The worst European transfers of this season
As the 2022/23 season draws to a close, it is now time for us to compile our list of the most disappointing transfers from the past year.
Mykhaylo Mudryk
After showcasing his brilliance in Shakhtar Donetsk, the 22-year-old Ukrainian winger embarked on the first part of the season with tremendous success. Within 19 matches in both the domestic league and the Champions League, Mudryk impressively scored ten goals and provided eight assists for his Ukrainian team. Enthralled by his magnificent performances, Chelsea made a substantial investment of 70 million euros in January to secure his services. However, disappointingly, Mudryk’s performance since joining The Blues has been far from satisfactory.
He has undeniably contributed to the disappointment of Chelsea’s season by adding yet another disappointing performance. Despite playing in nine Premier League matches, he has failed to score and has managed only one assist. The media used to compare Mudryk to ‘the Ukrainian Neymar’ due to his impressive dribbling abilities and agility in defeating defenders. However, since his arrival in London, those comparisons have proven to be entirely inaccurate.
Kalvin Phillips
After showcasing his skills at Leeds for several successful seasons, Kalvin Phillips made the transition to Manchester City. The Citizens made a considerable investment of nearly 50 million euros to secure the midfielder in July, a move that initially appeared promising. Phillips was anticipated to serve as Rodri’s backup and potentially form a dynamic duo with the Spaniard, particularly at the beginning of the season.
Regrettably, Kalvin Phillips has encountered numerous challenges throughout this season. Initially, he suffered a shoulder injury that caused him to be absent from nearly every match leading up to the World Cup. Subsequently, following his 40-minute play for England in Qatar, he returned to Manchester City with a weight issue, as stated by Pep Guardiola, resulting in further missed games.
Phillips’ playing time in the Premier League has been limited to just 65 minutes across six matches so far. Due to Kalvin’s absence, Guardiola has relied on other players, indicating a possible departure for the Englishman from Manchester City by the end of the ongoing season.
Richarlison
Having spent four seasons at Everton, Richarlison joined Tottenham. During his time at Goodison Park, the Brazilian forward managed to score 43 goals in 135 matches. Last summer, Tottenham invested 58 million euros to secure Richarlison’s services, but he has yet to demonstrate his full value. Richarlison was brought in not only to support Harry Kane in the attack but also to provide additional depth on the left and right wing positions.
Despite being a skilled attacker, the Brazilian has yet to score a goal for Tottenham in the Premier League. However, he has managed to find the net twice in the Champions League, which falls short of what is expected from a player of his caliber.
Richarlison’s predicament lies in the fact that Antonio Conte predominantly deployed him as a winger, whereas his true prowess lies as a genuine forward. Regrettably, with Kane occupying the frontline at Tottenham, Richarlison’s prospects of fulfilling his full potential in this position seem considerably limited.