Every Premier League clubs worst transfer of all-time – including Bebe at Utd
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Transfer windows can often provide football fans with a glimmer of hope as they head into the new campaign.
It's why fans have developed an unhealthy obsession with tracking planes, refreshing Twitter, and even turning up at training grounds on deadline day.
With every new signing comes a fresh chance at glory.
However, for every Thierry Henry joining Arsenal for £14million and inspiring the invincibles, there is a Scott Sinclair moving to Manchester City to fall into mediocrity.
And Daily Star Sport is having a look at every Premier League clubs worst transfer of all time ahead of the new campaign.
Arsenal – Kim Kallstrom
In January 2014, Arsenal decided to move for Swedish international Kim Kallstrom on loan for the remainder of the season.
However, Kallstrom only made three appearances for the Gunners, and reflecting on his time in North London, he said: "I walked in, won a trophy and walked out."
The Swede spent the majority at Arsenal a broken back, and the Gunners unsurprisingly didn't try and make his loan move permanent.
Aston Villa – Emile Heskey
Contrary to popular belief, Emile Heskey was once quite good.
However, during his time at Aston Villa, Heskey didn't help those claims, and in three years, the English striker managed nine goals in 92 appearances.
He had more success in Australia with the Newcastle Jets, and he returned to England with Bolton Wanderers, where he retired.
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Brentford – Mike Grella
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Mike Grella arrived in London from Leeds United, who were in the midst of their most difficult period, and did little to warrant the move.
Grella managed to score four goals for the Bees, however, they all came the same game against Bournemouth to the disbelief of the Brentford faithful.
Grella's contract was terminated by mutual consent after one season in London.
Brighton & Hove Albion – Jurgen Locadia
Jurgen Locadia signed for the South coast side in January 2018 for £15million from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven.
However, his debut was delayed by a month due to injuries, and the Dutchman failed to hit the ground running after only netting three times during his spell.
Locadia spent last season out on loan in the MLS at FC Cincinnati, and he only managed two goals during his spell.
Burnley – Joe Hart
Joe Hart's fall from grace has been well documented.
In 2016, Hart was riding high; he was City and England's number one, however, after a disastrous Euro 2016 – including a particularly poor showing against Iceland – he was dropped from both sides.
Hart signed for £3.5million, but he was more of a vanity signing playing second fiddle to Tom Heaton.
Chelsea – Danny Drinkwater
Chelsea secured the services of Danny Drinkwater, in 2017, for £35million; he has since gone on to make 12 appearances.
The Blues will have been hoping to reunite Leicester City's title-winning midfielder of Drinkwater and Ngolo Kante, but things haven't quite turned out that way.
Drinkwater has since been loaned out to Burnley, Aston Villa, and Turkish side Kasımpaşa.
Crystal Palace – Christian Benteke
Christian Benteke has the potential to make this list twice, first with Liverpool and then with Crystal Palace.
When Benteke signed for Palace back in 2016 for £32million, he had spent a season struggling on the bench at Liverpool.
And the Belgian's fortunes haven't turned since his arrival at Selhurst Park, and he has managed 35 goals in five years.
Everton – Preki
Preki, or Predrag Radosavljević, bafflingly signed for the Toffees in 1992 for £100,000.
The sum wasn't a large fee – it's just Everton had signed him from America, not from the MLS or the NASL, but from the indoor futsal side San Jose Grizzlies.
Preki made bagged four goals in two years, and he was soon heading back to indoor football and the Grizzlies.
Leeds United – Tomas Brolin
In 1995, Leeds United decided to spend a club-record £4.5million on Parma's Tomas Brolin, a man who had barely played in Italy the season before.
Brolin arrived at Leeds overweight, and it didn't take long for the Yorkshire side to ban him from Elland Road on matchdays.
In one infamous clash with Liverpool, Brolin deliberate played poorly to prove a point about playing out of position.
Leicester City – Islam Slimani
Islam Slimani had experienced a relative amount of success during his time at Sporting Lisbon in Portugal.
However, the Algerian international couldn't transfer that success into the Premier League when Leicester forked over £28million for his services.
Slimani left Leicester in early 2021 with eight goals and three separate loan spells to his name.
Liverpool – Alberto Aquilani
To be fair to Alberto Aquilani, he had the unenvious task of filling the boots of Xabi Alonso, who was on his way to Real Madrid.
Aquilani arrived from Serie A side Roma for £17million in 2009.
He failed to impress in the centre of the park for the Reds as Liverpool slumped through a poor spell for the club.
Manchester City – Scott Sinclair
After claiming their first Premier League title in a Aguero induced heart-stopping finale against QPR.
City decided to spend their title winnings on Jack Rodwell, Javi Garcia, Richard Wright, Matija Nastasic, Maicon, and Scott Sinclair.
Sinclair was the pick of the bunch, and the English winger managed 13 appearances without finding the net in three years for City.
Manchester United – Bebe
The Red Devils had a great track record when it came to signing wingers from Portugal, but even this signing for a stretch too far for Sir Alex Ferguson.
Plucked from the obscurity of the Portuguese third tier, Manchester United spent £7.4million on Bebe from Vitória de Guimarães.
Bebe was earmarked as a future star, but after two appearances in four years, he was shipped off to Benfica, somehow.
Newcastle – Michael Owen
Off the back of Alan Shearer's retirement, Newcastle United wanted to make a statement with their new striker.
Owen made sense, he had fallen out of favour at Real, and the Magpies spent £22million on his services.
However, this wasn't the Owen that had once lit up Anfield, and the Englishman managed 29 goals in four years – not the greatest bang for their buck.
Norwich – Ricky van Wolfswinkel
The second striker to arrive on British shores from Sporting Lisbon on this list is Dutchman Ricky van Wolfswinkel.
It was the great Johan Neeskens, Johan Cruyff's right-hand man, that had urged Van Wolfswinkel to join Norwich for £10million in 2013.
Even with one of Holland's greatest players giving Van Wolfswinkel his blessing, the Dutchman only found the net once for the Canaries.
Southampton – Ali Dia
The list of Ali Dia's former clubs makes for interesting reading, and sandwiched between spells for Blyth Spartans and Gateshead is a sole appearance for Southampton.
The story goes that Graeme Souness received a phone call from 'George Weah', who in actual fact was Dia's university mate, saying he had a cousin who had played for PSG.
Souness decided to sign Dia, and after one appearance he was quickly let go.
Tottenham – David Bentley
Between 2006 and 2008, David Bentley had been at the heart of an exciting Blackburn Rovers side that featured Morten Gamst Pedersen and Tugay.
And so it wasn't completely out of the ordinary when Tottenham gambled on him with a £15million bid.
Bentley was tipped to be David Beckham's heir, however, after struggling with Spurs, he found himself moved out on loan to FC Rostov in Ukraine.
Watford – Steve Kabba
After gaining promotion to the English top-flight, Watford were struggling at the bottom of the table.
Their star-striker Marlon King was injured, and the Hornets decided to sign Steve Kabba from Sheffield United for £500,000.
He failed to find the net, and Watford were relegated later that year.
West Ham – Nikica Jelavic
When Nikica Jelavic first moved to British shores, it was for Everton in 2012, and the giant Serb hit the ground running.
However, he didn't quite have the same success in East London when he joined West Ham for £3million in 2015.
Jelavic found the net once in a five-month spell that resulted in a lucrative deal to China in the summer.
His one goal came in a third-round FA Cup tie with Wolves, one that Hammers fans will struggle to remember.
Wolves – Roger Williams
Wolves poached Roger Williams from relegated Birmingham City as they hoped to avoid a similar fate during the 11/12 season.
Long story short, they didn't, and Wolves' 11/12 campaign is recognised as one of the worst Premier League campaigns of all time.
Williams was at the heart of the defence, and he was fined in March 2012 for showing up drunk for training as the side struggled against the drop.
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