The Premier League is the most attractive domestic league in the world, featuring many prestigious clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool. Of course, so-called 'big clubs' are always willing to spend substantial fees to recruit talented players. However, many players who join the Premier League struggle to adapt, underperform, and gradually lose their place in the squad. In your spare time, let's take a look at the worst football player in the Premier League ever with Wintips admin.
Worst football player in the EPL in history
1. Mario Balotelli (AC Milan to Liverpool)
After striker Luis Suarez departed for Barcelona, Liverpool sought a replacement to strengthen their squad in pursuit of the Premier League title. The club identified Mario Balotelli as the perfect fit for their attacking lineup. The Italian forward first gained recognition as a rising star with Inter Milan before moving on to Manchester City and AC Milan. He signed with Liverpool for €20 million in August 2014 but managed to score only one goal in 16 Premier League appearances.
The controversial forward scored four goals in 28 appearances across all competitions before being loaned out. In August 2016, he left Liverpool and joined Nice on a free transfer after his contract expired. Balotelli is currently playing in the Turkish Super Lig with Adana Demirspor, where he is performing well. As a result, he has been recalled to the national team.
2. Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid to Man Utd)
The second name on the worst football players list is Argentine star Angel Di Maria. Di Maria joined Manchester United as one of the best wingers in the world at the time. The Argentine international played a key role in Real Madrid's 10th UEFA Champions League triumph in 2014. He then made a high-profile move to Manchester United for €75 million.
Angel Di Maria had a brilliant start to his Manchester United career, winning both the Player of the Month and Goal of the Month awards in September. However, this was his only moment of brilliance at the club before his form declined under Van Gaal. The midfielder scored four goals and provided 12 assists in 32 appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils before securing a transfer away.
3. Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal to Man Utd)
It would be a mistake if Alexis Sanchez were left out of the worst football players list for both Man Utd and the Premier League. The Chilean forward shone at Arsenal before moving to Manchester United in a swap deal. Man United thought they had secured the league's best winger by swapping Henrikh Mkhitaryan for Sanchez. They offered him a lucrative contract, but in return, Sanchez performed poorly at Old Trafford.
Sanchez struggled to regain his top form from his time at Arsenal and failed to make an impact during his 18-month stint at Manchester United. During his time at the club, he managed only five goals and nine assists in 45 appearances before being loaned to Inter Milan. Following his loan spell, Inter Milan permanently signed Sanchez on a free transfer.
4. Danny Drinkwater (Leicester City to Chelsea)
In 2017, Chelsea spent €38 million to acquire English midfielder Danny Drinkwater from Leicester City, a transfer that would later be regarded as one of their worst signings. The midfielder played a crucial role in Leicester City's historic 2016 Premier League triumph alongside N'Golo Kante, who is also currently with Chelsea.
However, Drinkwater immediately struggled to adapt at Stamford Bridge as he found it difficult to compete with N'Golo Kanté, Cesc Fàbregas, and Tiémoué Bakayoko for a place in the starting lineup. The English midfielder failed to make an impact at the club, featuring only 23 times in two years before leaving on his first loan spell. Drinkwater scored just once for the Blues during his spell at Chelsea.
5. Ali Dia (Blyth Spartans to Southampton)
The Premier League has seen many bizarre stories, but none quite like Ali Dia, the Senegalese striker. Dia’s career is considered one of the most infamous scams in football history. In 1996, Dia lied to manager Graeme Souness, claiming that 1995 Ballon d'Or winner George Weah was his cousin. His fabricated story was convincing enough to earn him a trial at Southampton.
Dia was set to start in a friendly against Arsenal, but heavy rain that day led to the match being canceled. Due to the club's injury crisis, the striker had a brief training stint with the team and was registered for the Premier League match against Leeds United.
6. Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan to Chelsea)
When Lukaku returned to Chelsea last summer, he was viewed as the missing piece in Thomas Tuchel’s tactical setup. The Belgian striker made an impressive start, scoring four goals in his first four matches. However, his form quickly declined as, excluding his two goals at the FIFA Club World Cup, he netted just nine more goals for the rest of the season.
Lukaku lost his place after recovering from an ankle injury and went 10 games without scoring in the Premier League. Following the departure of Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, Chelsea wants to start a new era, and manager Thomas Tuchel has made it clear that he is not counting on Lukaku. Meanwhile, the player himself is eager to return to Inter to regain his best form ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
7. Nicolas Pepe (Lille to Arsenal)
Nicolas Pépé moved to the Emirates from Lille in a £72 million deal after an impressive season in Ligue 1. However, in contrast to his performance in France, the Ivorian frustrated Arsenal fans with his lack of precision and poor decision-making. As a result, Pépé was quickly dropped from the starting lineup.
In the summer of 2022, he was sent on loan to Nice, yet failed to rediscover his form. Former player Jermaine Pennant believes the 28-year-old star is one of the most disastrous signings in the Gunners' history, alongside defender Igors Stepanovs, who joined Arsenal in 2000.
8. Tiemoue Bakayoko (AS Monaco to Chelsea)
Bakayoko joined Chelsea in the summer of 2017, following his role in helping Monaco win Ligue 1 and reach the Champions League semi-finals. Initially, the French midfielder made a strong impression with his performances and quickly became a key player in the Blues' midfield. However, Bakayoko rapidly declined in form.
After receiving two yellow cards in just 30 minutes during a 1-4 defeat to Norwich in February 2018, he was repeatedly sent out on loan to Monaco, Napoli, and AC Milan (twice). Recently, Italian media reported that AC Milan is considering the option of returning Tiémoué Bakayoko to his parent club. However, in the past, Chelsea had made even more disappointing signings.
9. Lazar Markovic (Benfica to Liverpool)
Lazar Marković arrived at Liverpool in a £20 million deal, becoming one of the most expensive young players in the world. However, he failed to make an impact and was considered surplus to requirements, being loaned out to several clubs.
In January 2019, Lazar Markovic left Liverpool on a free transfer after the club agreed to terminate his contract to reduce their wage bill. It proved to be a complete failure.
10. Nolito (Celta Vigo to Man City)
One of Pep Guardiola's first signings at Manchester City was Spanish forward Nolito, who arrived from Celta Vigo for just over £16m. During his early career, Nolito played under Guardiola at Barcelona. However, he never settled at the Etihad and lasted just one season at Manchester City.
The Spaniard scored six goals and provided five assists in 30 Premier League appearances before being sold to Sevilla for £10 million. Nolito was once a player under Pep Guardiola at Barcelona. Born in 1986, the striker moved to Celta Vigo and rose to prominence.
Conclusion
Above is the list of the top 10 worst football players, evaluated and ranked based on the opinions of fans and experts alike. Of course, many other players have played or are currently playing in the Premier League without making a significant impact. They will surely be the subject of discussion in newspapers every day, including Antony (Man Utd), Mudryk (Chelsea), and Núñez (Liverpool). Thank you for your interest in the article on the bookmaker rating website.
See also: Top 10 skinny football player ever
