5 transfers that should never have happened in the Premier League

Faustino Asprilla of Newcastle in action — The arrival of Faustino Asprilla disrupted the harmony of Newcastle's attack

#5 Faustino Asprilla to Newcastle United

In 1995/96, fuelled by the incredible attacking talents of the likes of Les Ferdinand, David Ginola, Peter Beardsley and Rob Lee, Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United went into mid-January with a twelve point lead at the top of the table over rivals Manchester United.

Their weak point, though, was a somewhat shaky defence, made shakier by Keegan’s gung-ho tactics. It probably made sense for them to sign a defender to shore up their back line to ensure the title win, but instead, February saw them spend £6.7m to bring in Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla from Italian side Parma.

The move was a popular one with Magpies fans, but the problem was that Asprilla just wasn’t what Newcastle needed. Although he showed the odd flash of greatness, he only scored three goals in his 14 league games and worse – admittedly by no fault of his own - his arrival appeared to disrupt the attacking harmony built earlier by the Ferdinand-Beardsley partnership. He was of no help to the worsening defence, and in the end, Newcastle’s title challenge collapsed under the pressure.

Asprilla spent another two seasons at Newcastle but his goal return wasn’t great; Keegan – the man who bought him – was gone just eleven months later, and Newcastle never again came close to the Premier League title. Despite a brilliant Champions League performance against Barcelona, Asprilla was sold back to Parma in January 1998 and goes down as one of the all-time greatest transfer errors.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

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Edited by Souvik Roy Chowdhury