nine ineffective appearances over the course of that six-month period, Pires was let go. His main contribution to the team being the flat-track bullying of Blackburn Rovers. Not exactly a highlight in the career of a highly decorated player.
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