Midfield is a vital position in football, directly influencing how a team controls the game and creates chances of winning. Players in this position need to be well-rounded, as their shortcomings are easily exposed and can have a huge impact on the team’s performance. While the Premier League has seen many midfield legends such as Steven Gerrard and Roy Keane, there have also been plenty of cases where midfielders have been utter failures. Bestsoccertips.com has compiled a list of the 10 worst midfielders in the history of the competition, who have left some unforgettable moments.
Top 10 worst midfielders in Premier League history
Top 10: Kim Kallstrom
Kim Källström was expected to bolster Arsenal’s midfield when he joined in 2014, following an impressive career at Lyon. However, his move to the Emirates was hampered early on when it was discovered during a medical that he had suffered a back injury. This took over a month to recover, and when he was finally able to play, Källström made just four appearances in all competitions.
Although manager Arsène Wenger decided to keep him, Källström’s performances failed to live up to expectations. Arsenal could have saved themselves some money by not making the move, as Källström returned to Spartak Moscow at the end of his loan spell and never played in England again. He remains one of the most notable flops in Arsenal’s history.
Top 9: Bruno Cheyrou
Signed for £4.5 million in 2002, Bruno Cheyrou arrived at Liverpool with the label of ‘the new Zidane’ given to him by manager Gérard Houllier. However, Cheyrou’s performances at Anfield were far from up to par. Despite a few notable contributions, including a decisive goal against Chelsea, the Frenchman failed to make a big impact in his first season.
Cheyrou has become a symbol of Liverpool’s failed transfer strategy during that period. While Houllier brought some success and trophies to the club, his tenure was also fraught with poor recruitment decisions, with Cheyrou being one of the most obvious examples. The high expectations became a burden on the midfielder, leaving him unable to deliver what fans and the coaching staff expected.
Top 8: Antonio Nunez
Rafael Benitez has made some successful signings at Liverpool, but not all of them have been positive. One of his most forgettable deals was the signing of Antonio Núñez from Real Madrid in 2004. Despite his potential, the Spaniard failed to make a significant impact in his only season at Anfield, being used sparingly.
Despite being part of the 2005 Champions League-winning squad, Núñez’s contribution to that triumph was minimal. He failed to establish himself as a key player and is one of Benitez’s notable flops. Núñez’s brief and lacklustre Liverpool career makes him a part of the poor transfer decisions of Benitez’s time as manager.
Top 7: Luke Chadwick
When you become known more for your looks than your achievements, it’s a sign that things may not be going your way. Luke Chadwick, a young midfielder for Manchester United in the early 2000s, made a huge impression with his talent and promise. With big names like David Beckham and Paul Scholes coming through the academy, expectations were high for Chadwick to be the next to shine at Old Trafford.
However, Chadwick’s Manchester United career fell short of expectations. Despite being part of the team that won two Premier League titles, he failed to make a significant impact. With just 24 Premier League appearances and just two goals, Chadwick failed to make a mark and became more famous for his baby-faced looks and acne-prone skin than his achievements on the pitch.
Top 6: Alberto Aquilani
Alberto Aquilani’s arrival at Liverpool in 2009 came with high expectations, as he was signed to replace Xabi Alonso, who had left for Real Madrid. The Italian midfielder showed great promise during his time at Roma, with impressive performances making him a target for big clubs. However, those hopes were quickly dashed when Aquilani suffered an injury setback, which severely affected his Anfield career.
Struggling to maintain fitness and failing to establish himself in the first team, Aquilani fell into a state of frustration. When Roy Hodgson replaced Rafael Benitez as manager in 2010, the new boss had no long-term plans for the Italian midfielder and decided to loan him out to clubs in Italy. Ultimately, Aquilani never played for Liverpool again. What was initially expected to be a promising signing ended in disappointment, with Aquilani failing to make a lasting impact on Merseyside. It was a classic case of falling short of expectations, though not due to a lack of quality, but rather due to factors beyond his control such as injuries and changes in coaching plans.
Top 5: Istvan Kozma
Hungarian midfielder Istvan Kozma had a brief and forgettable spell at Liverpool, leaving little mark on the club’s history. After impressing at Scottish side Dunfermline, Kozma was expected to shine upon his move to Anfield. However, he struggled to adapt to the pace and physical rigour of English football. Making just 10 appearances for Liverpool, Kozma failed to make any significant impact and was soon forgotten.
Kozma’s performances at Liverpool are often cited as one of the biggest flops in the club’s history. During this time, manager Graeme Souness made some controversial transfer decisions, spending big on players such as Dean Saunders and Julian Dicks. However, Kozma’s lacklustre contribution was certainly one of the low points of Souness’s turbulent tenure at Liverpool.
Find the best football betting site with great odds and offers.
Top 4: Junior Lewis
Junior Lewis’ time at Leicester City was largely unremarkable. He joined the club in January 2001 after an 18-month spell in the Football League with Gillingham, but his rise to the Premier League was anything but memorable. In the second half of his first and only season at the top level, Lewis made just 13 appearances without scoring or providing any assists, a lacklustre return in one of the toughest leagues in the game.
The increase in quality in Premier League football proved too much for Lewis, who played in the lower tiers of English football from 1993 to 1999, spending much of his early career with amateur clubs such as Dover Athletic and Hendon. He eventually left Leicester and was transferred on a free transfer to Brighton & Hove Albion, bringing his brief and unspectacular Premier League chapter to a close.
Top 3: Jean Makoun
Jean Makoun joined Aston Villa from Lyon with high expectations, hoping to strengthen the midfield and help the team improve their Premier League record. However, his time at Villa Park was a complete disappointment. Despite limited playing time, Makoun made just seven first-team appearances, but failed to score or assist. He also picked up three yellow cards and a red card, overshadowing any positive contributions he made in his limited appearances.
Jean Makoun – Worst midfielders in football
Manager Gérard Houllier, who brought Makoun to the club, initially defended the Cameroonian’s poor performances. However, Houllier himself was sacked before the end of the season, and after just six months Makoun left Villa to join Olympiacos on loan. His brief and disappointing spell at Aston Villa has gone down as one of the most forgettable transfers in the club’s history.
Top 2: Kleberson
Kleberson, who was hailed by Luiz Felipe Scolari as a key part of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup triumph, was a target for a host of big clubs. Manchester United beat off competition to sign him from Athletico Paranaense that summer, with the expectation that he would make a strong contribution to the team. However, his time at Old Trafford proved to be a huge disappointment.
Kleberson’s Premier League career did not start well, with him picking up an injury in his second appearance, and he failed to regain his form or make any significant impact. Despite being expected to bring a dynamic force to United’s midfield, he made just 20 appearances for the club. Frustrated, Kleberson failed to live up to the high expectations, and his short-lived Manchester United career became a cautionary tale of how high expectations don’t always translate into success. To this day, he remains one of the worst signings in the club’s history.
Top 1: Eric Djemba-Djemba
Touted as a potential successor to Roy Keane, one of the Premier League’s most legendary midfielders, Eric Djemba-Djemba’s time at Manchester United failed to live up to those high expectations. The Cameroonian made just 20 appearances across two seasons, failing to score a single goal and leaving behind a series of lacklustre performances. Despite being hailed by Sir Alex Ferguson as “looking like a Manchester United player in every sense”, Djemba-Djemba failed to establish himself in the Red Devils’ squad, leaving fans bemoaning the absence of the imposing figure of Roy Keane.
Djemba-Djemba’s technical and tactical shortcomings became apparent, and after just 18 months, Manchester United decided to cut their losses and move him to Aston Villa. However, the midfielder’s fortunes did not improve in the Midlands, as he made just four Premier League appearances and failed to make a lasting impression. His brief and unsuccessful spells at both United and Villa have left Djemba-Djemba as one of the most forgettable signings in Manchester United’s history.
To Wrap It Up
These are the worst midfielders who show that, despite being one of the most important positions in football, not every player can meet the demanding demands of the Premier League. Failed midfielders not only lack essential qualities such as creativity, tactical vision, and the ability to control the game, but also easily expose their weaknesses in a fiercely competitive league. These failures are an integral part of the history of the competition, reminding us that not everyone can shine, despite great expectations.
