5 footballers who lost form after big money transfers to top teams
When a player decides to switch teams, the transfer could have two possible outcomes. It could either turn out to be a successful transfer or a failed transfer.
Over the years, we have seen situations whereby a player would change team and automatically become a better version of himself.
We have also seen instances where a player was thought to flourish in his new team, but failed to live up to the expectations.
The inability to adapt to the intensity of a new league and not being familiar with the team's playing style are some factors which contribute to how well a player performs after completing a transfer to a new team.
Without much ado, let’s take a look at five footballers who lost form after switching teams:
5. Richarlison
Richarlison was one of the players who switched teams last year. He began attracting interest following an impressive performances with Everton.
The Brazilian striker later got signed by Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth £60 million.
Considering the fact that he was already familiar with the Premier League, fans expected him to hit the ground running as soon as possible.
Nobody knows what went wrong with him. Richarlison, who was known for his ability to find the back of the net, has struggled to do just that in Tottenham.
He has made 36 appearances for the club and has only managed to score just three goals.
Because of his poor form, Richarlison was relegated to the bench and didn't even get selected in the club’s starting lineup. However, he has the chance to reclaim his spot with Harry Kane leaving for Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.
4. Paul Pogba
When Paul Pogba first joined Juventus in 2012, he put on an impressive performance throughout his time in Serie A.
He became an important player in the team and was even considered as one of the best midfielders in the world at that time.
Pogba scored 34 goals and registered 39 assists in 177 games, which helped Juventus win several trophies, including four league titles.
With this in mind, fans were expecting him to replicate his form when he rejoined them from Manchester United in 2022, but sadly, the French footballer couldn't achieve many highs at Old Trafford.
Pogba’s second spell at Juventus hasn’t been successful like his first, in fact, it has been a nightmare. He has played just 10 games for the club, scoring zero goals and providing only one assist.
He has also struggled to remain fit, and has missed most of the games for Juventus due to injuries. It remains to be seen if Pogba would bounce back to his best form this season.
3. Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho, the former Borussia Dortmund player, was a top target for Manchester United. They followed him for a while before deciding to break the bank to sign him in 2021 for £73 million.
Sancho was one of the best talents in the German Bundesliga. Operating mainly as a winger, he created chances and also scored goals when needed.
In his last season at the club, he was on fire as usual, scoring 16 goals and also creating 20 assists in 38 games in all competitions.
The anticipation was quite high and fans were eager to see if, Sancho, would be able to reciprocate his impressive form in the Premier League with Manchester United.
Considering the caliber of player that Sancho is, it’s safe to say that his performance at the club has been relatively poor.
He suffered a dip in form and is still yet to get back to his best. He has played 80 games for Manchester United so far, scoring 12 goals and registering just six assists.
2. Luka Jovic
Many had thought that Serbian striker Luka Jovic would be a success story at Real Madrid following his transfer to the Spanish club. But sadly, that was not the case.
Jovic caught the attention of several clubs, including Real Madrid, during his rather successful time at Eintracht Frankfurt. In his last season at the club, he scored 27 goals in 48 games.
He seemed like the type of player that would fit perfectly into the playing style at Real Madrid. Hence, the Spanish giants secured his signing after paying €60 million as transfer fee.
However, the Jovic that arrived in Spain, was an entirely different player from the one we saw at Frankfurt. His explosives and hunger for goals just wasn’t there anymore.
Jovic, who was 21 at the time when he was signed by Madrid, seemed to have been overwhelmed with expectations. His expensive price tag and lack of game time, also seemed to have had an effect on him.
Jovic played 51 games throughout his time at the club and was only able to score 3 goals. Even though he mostly came on as a substitute from the bench, fans expected a bit more from him.
Having spent three years at the club, Jovic was allowed to leave the club for Fiorentina on a free transfer.
1. Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard was once regarded as one of the best players in the world. The Belgian winger, who built an impressive career during his time at Chelsea, was a joy to watch in the Premier League.
He was considered a formidable threat upfront and was feared by opposition defenders.
Hazard spent seven years at Chelsea, and his stats and achievements speak volume about his quality. He scored 110 goals and registered 92 assists in 352 games for the club.
Despite being 28 years old at the time when Real Madrid were interested in him, his value was still very high. The Spanish giants had to cough up €100 million to secure his signing.
With the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, the iconic number seven jersey was vacant, and this was what Hazard inherited when he joined the club.
Hazard’s transfer to Real Madrid didn’t go according to plan. He lost form and fitness, and was unable to secure a place in the starting lineup. He also had to battle with injuries which he suffered frequently.
Hazard spent four seasons at the club, scoring 7 goals and registering 12 assists in 76 games. He wasn’t looking sharp. He was clearly not the Hazard we all knew from Chelsea.
In the end, his contract was terminated by Real Madrid and his time at the club ultimately came to an end.