Worst Premier League signings of the season 'confirmed', Kai Havertz features
The worst Premier League signings of the season based on statistics have been confirmed.
With each Premier League side having played eight matches so far this season, WhoScored has taken a look at the summer signings struggling to make an impact at their new clubs.
The publication has devised a starting XI of summer signings, with newly promoted Burnley dominating the team with four representatives, while players from Bournemouth, Brentford, Aston Villa, Everton, Sheffield United, Arsenal and Fulham also feature.
Here is an XI of the Premier League’s worst summer signings based on WhoScored ratings.
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Goalkeeper - James Trafford (6.33)
Trafford signed for Burnley from Manchester City for £19million, after his heroics for England’s U21 European Championship-winning side.
However, only Sheffield United have conceded more goals (22) than Burnley’s 20 in the Premier League this team. Meanwhile, of the goalkeepers to have faced more than 20 shots so far, Trafford’s save success rate of 57.1% ranks the lowest in the division.
Right back - Max Aarons - 6.28
Max Aarons, another member of England’s U21 winning side, made the move to Bournemouth this summer in a deal worth up to £12million.
Aarons started each of Bournemouth’s first seven league matches, before being dropped in the wake of a 4-0 defeat to Arsenal at the end of September.
Indeed, the full-back’s WhoScored rating of 5.04 against the Gunners is the 11th lowest-rated display in the Premier League this term.
Centre back - Nathan Collins - 6.66
Brentford signed Nathan Collins from Wolves for £23million this summer, and while the Republic of Ireland international has started seven of the Bees’ eight matches so far, he has struggled to find any form.
His lowest-scored performance (5.71) came in a 3-1 home defeat to Everton three weeks ago.
Centre back - Pau Torres - 6.67
Since arriving for an initial £33million from Villarreal, Pau Torres has started each of Aston Villa’s last seven league matches. The 26-year-old Spaniard has helped guide his side to two clean sheets in that time.
Torres’ highest rated performance came in a 1-0 win at Chelsea (7.13), while his lowest was in the 3-0 defeat to Liverpool (6.15).
Left-back - Ashley Young - 6.29
Ashley Young has started eight Everton fixtures since his summer move from Aston Villa on a free transfer.
The 38-year-old’s worst performances, according to WhoScored, came in defeats to former side Villa (5.07) and newly-promoted Luton Town (5.28).
Centre midfield - Sander Berge - 6.34
Sander Berge signed for Burnley from Sheffield United for £15million, but so far the Norwegian has committed more fouls (seven) than he has made key passes (five), with his lowest-rated performance coming in the 3-1 home defeat to Aston Villa.
Centre midfield - Vinicius Souza (Sheffield United) - 6.58
Vinicius Souza signed for Sheffield United from Belgian second-division side Lommel S.K. for a fee in the region of £10million.
The midfielder has so far started seven league games for the Blades, with his lowest-rated performance naturally coming in the 8-0 home defeat to Newcastle, when he registered a WhoScored rating of 5.94.
Centre midfield - Kai Havertz - 6.55
Kai Havertz has struggled to make an impact since moving to Arsenal from Chelsea for £65million this summer.
After starting each of Arsenal’s first four league matches, Havertz lost his place in Mikel Arteta’s starting line-up. Meanwhile his lowest-rated performance so far came in a draw at home to Fulham where he returned a WhoScored rating of 6.10.
Right wing - Luca Koleosho - 6.35
Burnley signed Luca Koleosho from Espanyol for around £3million in July and the 19-year-old has since started seven of the Clarets’ eight matches so far.
The Italian youth international provided the assist for Lyle Foster to score against Tottenham in September. However, his lowest-rated display (5.71) came in the opening-day defeat to Manchester City.
Striker - Raul Jimenez - 6.40
Mexican striker Raul Jimenez completed a £5million switch from Wolves to Fulham in the summer, in a move to replace the outgoing Aleksander Mitrovic.
Since Jimenez has started seven matches under but is yet to find the back of the net with any of his 11 shots.
Left-wing - Zeki Amdouni - 6.69
Zeki Amdouni made the move to Turf Moor from FC Basel for around £15million this summer.
The 22-year-old has started seven matches for the Clarets and clocked a season-low 6.16 WhoScored rating in a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle.
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Topics: Football, Arsenal, Kai Havertz, Transfers, Burnley
Chris Byfield