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10 Worst Premier League Players of All Time

Among the worst Premier League players of all time are overpaid players, a teacher’s pet and even a fraudster. Let’s take a look at the ten worst EPL players in history.

10. Claude Davis (Derby)

It’s no surprise that Claude Davis was part of the team that tops the list of worst teams in Premier League history. Davis was bought for £3m from Sheffield United with the aim of strengthening the defence for the newly promoted Derby County.

He was never a Premier League level defender. “Calamity Claude” played in 19 games for a Derby side that managed only 11 points in an entire season.

9. Winston Bogarde (Chelsea)

In four years at Chelsea centre-back Winston Bogarde earned £10m for his 11 games for the club. Despite the clubs best efforts to force a move he stubbornly stayed and collected his cheques. Even Bogarde himself shamelessly said he is one of the worst buys in Premier League history.

8. Andrea Silenzi (Nottingham Forest)

Centre forward Andrea Silenzi was the first Italian to join the English Premier League, signing for £1.8m in 1995. Despite scoring goals in Serie A, he was slow, had a heavy touch and had a complete lack of technical ability. He was loaned back out to Italy and never came back.

7. Bebe (Manchester United)

Bebe is one of the worst Premier League players of all time. Surprisingly it was under Sir Alex Ferguson who broke his own rules after signing him unseen. It was a remarkable rise for the Portuguese forward who grew up in an orphanage. He made seven appearances in his first season but was never up for Premier League football.

6. Milton Nunez (Sunderland)

The pocket-sized Honduran striker Milton Nunez signed for Sunderland on deadline day for £1.6m in 2000. It’s believed Sunderland signed the wrong player and were actually after Colombian striker Adolfo Valencia who was Nunez’s teammate at Greek side PAOK. Nunez made just one appearance for Sunderland and is one of the worst Premier League players of all time.

5. Jozy Altidore (Hull, Sunderland)

Jozy Altidore could make some lists of the best MLS players of all time. He was able to bang in goals for fun for Toronto FC and even for the USMNT. Physically he was imposing but he had no technical skill.

This weakness was exposed in Europe’s top leagues. Two goals in 70 Premier League appearances leaves him as one of the worst Premier League players of all time.

4. Massimo Taibi (Manchester United)

Goalkeeper Massimo Taibi was one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s worst transfers. After impressing in Italy he was signed on Ferguson’s brother’s recommendation.

He made a number of high-profile errors including letting the ball squeeze through his legs after a weak shot from distance by one of the (almost) greatest one clubs players in Premier League history, Matt LeTissier. After only four games, Taibi was sent back to Italy and never returned.

3. Junior Lewis (Leicester)

For some reason football manager Peter Taylor was obsessed with midfielder Junior Lewis, dragging him along to eight different clubs. It was as if he was the teacher’s pet. Lewis simply wasn’t up to EPL standards and it’s beyond belief he played 21 Premier League games in three seasons at Leicester.

2. Savio Nsereko (West Ham)

In 2009 West Ham bought Savio Nsereko to replace Craig Bellamy for about £9 million. Six months later and after only 10 games he was sold to Fiorentina for less than £3 million.

Savio is third on the list of worst Premier League players of all time. He joined West Ham after only three goals in Serie B with Brescia and his fragility was exposed in the Premier League, unable to keep up with the physicality of the league.

1. Ali Dia (Southampton)

Ali Dia is the worst Premier League player of all time. He infamously claimed to be the cousin of the legendary George Weah in 1995. His impersonation worked, Southampton boss Graeme Souness falling for it and signing him to a one-month contract. Even more sensationally, Ali Dia was subbed on 32 minutes into a league game after an injury to Matt Le Tissier.

Dia’s football experience prior to his Southampton cameo was a few substitute appearances in the lower leagues of English and German football. Incredibly and despite running around aimlessly in his only Premier League appearance, he survived for 52 minutes before eventually being subbed off.

A move to Gateshead followed and he didn’t even last at Conference level football. Ali Dia tops the list of worst Premier League players of all time.

Matt Ieriko

Matt Ieriko is a freelance writer who’s evolved his lifelong passion for sport into the creation of WolfgangSport.com in 2020 – an American sports blog covering the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS and more. As an Australian, he’s always been fascinated with the cultural differences and global significance of sports in America.

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