Of course that isn't a surprising statement but its worth looking back at just how bad its been.
I'm being extremely generous with some of my assessments, based on how they performed for us in the Premier League and not noting what they cost:
For the 2019/2020 season:
Callum Robinson: Failure
Iliman Ndiaye: N/A, huge success in the championship and financially in that we made a profit, but wasn't signed to play in the PL
Luke Freeman: Failure
Phil Jagielka: Ok
Ravel Morrison: Failure
Lys Mousset: Ok in that he scored some vital goals to begin with but eventually a failure
Ben Osborn: Failure in the PL, ok in the championship
Oli McBurnie: Ok
Michael Verrips: Failure
Femi Seriki: N/A, not signed to play in the PL
Jack Rodwell: Failure
Jack Robinson: Ok
Sander Berge: Ok
For the 2020/2021 season:
Wesley Foderingham: Ok
Kacper Lopata: N/A, not signed to play in the PL
Aaron Ramsdale: Eventually ok in that we made a small profit on him, but he contributed significantly to our relegation.
Max Lowe: Failure
Jayden Bogle: Failure in PL but understandable signing as was signed in mind to play well in the championship which he did
Oliver Burke: Failure
Rhian Brewster: Massive failure
For the 2023/2024 season:
Anis Ben Slimane: Failure but understandable signing as sort of player who should do well in the championship to help us get back up, TBC on that
Benie Traore: Failure but understandable signing as sort of player who should do well in the championship to help us get back up, TBC on that
Auston Trusty: Failure in the PL but understandable signing as sort of player who should do well in the championship to help us get back up, TBC on that
Gustavo Hamer: Failure in the PL but understandable signing as sort of player who should do well in the championship to help us get back up, TBC on that
Tom Davies: Failure so far but not anyone's fault
Cameron Archer: Just about ok
Ryan One: N/A, not signed to play in the PL
Sam Curtis: N/A, not signed to play in the PL
Ivo Grbic: Unknown
Yasser Larouci: Failure (though think he has potentially to become a PL player)
James McAtee: Success
Luke Thomas: Failure
Ben Brereton: Success so far but very early days
---
So out of roughly 26 signings who were brought in to have a positive impact for us in the PL, barely a handful have done ok or can be considered a success at that level.
I appreciate its a difficult market and we've tried to be creative but that's just crap, someone has to be held accountable for this in the scouting/recruitment department and we must improve in this area if/when we are next back in the PL.
I'm being extremely generous with some of my assessments, based on how they performed for us in the Premier League and not noting what they cost:
For the 2019/2020 season:
Callum Robinson: Failure
Iliman Ndiaye: N/A, huge success in the championship and financially in that we made a profit, but wasn't signed to play in the PL
Luke Freeman: Failure
Phil Jagielka: Ok
Ravel Morrison: Failure
Lys Mousset: Ok in that he scored some vital goals to begin with but eventually a failure
Ben Osborn: Failure in the PL, ok in the championship
Oli McBurnie: Ok
Michael Verrips: Failure
Femi Seriki: N/A, not signed to play in the PL
Jack Rodwell: Failure
Jack Robinson: Ok
Sander Berge: Ok
For the 2020/2021 season:
Wesley Foderingham: Ok
Kacper Lopata: N/A, not signed to play in the PL
Aaron Ramsdale: Eventually ok in that we made a small profit on him, but he contributed significantly to our relegation.
Max Lowe: Failure
Jayden Bogle: Failure in PL but understandable signing as was signed in mind to play well in the championship which he did
Oliver Burke: Failure
Rhian Brewster: Massive failure
For the 2023/2024 season:
Anis Ben Slimane: Failure but understandable signing as sort of player who should do well in the championship to help us get back up, TBC on that
Benie Traore: Failure but understandable signing as sort of player who should do well in the championship to help us get back up, TBC on that
Auston Trusty: Failure in the PL but understandable signing as sort of player who should do well in the championship to help us get back up, TBC on that
Gustavo Hamer: Failure in the PL but understandable signing as sort of player who should do well in the championship to help us get back up, TBC on that
Tom Davies: Failure so far but not anyone's fault
Cameron Archer: Just about ok
Ryan One: N/A, not signed to play in the PL
Sam Curtis: N/A, not signed to play in the PL
Ivo Grbic: Unknown
Yasser Larouci: Failure (though think he has potentially to become a PL player)
James McAtee: Success
Luke Thomas: Failure
Ben Brereton: Success so far but very early days
---
So out of roughly 26 signings who were brought in to have a positive impact for us in the PL, barely a handful have done ok or can be considered a success at that level.
I appreciate its a difficult market and we've tried to be creative but that's just crap, someone has to be held accountable for this in the scouting/recruitment department and we must improve in this area if/when we are next back in the PL.
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