For a period, Southampton stood out as one of the most thrilling teams in England, largely due to their exceptional talent acquisition. They consistently displayed an ability to discover hidden gems, with players like Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk, Toby Alderweireld, and Danny Ings making significant contributions to the team at various times. However, their track record wasn’t flawless, and they’ve made some regrettable signings over the years. This article highlights the ten worst signings in the club’s history.
10 Saphir Taider
While it might seem a bit harsh to categorize Saphir Taider as one of Southampton’s worst transfer acquisitions, his brief tenure with the team turned into a complete disaster, justifying his inclusion on this list. Southampton secured his services on loan from Inter Milan in exchange for Dani Osvaldo, but the midfielder’s debut in a pre-season friendly against Bayer Leverkusen in August 2014 was all it took for the Saints to realize their mistake. Merely a month later, Taider was sent back to Italy, with an official club statement citing his failure to meet the expected levels of commitment from Southampton players. It was indeed a disastrous signing.
9 Neil McCann
Neil McCann, while not a subpar player, faced persistent injury issues during his stint with Southampton. Prior to his transfer to the south coast, he had an impressive five-year tenure at Rangers where he displayed significant talent. Regrettably, his time with the Saints was marred by injuries, limiting him to a mere 40 league appearances over three seasons. What’s more, he couldn’t manage to score a single goal during this period. Ultimately, in January 2006, just two and a half years after his Southampton arrival, the club opted to release him from his contract. While it might not be the worst story on this list, considering the high expectations surrounding his move, it can certainly be categorized as a significant letdown.
Recruiting a player from your main rivals is always a risky move in football, and appointing him as the team captain right away is like taking a significant gamble. However, that’s precisely what Southampton did in January 2005 when they acquired Nigel Quashie for a little over £2 million. Unfortunately, their decision didn’t yield favorable results, as within just five months of his arrival, the club suffered relegation to the Championship.
8 Nigel Quashie
Following a brief spell in the second-tier league, Quashie quickly returned to the Premier League by joining West Bromwich Albion for a little over £1 million. Although he managed to contribute some goals during his time with Southampton, his association with arch-rivals Portsmouth, the fact that he captained the team during their relegation, and his subsequent sale for half the initial price paid within just 12 months, all make this transfer a highly questionable and surprising one.
7 Wesley Hoedt
Considering he featured in more league matches for Southampton than anyone else on this list, it might appear somewhat unjust to rank Wesley Hoedt so prominently. However, it’s essential to note that the team did deploy him extensively. The primary issue lay in his substantial difficulties adapting to the demands of the Premier League.
Right from the beginning, this center-back seemed ill-suited to the English football landscape, and it’s remarkable that he remained a part of the squad for as long as he did. He consistently proved to be a vulnerability in the team, struggling to keep pace with the rapid nature of the English game. Furthermore, the club had invested a considerable £15 million in him back in 2017, making it a risky bet that ultimately didn’t yield any returns. After just 41 league games, the club decided to part ways with Hoedt, sending him out on loan for three consecutive years before he eventually joined Anderlecht in 2021.
6 Imants Bleidelis
Following their successful signing of Marians Pahars from the Latvian team Skonto in 1998, Southampton attempted to replicate their triumph by revisiting the club to acquire Imants Bleidelis. However, their second attempt did not yield the desired results. Despite investing over £600,000 in the midfielder, he managed to make only two appearances in the league for the Saints.
Bleidelis’ minimal participation over a span of three years paints a clear picture of his uneventful stint in England, and he was ultimately released in January 2002 without any financial gain. This endeavor could be considered a significant gamble that didn’t pan out as expected. Nevertheless, the Southampton club can take solace in the fact that their initial signing, Marians Pahars, proved to be a success.
5 Jelle van Damme
After making a name for himself with Ajax in the Champions League, Jelle Van Damme was considered a promising addition when Southampton acquired him for £2.5 million in 2004. Despite his reputation, he struggled to adapt to English football and managed only six league appearances for the club as they suffered relegation to the Championship. Following their demotion, he was promptly loaned to Werder Bremen, where he participated in eight league matches before transferring to Anderlecht in 2006 for a mere £500,000. This resulted in a significant £2 million loss for Southampton in just two years. Quite a setback.
4 Paul Onuachu
The latest addition to this roster, Paul Onuachu, must be deeply regretting his decision these days. Earlier this year, the striker joined Southampton in a high-stakes £18 million deal, as the club sought solutions to aid their battle against relegation. It seemed like a logical move, especially given Onuachu’s scorching form in the Belgian league while playing for Genk.
The team was in desperate need of firepower, so why not acquire a proven goal-scorer like Onuachu, right? Sadly, his impressive form didn’t transfer to England, and he was completely ineffective in front of the goal for the Saints. After scoring 16 goals for Genk in the first half of the season, he failed to find the back of the net at all in England, concluding the campaign with 11 appearances and zero goals for Southampton. Consequently, they were relegated to the Championship, and he was subsequently loaned to Trabzonspor this year.
However, he has managed to rediscover his scoring touch in Turkey, which may suggest that his struggles were specific to English football. Nonetheless, his future with Southampton may not be definitively decided, as there’s a possibility that he could return from his loan and make a comeback to the team. If not, this move could soon be viewed as an even more regrettable decision.
3 Guido Carrillo
The transfer of Guido Carrillo to Southampton remains a perplexing decision. Although he had a decent spell with AS Monaco, the Saints acquired the striker in 2018 for approximately £19 million. One would naturally assume that such a hefty transfer fee would indicate a strong commitment to Carrillo, but his presence at the club was so brief that many might have missed it entirely.
Upon his arrival in January 2018, he featured in only seven Premier League matches for the remainder of that season before disappearing from the team. He never made another appearance for the squad and was loaned to Leganes for two years. Subsequently, he was permitted to join Elche on a free transfer, resulting in a staggering £19 million loss for Southampton, all after just seven games in their jersey. This turn of events is truly astonishing.
2 Dani Osvaldo
When Dani Osvaldo initially joined Southampton, there were high hopes for his potential. The club had been seeking a proficient goal scorer, and he appeared to be a promising option in that regard. However, his off-field behavior greatly overshadowed any contributions he made on the field, and his tenure at the club ultimately resulted in turmoil.
Despite being signed for a substantial £13 million, he was anticipated to serve as a long-term solution in the forward position. Yet, after merely 13 league matches and three goals, he was swiftly shown the door. The catalyst for his abrupt exit was a suspension imposed by the club, stemming from an incident in which he headbutted his captain, Jose Fonte, during a training session. Needless to say, this act did not sit well with the club, leading to his immediate loan transfer to Juventus for the remainder of the 2013/14 season.
Following this incident, Osvaldo never made another appearance for Southampton. He underwent additional loan moves, including a swap with Saphir Taider during the subsequent summer and another loan spell with Boca Juniors later that season. Eventually, in the summer of 2015, the club released him on a free transfer. This sequence of events resulted in a staggering £13 million loss in just two years, but by that point, the club was likely relieved to part ways with him.
1 Ali Dia
Happy Birthday Ali Dia 🎂
He joined Southampton in 1996 having convinced Graeme Souness he was George Weah's cousin.
Scouting… what’s that?! 😂😂pic.twitter.com/ydY7GTossR
— Football Remind (@FootballRemind) August 20, 2023
Sure, it was quite predictable that this would claim the top spot, don’t you think? Ali Dia’s transfer to Southampton might not have had a significant financial impact on the club, but it certainly dealt a blow to their reputation. Dia managed to deceive Graeme Souness by pretending to be George Weah’s cousin, which earned him a free signing with Southampton in November 1996.
The problem here was that he was a complete impostor with no prior experience playing football at any reasonably high level. This became glaringly evident when he made his debut for the Saints against Arsenal. Substituting for the injured Matt Le Tissier in the first half, Dia’s performance was so abysmal that he himself was substituted out later in the game. The club released him just two weeks later, and he never came close to playing top-tier football again.
It’s quite astonishing that an amateur like Dia managed to swindle his way into a Premier League match, but he did, and that’s what ultimately places him as the worst signing in Southampton’s history.
Below, you can find a list of Southampton’s top 10 worst signings and their tenures with the club.
| Southampton’s Worst Signings Ever | League Appearances | League Goals |
| 10. Saphir Taider | 0 | 0 |
| 9. Neil McCann | 40 | 0 |
| 8. Nigel Quashie | 37 | 5 |
| 7. Wesley Hoedt | 41 | 0 |
| 6. Imants Bleidelis | 2 | 0 |
| 5. Jelle van Damme | 6 | 0 |
| 4. Paul Onuahu | 11 | 0 |
| 3. Guido Carrillo | 7 | 0 |
| 2. Dani Osvaldo | 13 | 3 |
| 1. Ali Dia | 1 | 0 |
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