Flops galore: How the most overpriced players of the summer are faring

How have the most overpriced players of the summer fared so far? Make us your Google favourite The 2026 summer transfer window produced an avalanche of record-breaking transfers, including several deals that cracked the mythical €100 million mark. From month-long sagas to hijacks and shock deals that came out of nowhere, this summer had plenty of excitement in store, yet it also illustrated that the transfer market increasingly seems to be losing touch with reality. Transfer fees have exploded, particularly in England, with more and more big clubs choosing to pay a significant premium in order to secure players who are "Premier League-proven." When the window shut, sources compiled a list of the most overpriced players of the summer, using our sophisticated Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) algorithm. The first international break is a good opportunity to take stock of how these players have fared so far. Of course, the season has only just started and ostensible flops can still come good, but the early indications are that clubs should be more careful with their spending... 11. Goncalo Ramos: PSG to AC Milan Transfer fee: €74m ETV: €31.8m Overspend: €42.2m Grade: E AC Milan obliterated their club record when they splashed €74m on PSG's backup forward Goncalo Ramos. The early signs looked promising for the Portugal international as he scored in his second game for the Rossoneri. However, it has been downhill since, with the striker mostly anonymous so far, both in terms of his attacking output and overall performances. He produced an assist in a comfortable win over Lecce before the international break after going three games without a shot on target. The fact that he's got a goal and an assist means that he gets an E rather than an F. 10. Savio: Man City to Tottenham Transfer fee: €87.7m ETV: €44.9m Overspend: €42.8m Grade: F After a year-long saga, Savinho - or Savio as he now seems to be known again - joined Tottenham in an €87.7m deal from Man City that looked ridiculous at the time, and still doesn't look any less ridiculous now. He had done absolutely nothing at the Etihad to justify that fee, nor has he done anything at Tottenham since. He produced a goal and an assist in a Carabao Cup win over Championship side Charlton - Spurs' only win to date - but that's it. He has been completely ineffective against top-level opposition in the other four games he has played. F. 9. Marco Palestra: Atalanta to Chelsea Transfer fee: €57m ETV: €12.4m Overspend: €44.6m Grade: N/A Chelsea pounced on the availability of Atalanta youngster Marco Palestra after he was named Serie A's Defender of the Year following an impressive loan spell at Cagliari. His €57m fee looked like a sizeable overpay given his relative lack of top-level experience, and this seemed to be confirmed by his somewhat concerning early pre-season performances. However, as the youngster has not yet actually played a competitive game due to injury, we'll have to grade him later in the season. 8. Sandro Tonali: Newcastle to Tottenham Transfer fee: €108m ETV: €59.9m Overspend: €49.1m Grade: F Sandro Tonali was adored at Newcastle, but most Toon fans would probably admit that he never quite looked like a €100m midfielder in the Northeast. His well-roundedness and versatility are perhaps a hindrance - he is good at most things but not truly great at any of them. This has certainly been the case at Tottenham, where he has yet to really settle. The midfield was Spurs' biggest problem heading into the summer, and this remains the case seven games into the season. While there have been brief glimpses of promise, Spurs fans expected a lot more from their new superstar midfielder. F. 7. Ayyoub Bouaddi: Lille to Manchester City Transfer fee: €95m ETV: €43.5m Overspend: €51.5m Grade: D Ayyoub Bouaddi was always going to be a signing for the future as far as Man City were concerned, so it shouldn't be too surprising that the youngster has yet to crack the 200-minute mark at the Etihad. When he has played, he has demonstrated the immense potential that convinced City to make him the most expensive 18-year-old ever. Despite his youth, he plays like he's been around forever. However, because he was an unused substitute in City's last two Premier League games before the break, we can't yet give him a higher grade than a D. He simply hasn't played enough. 6. Bradley Barcola: PSG to Liverpool Transfer fee: €123.8m ETV: €74m