TIMO WERNER, strongly tipped with a summer transfer to the Premier League, might want to consider what happened to this bunch before making the move to England.
The German star, 24, has scored 31 goals in 42 games for club and country this season – and deserves a move to an elite team.
Timo Werner will be hoping not to be the latest star to flop in England if his move to Liverpool goes aheadCredit: EPA
However, a big reputation and goals galore on the continent don’t guarantee a striker will be a red-hot, goal-machine in the Prem.
That’s because, for every Fernando Torres and Sergio Aguero, you get a Diego Forlan and Radamel Falcao.
We’ve taken a look at 11 superstar strikers who tried their hand at the Premier League and were left wishing they’d stayed away… and yes, a lot involve Chelsea.
DIEGO FORLAN
Man Utd (2002-04)
Diego Forlan got off to a slow start at Man Utd
THIRTY-FOUR games. It took 34 games for Forlan to finally score in England.
The Uruguagan arrived from Argentinian giants Independiente with an already mightily impressive reputation.
But his early struggles at Man Utd were borderline embarrassing at one point – until he finally scored against Aston Villa.
Forlan then scored in his next game against Southampton and celebrated by whipping his shirt off – and then finding it impossible to put back on.
He even made a tackle while topless. Celebrating with your shirt off soon became a yellow card offence…
All in all Forlan scored just 17 times in 98 games for Man Utd, before enjoying huge success in Spain, most-notably at Villarreal and Atletico Madrid.
FERNANDO MORIENTES
Liverpool (2005-06)
Fernando Morientes never found his top gear at Liverpool
THE Spanish star spent just a season-and-a-half at Anfield – and even earned himself the status of cult icon.
But in truth, Morientes’ on-pitch performances often left much to be desired by his own high standards.
He joined following a glittering eight-year spell at Real Madrid with so much expected.
But Morientes scored just eight goals in 41 Premier League games before being shipped back to Spain to join Valencia.
HERNAN CRESPO
Chelsea (2003-08)
Hernan Crespo’s time at Chelsea didn’t quite go to plan
ONCE the most-expensive player in the history of football, Crespo struggled to find his top form at Stamford Bridge.
Crespo was a shining light at Parma – then one of the most-exciting teams on the planet – and then at Lazio, also a force at that time.
But at Chelsea, he managed just 20 goals in five years and was loaned off to AC Milan – where he starred in the 2005 Champions League final loss to Liverpool – and Inter Milan.
Crespo was eventually sold to Inter permanently as something of a flop.
ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO
Chelsea (2006-09)
Andriy Shevchenko struggled mightily at Chelsea by his standards
ANOTHER Blues signing, Shevchenko joined the club at the peak of his powers from AC Milan.
After nearly 200 goals for the San Siro superpower, much was expected of the Ukrainian.
Shevchenko – who missed the defining penalty in the 2005 game in Istanbul – scored just nine times in 48 Premier League games for the Blues.
He was then shipped off back to AC Milan on loan, before rejoining first club Dynamo Kiev permanently.
What’s a real shame though, is that his Chelsea spell tarnished his legacy somewhat, having once been amongst the most-feared strikers in history.
ROBINHO
Man City (2008-10)
Robinho was never able to find his feet at Man City
ONE of the most shocking deadline day deals ever, Robinho joined then-newly-rich Man City in 2008.
Having already featured heavily for a star-studded Brazil side and having played over 100 times for Real Madrid, it’s fair to say no one saw this transfer coming.
But with just 14 goals across two seasons at the club before quitting to join AC Milan, the day he joined ended up to be the most-exciting thing he ever did at the Etihad.
RADAMEL FALCAO
Man Utd (2014-15) & Chelsea (2015-16)
Radamel Falcao failed at both Man Utd and Chelsea
SO BAD he makes the list twice…
Colombian hitman Falcao arrived in England as an absolutely elite striker… one of the world’s most dangerous.
He’d scored nearly a goal-a-game at Porto and Atletico Madrid before smashing 62 goals in just 105 matches for Monaco.
But if he arrived a roaring lion, he left as nothing more than a timid kitten with just five Premier League goals across two seasons at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge.
ROBERTO SOLDADO
Tottenham (2013-15)
Roberto Soldado failed to have much of an impact at Spurs
A FORMER Real Madrid striker, then-Spain international had been banging the goals in for high-flying Valencia when he joined Spurs.
Huge things were expected of the Spaniard, only for him to score just seven times in 52 league games across two seasons.
Soldado was swiftly sold to Villarreal.
ALEXANDRE PATO
Chelsea (2016)
Alexandre Pato spent much of his time at Chelsea on the bench
THE Brazilian wonderkid was meant to take over the world, become the new Ronaldo and put his name in the history books.
It all started so strongly for Pato at Internacional and then AC Milan – but as his form dipped, he headed back to Brazil to turn out for Corinthians.
Despite his worrying lack of form, Chelsea took a punt on him in 2016.
He played just twice, scoring once against Aston Villa… from the penalty spot, at that.
After an unsuccessful stint at Villarreal, Pato is now back in Brazil via a stint in China.
GONZALO HIGUAIN
Chelsea (2019)
Gonzalo Higuain looked a shadow of his former self at Chelsea
OK, so Pato didn’t work out, but Higuain was bound to, right? Err, wrong.
Higuain had smashed over 100 league goals for Real Madrid and added a further 71 for Napoli – including a record-breaking season in 2015-16, scoring 36 times.
The goals then started flying in at Juventus, with Chelsea coming knocking on their door to secure a loan deal.
Higuain scored just five times in 14 games and was swiftly sent packing after a wildly underwhelming spell.
ALVARO MORATA
Chelsea (2017-present)
Alvaro Morata is the latest big name striker to struggle at Chelsea
YEP, Chelsea again…
Let go by Real Madrid as a youngster, Morata thrived at Juventus, with Los Blancos activating their buy-back clause to get him home.
After impressing in his single season back at the Bernabeu, Chelsea fans were left thrilled when Blues chiefs brought him to West London in a £65million deal.
They didn’t need to be though, as Morata has scored just 16 times for the club since that day in 2017.
Still technically on the books of Chelsea, Morata is currently on loan at Atletico Madrid but is likely to be sold on his return this summer.
SERGEI REBROV
Tottenham (2000-04)
Sergei Rebrov failed to live up to the hype at Tottenham
WITH close to 100 goals to his name at Dynamo Kiev, the former team-mate of Andriy Shevchenko was meant to be a major coup for Spurs as a proven international and Champions League-level striker.
But the Ukrainian scored just ten goals in 62 Premier League games and was even loaned off to Fenerbahce – where he scored fewer than one goal every four games.
Rebrov was ultimately sold to West Ham… where he scored just once in 27 games.
So take not Timo Werner, things aren’t always that easy in the Premier League…
Cristiano Ronaldo pulls off incredible trick shot at Juventus training ahead of Serie A return
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
