12 Most Disappointing Premier League Players of 2024/25 [Ranked]

What makes the Premier League, one of the toughest leagues in world football, so special is its unpredictability. For every player that has set the division alight, there is another – often devoid of any sort of confidence – that has struggled to hit the ground running.

Whether it’s a new signing who is still settling into proceedings at their respective club or a long-serving player who knows their club inside out, there are always a handful of players – even those who ply their trade for the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool – who have flattered to deceive.

As a result, here are the 12 most disappointing players this season so far. Taking the following ranking factors into careful consideration, the top-tier stars have been ranked.

Ranking factors

Goals

Assists

Clean Sheets

Expectations at the start of the season

Individual performances

Contributions as part of the team

1. Kyle Walker

Manchester City

Inarguably one of the best right-backs in Premier League history, Kyle Walker’s legs are no longer as mobile as they used to be due to him now being the ripe old age of 34 – and, as a result, Pep Guardiola has often relied on the youth of his compatriot, Rico Lewis, who is 14 years his junior.

A previous pillar of excellence of his six-time Premier League winner, thanks to the notable advantage of his sheer pace, Walker is now a weak link for the four-in-a-row champions and his concentration – or lack thereof – and downturn in performances are being exploited every time he suits up. A move away could certainly be on the cards after a tumultuous start to the season.

2. Joshua Zirkzee

Manchester United

Over the summer, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS’ first at the club, Manchester United were determined to add another centre-forward to their squad. Proven goalscorers – most notably, Ivan Toney – were simply ignored in favour of a £36.5million-worth move for former Bayern Munich youth prospect, Joshua Zirkzee.

Not acquired with the view that he’d bag in excess of 20 goals a season, the Dutchman was acquired to act as the glue, which, in turn, would help the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford. But, despite scoring on his Premier League debut, the ex-Bologna man has not hit the ground running at Old Trafford and has plenty more to prove in the fabled red of Manchester United.

3. Phil Foden

Manchester City

From being voted as the Premier League’s 2023/24 Player of the Season to falling sharply down Pep Guardiola’s pecking order is not the trajectory of Phil Foden’s career that many fans expected. Granted, the Stockport-born wizard has had to deal with an injury problem but has still been named in all but four of Manchester City’s 18 Premier League squads.

Named as England’s best player by Wayne Rooney, Foden’s talent is unrivalled. A player able to weave in and out of opponents, his output – and more of a concern, performances – has seen a drop-off since the new campaign kicked off, notching a mere goal and assist apiece. He’s since cemented himself back into Guardiola’s mind after spending a period on the periphery – but can he repay the Catalan native’s faith by finding the form of yesteryear?

4. Jack Grealish

Manchester City

Ever since joining Manchester City from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021, when his stock was at its highest, Jack Grealish has plundered just 14 goals and a further 20 assists, all while struggling to assert himself as a regular fixture in Guardiola’s serial winning sides in England.

His off-the-ball work has been praised by the Etihad Stadium faithful – but for a £100 million-worth winger who arrived to fanfare aplenty, you’d certainly expect more bang for your buck. While in the Midlands, the 29-year-old was highly sought-after – but there would perhaps be a shortage of suitors now if his employers decided to sell up.

5. Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United

From a Manchester United supporters’ perspective, no other post-Sir Alex Ferguson signing has been more influential than Bruno Fernandes – that’s a well-renowned opinion. But this season, from their 1-0 win over Fulham to the turn of the year, the Portuguese talisman has flattered to deceive more often than not.

Over the years, the 1994-born star – still widely admired as one of the best goalscoring midfielders in the world – has become a reliable source of goals for the Old Trafford-based outfit, but this season has been quite different barring the odd return in front of goal. A petulant skipper whose hero-ball tactics rarely come off; he’s starting to lose the faith of his club’s fanbase, especially as he’s been sent off three times across all competitions.

6. Marcus Rashford

Manchester United

An academy graduate who burst onto the scene in quite tremendous fashion in 2016, Marcus Rashford’s current state of affairs at Old Trafford is not at its purest. Left out of Amorim’s four consecutive matchday squads in recent weeks, the winger’s days at the club seem numbered.

But, in truth, has he done enough to prove himself to the Portuguese head coach? His four goals and one assist in 15 Premier League outings would suggest not – and his poor work ethic, which has been bashed by fans, certainly does not help his case. Now 27, he’s recently admitted that he’s ready for a ‘new challenge’ – so could this season be his last in the colours of Manchester United?

7. Ederson

Manchester City

While many fans would hold Liverpool’s Alisson in higher regard, Ederson has often been referred to as one of the English top-flight’s most revolutionary players in recent times. A modern glovesman like no other, thanks to his on-the-ball capabilities, the 31-year-old – regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world – is no longer performing at the top.

Replaced by Guardiola’s trusty back-up choice in Stefan Ortega more often than expected, whether the former Benfica man is past his best remains to be seen, but it’s important to reflect on the fact that he has conceded 19 goals and kept just two clean sheets in 13 league games. That said, his employers’ defensive structure all around has been more than ponderous, always leaving the one-time Champions League winner exposed.

8. Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal

While Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s de facto right-winger and goalscorer-in-chief, has continued to pull up trees in north London – both in the form of goals and effort – Gabriel Martinelli has struggled to emulate the exploits of his partner in crime – and that’s all despite having a season to remember in 2022/23 (15 goals and five assists).

He’s lost a twinkle in his eye and is less inclined to use his twinkle toes to evade opposition pressure. So much so that Mikel Arteta and his entourage have often preferred the likes of Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling over the glittering Brazilian, who has scored four goals and two assists in 16 outings this term.

9. Andrew Robertson

Liverpool

Usually a much-beloved figure among the Anfield faithful for being a cross-delivering demon, Andrew Robertson in Arne Slot’s system is not a match made in heaven. While the likes of Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch have thrived in the post-Jurgen Klopp era, Slot has not been able to get the best out of his left-back.

No longer issuing pinpoint deliveries regularly, the ex-Hull City prospect is no longer playing at the apex of his powers – and is struggling to keep up with his title-chasing teammates. It’s even got to the point where the Dutchman and the club’s new-look management team are already scouting a replacement: Fulham’s Antonee Robinson.

10. Matthijs de Ligt

Manchester United

Similarly to Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt’s signature was secured by the Red Devils over the summer months as a means of strengthening their squad – this time, however, at the other end of the pitch. Having formerly worked under Erik ten Hag at Ajax, many were under the assumption that he’d be accustomed to playing under his compatriot.

His Man of the Match performance against Southampton aside, the issues of adapting to the thrills and spills of English football have been evident from the 25-year-old. Trusted by Amorim when he’s fit and raring to go, De Ligt is a serial winner, as evidenced by his previous stints across Europe, and will want to silence the early doubters.

11. Alejandro Garnacho

Manchester United

Upon Ten Hag’s sacking and Amorim’s arrival, plenty was expected of the youngster. Alejandro Garnacho has been one of the brightest stars that has been spat out of Manchester United’s conveyor belt of young talent in recent years but has plenty of work to do before becoming one of the best wingers in the league.

A lack of potency and dedication to mastering his craft has seen the young Argentine in and out of Amorim’s thinking. Evidently talented, his lack of application could be the difference to whether he is able to thrive under the new regime. Thus far in 2024/25, he’s notched eight goals and four assists across all competitions – but just three and one, respectively, in the league.

12. Son Heung-min

Tottenham Hotspur

One of the more senior members of Tottenham Hotspur’s squad, Son Heung-min took on the role of captain after Harry Kane’s departure in the summer of 2023. The goalscoring burden on his shoulders has also stepped up, but he often goes missing in games which requires someone to take it by the scruff of the neck – as evidenced by his side’s bottom-half position.

The seasoned 131-cap South Korea international – who scored an Olimpico against Manchester United recently – may have 11 Premier League goal contributions to his name (five goals and six assists) to his name thus far, but it’s his intangible work that has taken a knock. No longer chasing balls down or making those darting runs, fans’ patience is running thin.