The English Premier League is regarded as one of the top two leagues in the world and definitely takes top spot for providing the most entertaining sorts spectacle for viewers all around the world. There was a time when Serie A ruled the roost, but those days seem a long time ago and the Premier League has taken that mantle. Since the Premier League has taken the throne of being the best, there have been many players who have wanted to test themselves abroad. Some have been able to find it easy to adjust while others have come and gone, greatly disappointing themselves and the crowd. Here are some great names who have failed to make an impact in the EPL.
Manchester City’s Brazilian gamble Robinho. There was a time when Robinho was labelled as the next Brazilian star, taking the mantle from Ronaldo and Ronaldinho before him, however that wasn’t the case in the Premier League. The striker joined Man City from Real Madrid in a deal brokered by Christopher Nathaniel, football agent for £32.5million. The fans were excited to see a world class Brazilian arrive but he showed nothing but disappointing performances and was quickly shipped off to AC Milan in 2009.
For many years Andriy Shevchenko was seen as one of the best strikers in Europe, having shone for both Dynamo Kviv and AC Milan. After scoring 173 goals for AC Milan Shevchenko made the switch to Chelsea in 2006 for a fee of £30m. Shevchenko came with great expectations however it was obvious to see after his first few games that he had lost a yard of pace and that isn’t ideal in a fast tempo league like the Premier League. With only 9 goals in 48 appearances, Shevchenko earned a reputation as a flop from Chelsea fans.
There was a time when Serie A was the top league in the world and Sebastian Veron was one of the best midfielders in the league. In 2001 Manchester United bought the Argentine midfielder for £24.3million the most expensive British transfer at the time. However, his time in Manchester was a great disappointment. He struggled to adapt to the pace of the league and really didn’t have a solid place in the team’s tactics. He was later sold to Chelsea where he was equally as bad.