10 Most Expensive Transfer Flops In Premier League History

7. Francis Jeffers

In the late 1990s, Jeffers was seen as a huge prospect. The Everton youngster, nicknamed the "fox in the box" because of his lethal finishing and eye for goal, was arguably as big a talent as Michael Owen at the time, with many pencilling him in as an England regular of the future. He was just a teenager during virtually his whole time at Goodison Park- he turned 20 a few months before leaving the club- and he scored 20 goals in 60 appearances, many of which were from the substitutes' bench. His performances earned him an £8m move to Arsenal in June 2001, and many felt the Gunners had bagged themselves a potential superstar. Jeffers never remotely lived up to his billing, however. Injuries and form were both big issues, and the likes of Henry and Sylvain Wiltord kept him out of the side. Having scored just eight times in 40 matches, the young Englishman was sent back to Everton on loan in time for the 2003/04 campaign. His career was pretty much an injury-filled disaster from that point on. Wayne Rooney idolised him as a youngster, but it's frightening to see how differently their respective careers have panned out.