January always represents a mass of transfer activity for a number of different reasons, be it clubs chasing for the title or looking to get those extra new players in that are needed to beat the drop. Sometimes, though, extra expenditure is needed because of poor purchases during the previous window.
With the sheer quantity of new signings, not every one was guaranteed to be a success, and it might be that a player who has made the step up from a lower division has not made the grade or it could be that a new signing from abroad is struggling to adapt to life in the Premier League. Add to the mix some managerial changes along the way and a new addition can very quickly fall out of favour with the new man in charge.
So with that in mind let’s now take a look FIVE summer signings that have failed to make a mark so far this season…
Michy Batshuayi
Perhaps this is through no real fault of his own, but with the price-tag that Batshuayi came with when signed by league leaders Chelsea, there was a lot of expectation. A transfer fee of £33m is undoubtedly going to bring not only those expectations but also excitement, after all.
And that has ultimately been the problem: he has not delivered although there is the obvious caveat that he is yet to be given a real opportunity. The 23-year-old has made 13 Premier League appearances, none as a starter, which have brought just a solitary goal.
With all the recent furore regarding Diego Costa and whether or not he is injured, it speaks volumes that even then Batshuayi could not get a place up front. It seems as if the ex-Marseille ace will have to make do with cup outings, especially with Antonio Conte’s unwilling to change his line-up with the form his side are in.
So one of the most expensive signings of the summer is one of the most expensive bench-warmers, with questions already being asked about his long-term future at Stamford Bridge.
Borja Baston
He was Swansea’s record signing in the summer and it almost epitomises how bad their season has been so far, as Baston has failed to show anything to back up the outlay. Signed from Atletico Madrid for £15.5m, Borja’s contribution to the side has been just a single goal.
For a club who are struggling to avoid the drop, it’s not a particularly good return on investment. You could, in fairness, say that Borja has had a very disrupted campaign what with the South Wales club now being led by their third manager of the season, but regardless of who is in charge, there is no arguing that the performances of Borja have not been up to scratch.
Perhaps the warning lights should have been noticed when he started the season injured and did not make his debut until September. Since then the only time he has found the net was in Bob Bradley’s first game in charge when they lost 3-2 away at Arsenal. Neither him or his compatriot Fernando Llorente have really impressed this season, although Llorente has found the net on more occasions.
Perhaps the wider questions need to be asked about Swansea’s transfer policy over the course of last summer.
Lys Mousset
You could be forgiven for asking who this next player on the list actually is, as since a £7m move from French side Le Havre, Mousset has only graced the Premier League twice, with a grand total of just 23 on-pitch minutes to his name. For a club to spend £7m on a player and feature him in such a small way perhaps suggests that top-flight teams have more money than sense.
The 20-year-old’s Bournemouth career has been mainly the preserve of the cup competition with his first and only start for the club coming in their embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Millwall in the Third Round of the FA Cup. With Callum Wilson and Benik Afobe ahead of him in the pecking order, many will ask when Mousset will be given his chance to shine at the Vitality Stadium.
Hal Robson-Kanu
During last summer you could argue that Robson-Kanu was the hottest free agent around after his performances for Wales during Euro 2016 – he will be remembered for his goal against Belgium in the quarter-finals of the European Championship on their way to a historic 3-1 victory.
Therefore many would have questioned, with a supposed large number of clubs chasing after the former Reading player’s signature, why he ended up signing for West Brom. Since his move to The Hawthorns, it’s almost as if his incredible performances in France last summer were a lifetime ago.
Robson-Kanu has been afforded just one Premier League start out of the 16 top flight appearances he has made and has netted just one goal this season. People say that international football is a completely different side of the game and the winger somewhat proves that.
Mathieu Flamini
Our final player on the list is one that made a short move across London in the summer as he swapped the Emirates Stadium for Selhurst Park: Mathieu Flamini. Brought to the club on a free transfer by previous boss Alan Pardew, Flamini has failed to make an impact with his new employers as they find themselves precariously near the relegation zone.
The veteran has only made six Premier League appearances this season with just three of those being in the starting XI. Bought for his wealth of experience the club have been unable to utilise it fully with the former AC Milan ace not making his first start of the season until December 14th when Palace lost 2-1 to Manchester United in one of Pardew’s last games in charge of the club.
With Sam Allardyce now in charge you would imagine that he will be looking to bring in some additional faces to the squad this month, especially as he is yet to win since being in the Selhurst Park hot-seat, and with Flamini’s best days seemingly now behind him you do have to wonder how much of a role he will play in the Eagles’ bid for survival.
