Highlights

• The Premier League is widely regarded as the best division in world football.
• England's top flight has been the stage for some of the game's greatest players, but not every individual to feature has been elite.
• There have been goal-shy strikers, calamity keepers and a Sunday League con artist.

The Premier League proudly presents itself as home to the best football teams in the world, a lofty ranking supported by statistical resources. The best sides naturally have the best players.

Thierry Henry, Sergio Aguero and Cristiano Ronaldo are just some names on the glittering roll-call of greats that have graced the Premier League since its inception in 1992. However, that doesn't mean that every player has worked out. The competition has also seen its fair share of flops.

Join GIVEMESPORT as we delve into the darker side of the division's history. This is a look at the barren goal records of toothless forwards, the injury-riddled souls who lost years to the treatment room and one enterprising trickster without any professional background. Here are the 25 worst players to have ever played in the Premier League.

25 Yaya Sanogo

Premier League career: 2013 - 2015

There were high hopes for Yaya Sanogo when he arrived at Arsenal from Auxerre in 2013. The 20-year-old French forward boasted an impressive scoring record, prompting many to think that he could turn into a top striker. That emphatically did not happen. Sanogo made just 20 appearances for the Gunners, scoring only once in a Champions League game.

His time in the Premier League was particularly bleak, failing to find the net at Arsenal or during a loan spell with Crystal Palace. This poor productivity was not because of a lack of chances; Wenger was patient with Sanogo, offering ample game time in an attempt to have him develop. His physical prowess and raw talent were undone by an unrefined touch and a lack of composure in front of goal.

24 Andrea Silenzi

Premier League career: 1995 - 1996

Andrea Silenzi was the first Italian to play in the Premier League, but his brief stint at Nottingham Forest was far from successful. The Big Brush, as he was wonderfully nicknamed, failed to score in 12 league appearances and eventually returned to Italy with a loan move to Venezia.

Arriving in Nottingham as an Italy international who had played alongside Diego Maradona at Napoli, Silenzi's slight frame offered him no protection against the rough and tumble of Premier League football in the mid-1990s. Frank Clark, the Forest manager who signed Silenzi without seeing him play live, later admitted that the £1.8m deal for the Italian striker was "a disaster".

23 Istvan Kozma

Premier League career: 1992

Hungarian midfielder Istvan Kozma spent a season at Liverpool, and it's safe to say he didn't leave a lasting impression. The former favourite at Scottish club Dunfermline made just 10 appearances for the Reds, struggling with the pace and physicality of English football, like many other players who've transferred to the league.

Kozma's performances are often described as some of the worst in Liverpool's history. Graeme Souness made several dubious transfer decisions throughout his underwhelming tenure in charge of the Reds, splashing seven-figure fees on the likes of Dean Saunders and Julian Dicks, but Kozma surely takes the wooden spoon.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Istvan Kozma became the first Hungarian to ever play in the Premier League when he turned out for Liverpool in 1992.

22 Agustin Delgado

Premier League career: 2002 - 2004

Ecuadorian striker Agustin Delgado joined Southampton in 2002 with a strong international scoring record, including a goal in the group stage of that summer's World Cup. Many felt he had the potential to make it in the Premier League. But a combination of injuries and struggles to adapt to a new environment saw Delgado register just one top-flight goal in three seasons. The forward's brother and spokesperson explained:

English supporters are cold people who didn't even say anything to Agustin on his birthday.

At the start of 2003, Delgado made an unscheduled trip to Ecuador, citing a severe conflict of interest with his manager Gordon Strachan, only to return to training 10 days later. Delgado outlasted his Scottish coach but never discovered any scoring form.

21 Mario Jardel

Premier League career: 2003

Mario Jardel joined Bolton Wanderers from Portuguese giants Sporting CP in 2003 with a real knack for finding the back of the net. Manager Sam Allardyce triumphantly declared: "We have found a striker who is going to score goals for us on a regular basis." Across seven Premier League appearances, Jardel managed just one goal. Not very regular by any measure.

A chronic lack of fitness ensured that he could not follow the examples of Jay-Jay Okocha or Fernando Hierro as successful imports for Bolton. Jardel cut his losses after a single season in England, embarking upon a nomadic conclusion to his career at 12 clubs in three different continents.

20 Tomas Brolin

Premier League career: 1995 - 1998

Once considered one of the world's best young talents, Tomas Brolin's career took a nosedive at Leeds United. A European trophy winner with Italian outfit Parma, the Swedish forward helped his nation finish third at the 1994 World Cup.

Leeds boss Howard Wilkinson and the club's striker Tony Yeboah both hailed Brolin's "class" but neither took into consideration the lasting damage done by a foot injury which the forward had sustained a year before his arrival in November 1995. Brolin could only muster four goals in 19 appearances for Leeds before enduring an even more underwhelming spell at Crystal Palace in 1998. The failed prodigy is remembered as a cautionary tale of wasted talent.

19 Bosko Balaban

Premier League career: 2001 - 2002

Bosko Balaban was a prolific goalscorer in Croatia, but he failed to make a mark in the Premier League. The upright forward didn't score a single goal in his eight appearances for Aston Villa, leading to his loan and later permanent move back to Dinamo Zagreb.

The transfer serves as a reminder that while a player may have succeeded in another league, as Villa's misfit did in Croatia, that won't automatically translate to Premier League greatness. Balaban's post-retirement career also offers a crucial life lesson; the former striker was jailed in November 2013 for failing to fulfil his financial obligations regarding child support.

18 Afonso Alves

Premier League career: 2008 - 2009

Afonso Alves joined Middlesbrough in 2008 as a proven goalscorer in Sweden and Holland, boasting a startling record of 45 goals in 39 Eredivisie games for Heerenveen. The Brazilian striker just about hit double digits across two seasons with Boro - a far cry from his record-breaking exploits in the Dutch top flight.

A confidence-sapping string of underwhelming performances from the man hailed as the club's saviour is often cited as a key reason for Middlesbrough's relegation in the 2008/09 season. Alves didn't follow Boro into the Championship, instead opting for a lucrative move to Qatar's Al-Sadd. He only managed two goals in 13 appearances for them.

17 Andy van der Meyde

Premier League career: 2005 - 2009

Dutch winger Andy van der Meyde arrived at Everton in 2005 with a reputation as a skilful player from his time at Inter Milan. However, a combination of injuries and off-field issues hindered his performance. Among a catalogue of misdemeanours, Van der Meyde was once fined £30,000 for missing training after his drink was spiked during a night on the town.

Perhaps understandably, the Dutch forward scored no goals and produced just three assists in 20 Premier League appearances over four years. While some thought he could take Everton to the next level, his career on Merseyside really didn't live up to expectations, leading to him going down as one of the worst players to ever feature for the club.

16 Jozy Altidore

Premier League career: 2009 - 2014

Jozy Altidore's time in the Premier League with Hull City and Sunderland was one to forget. Despite impressive scoring records in the Dutch Eredivisie for AZ Alkmaar and Major League Soccer, as well as internationally for the USA, Altidore managed just two goals in 69 Premier League appearances.

The American striker was a towering figure who lacked any aerial prowess. Becoming the most expensive transfer in MLS history when he joined Villarreal for £8m in 2008, Altidore never lived up to his lofty billing. A clumsy style coupled with his wretched goalscoring return made him a frequent target of criticism and led to many dubbing Altidore as one of the Premier League's biggest flops.

15 Francis Jeffers

Premier League career: 1997 - 2007

A typical 'fox in the box' striker, Francis Jeffers was expected to bring a lethal touch to Arsenal's forward line, but that really isn't what happened. He was the most prolific scorer for England's under-21s until another Arsenal striker - Eddie Nketiah - took his record in 2020.

The prodigious talent managed just four goals in 22 appearances for the Gunners, an underwhelming return for a player bought for a steep fee of £10m in 2001. Jeffers does own a Premier League winners medal after making six appearances for Arsenal during their triumphant 2001/02 campaign, but that was a brief highlight in a deeply underwhelming career.

14 Roberto Soldado

Premier League career: 2013 - 2015

Roberto Soldado arrived at Tottenham Hotspur for a then club-record £26m fee in 2013. The most expensive member of the so-called 'Magnificent Seven' - the new signings made that summer which were funded by Gareth Bale's world-record move to Real Madrid - proved to be the most disappointing.

The Spaniard struggled to adapt to the Premier League, scoring just seven goals in 52 appearances, and definitely didn't help soften the blow of the Welsh winger's exit. It's safe to say that he didn't live up to the high expectations set for him, making Soldado one of the Premier League's worst-ever players.

13 Ricky van Wolfswinkel

Premier League career: 2013 - 2014

Signed for a then-record £8.5m fee, Ricky van Wolfswinkel scored on his Premier League debut against Everton, leading to high hopes among Norwich fans. The giddiness got to the Canaries coach staff as well. Manager Chris Hughton heaped praise on his new striker, noting: "He is someone that is used to scoring goals." He would quickly break that habit.

'The Wolf' failed to score again in his remaining 24 league games, contributing to Norwich's relegation that year. The club-record fee and the initial excitement that his debut goal generated ensure that Van Wolfswinkel is undoubtedly one of the league's biggest disappointments.

12 Junior Lewis

Premier League career: 2001

Junior Lewis' time at Leicester City was forgettable, to say the least. Arriving in January 2001 after spending 18 months in the Football League with Gillingham, the midfielder made 13 appearances in the second half of his first - and only - top-flight season, failing to score or provide any assists.

It proved too much of a leap in quality. Between 1993 and 1999, Lewis exclusively played outside England's top four tiers of professional football, plying his trade with amateurs at Dover Athletic and Hendon. He was soon offloaded to Brighton & Hove Albion on a free transfer, bringing a merciful end to his Premier League career.

11 Corrado Grabbi

Premier League career: 2001 - 2003

When Corrado Grabbi joined Blackburn Rovers in 2001, he was expected to replicate his goal-scoring exploits in Italian football. The former Juventus forward was riding high on the back of finding the net 20 times for Ternana in the second-tier Serie B when he agreed a deal with Rovers.

Instead, Grabbi struggled to adapt to English football, scoring a pitiful tally of two goals in 30 league appearances. The Italian became a symbol of Blackburn's struggles, just six years after the side won the Premier League, and won't be remembered as a top player in the division - if anyone can place him at all.

10 Jean Makoun

Premier League career: 2011

After impressing at Lyon, Jean Makoun arrived at Aston Villa with expectations of solidifying their midfield and helping the team progress to the next level. However, his Premier League career was nothing short of a disaster.

Makoun only made seven appearances for Villa but managed to earn three yellow cards and get sent off while providing precisely zero goals and assists. Gerard Houllier defended his signing's explosive start. "I don't think it was a malicious tackle, it was just a reckless tackle." But the French manager was sacked before the end of the season, while Makoun was loaned out to Olympiacos after just six months.

9 Kostas Mitroglou

Premier League career: 2014

Fulham broke their transfer record by signing Kostas Mitroglou for £12m on deadline day in January 2014. The London club turned their attention away from Antoine Griezmann, a future World Cup winner with France who has become one of the best strikers in world football, to focus on the Greek forward. It was the wrong move.

The club's record arrival made only three appearances due to fitness and form issues, failing to find the net in any of them. Fulham were relegated, losing a league-high 24 of their 38 games, and Mitroglou's name became synonymous with their failed 2013/14 campaign.

8 Christian Poulsen

Premier League career: 2010 - 2011

When Liverpool signed Christian Poulsen in 2010, fans hoped they'd secured a reliable presence in midfield, partnering Steven Gerrard in the middle of the park. The Danish international had appeared in the top flights of Germany, Spain and Italy before arriving in the Premier League.

However, one of Roy Hodgson's first signings struggled to cope with the pace and intensity of English football. Poulsen's 12 appearances yielded little of note. He was swiftly offloaded to French side Evian after just one season as Liverpool took a £4.7m hit on a wayward investment. There's little doubt that his time at Anfield was nothing short of a disaster.

7 Massimo Taibi

Premier League career: 1999

Massimo Taibi's stint at Manchester United was short but incredibly sour. The Italian goalkeeper's four appearances were characterised by blunders, most infamously allowing Matt Le Tissier's tame shot to slip through his legs in a 3-3 draw with Southampton.

The former Venezia number one was joining a treble-winning side and tasked with filling the huge gloves left by Peter Schmeichel. As Taibi later recalled: "There was so much pressure on me." United quickly cut their losses, not wanting a goalkeeper of Taibi's standards to represent the club, with the shot-stopper (or lack thereof) being shown the door after just five months.

6 Igors Stepanovs

Premier League career: 2000 - 2003

When Igors Stepanovs signed for Arsenal in 2000, the Gunners were hopeful that the Latvian defender would bolster their backline. However, what transpired over the next four years was a stark reminder of how the highest level of English football can be a difficult arena to adapt to, even for seasoned internationals.

The pinnacle of Stepanovs' underwhelming stint came in a catastrophic 6-1 defeat to Manchester United, where his weaknesses were brutally exposed. In 31 appearances for the Gunners, the Latvian centre-back failed to make any significant positive impact and gradually fell out of favour. Stepanovs' tenure at Arsenal, marred by inconsistent performances and a notable lack of quality, certainly warrants his inclusion on this list.