So much of the European off-season is focused on big money transfers. Anything over $10 million gets a headline followed by an analysis of how the player will affect his new team. Many of the highest-profile signings came from England this year, thanks to a massive cash infusion from foreign owners like Liverpool’s George Gillett and Tom Hicks and Manchester City’s Thaksin Shinawatra.
However, with a few exceptions (Liverpool’s Fernando Torres and City’s Elano come to mind), many the EPL’s big-name signings haven’t proved their worth, so far. Carlos Tevez, for example, has had a frustrating beginning to his Manchester United career, having scored just once, while $34 million Brazilian star Anderson has yet to see first-team action since his under-whelming 45-minute debut against Sunderland. Across the way at Manchester City, $17 million Rolando Bianchi, one of Serie A’s top scorers last season, has made just one league start.
Chelsea’s newcomers, too — Claudio Pizarro, Steve Sidwell, and Florent Malouda — have also failed to capture the imagination. Sidwell can’t even seem to make the bench. David Nugent, a highly touted arrival at Portsmouth, was told that he was free to leave shortly after arriving. Aston Villa’s Marlon Harewood, a success at West Ham, and Tottenham’s former Charlton striker, Darren Bent, have also failed to make regular first-team appearances.