The problemA third of big signings never take.
We looked at 155 of the largest Premier League transfers from 2016 to 2023, fees from 22 to 117 million euros. Two years on, about one in three had not worked out. The player lost his place, never settled, or was moved on.
The talent is rarely the problem. The problem is that these decisions get made without a clear, shared read of who the player actually is and whether he matches the team you are trying to build. Gut, reputation, and highlight reels fill the gap. A decision this expensive deserves a real instrument.
1 in 3
of the largest signings did not work out within two years, in our study of 155 Premier League transfers from 2016 to 2023.