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Football8 Disappointing Premier League Signings After Romeo Lavia Was Ruled Out of the Season
- Chelsea midfielder, Romeo Lavia, will not play again this season
- The summer signing from Southampton played only 32 minutes
- He ranks high on a list of disappointing Premier League signings
Chelsea announced yesterday that teenage midfielder, Romeo Lavia, would not play again this season after suffering a fresh setback in his recovery from a serious thigh injury.
The former Southampton star played only 32 minutes for the Blues in his first season after the club paid £58 million, including add-ons, to sign him from the relegated club.
Sports Brief looks at eight disappointing Premier League signings whose seasons have been truncated by injuries or other factors.
Disappointing Premier League signings
1. Romeo Lavia
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Contrary to popular opinions that Chelsea hijacked him from the grasp of Liverpool, he had been on the Blues radar for a year before he moved to Stamford Bridge. He suffered an ankle injury during his integration training, and in his only appearance against Crystal Palace in December, he suffered a thigh injury.
Per Opta Analyst, Lavia played 2,231 minutes last season, more than any U21 player in the league, and, per Who Scored, led the same age category in tackles, interceptions, and blocked shots. Disappointing is an understatement when describing his first season in blue.
2. Mason Mount
Some Chelsea fans who did not like how he left the club will be happy about this - a two-time club player of the year who was shipped to rivals for £60mil including add-ons. He has played only 642 minutes this season, providing only an assist in the Carabao Cup.
3. Christopher Nkunku
Another Chelsea star who came in with a lot of promises but has done next to nothing, Nkunku suffered an injury in the final pre-season game and has been on and off since then. He has scored for the club, but it was not glamorous enough for the fans to see his balloon celebration. He played 53 minutes in the EFL Cup loss to Liverpool and was declared injured. Per The Athletic, Mauricio Pochettino claimed he didn't know when he got hurt.
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Football4. Josko Gvardiol
Per Football Transfers, he is the most expensive centre-back in the world after Manchester City paid €90mil for his signature. He has featured in 29 games in all competitions, but if you did not check the numbers, you'd doubt he has played that much because his performances have not justified the price tag and the hype.
5. Moussa Diaby
Aston Villa fought off Saudi Arabia’s financial muscle to sign the France international. Though he has 10 goal contributions in the league this season, his form has dipped, and he has not started a league game since January. He has been underwhelming for a player with so much promise from Bayer Leverkusen.
6. Sandro Tonali
Newcastle United made the Italian midfielder a marquee signing from AC Milan. He played 12 games and was named the club's player of the month of August before he was hit with a 10-month ban for his involvement in illegal betting activities.
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Football7. Jurrien Timber
The Dutch international was 50 minutes into his first Premier League game before tearing his ACL during Arsenal's 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest on the season's opening day. It has been a disappointing season for a player with so much potential. He is expected to feature in the run-in of the final weeks.
8. Sofyan Amrabat
Manchester United’s hierarchy will be happy they signed the Moroccan international on a simple loan with no obligation to buy after his grossly underwhelming audition. After an impressive World Cup to help the Atlas Lions reach the semi-final, he has not been the player many thought he was. A tactical analyst on X warned about his limitations before he moved to England.
Do Chelsea need Romeo Lavia?
Sports Brief also analysed why Chelsea need Romeo Lavia despite British pundit, Gary Neville, claiming he was an egoistic signing by the club to 'rub in Liverpool's face'.
Injuries may have limited the Belgian midfielder’s first season at Stamford Bridge, but he was signed on purpose to replace a sold player and also for his positional profile.