The Bundesliga has long been one of the Premier League's favourite talent pools. From established stars to exciting young prospects, English clubs have repeatedly looked to Germany for players capable of making an immediate impact.
Some transfers have produced extraordinary returns, with players becoming club legends and winning major trophies. Others have failed to live up to enormous expectations, often because of injuries, tactical issues, inconsistency or simply the difficulty of adapting to English football.
Here are the top five biggest flops and successes from Bundesliga-to-Premier League transfers.
Top 5 Biggest Flops
5. Kai Havertz — Bayer Leverkusen to Chelsea/Arsenal
Transfer fee: £71m from Bayer Leverkusen to Chelsea; £65m from Chelsea to Arsenal
Havertz arrived at Chelsea in 2020 as one of Europe's most exciting young attacking midfielders. The Blues paid around £71m for the German after he had produced 36 goals and 25 assists in 118 appearances for Leverkusen. He had even been compared with Michael Ballack and was viewed as a potential future superstar.
The expectations were enormous, and although Havertz produced one unforgettable moment by scoring the winner in the 2021 Champions League final, his overall Chelsea career never reached the level expected from such an expensive signing.
His Arsenal spell has generally been better, with improved performances and important goals, but the £65m fee means the bar remains high. Injuries have also affected his availability. Havertz has undoubtedly had great moments at both clubs, but to be considered a genuine success at either, he needs to deliver consistently and, crucially, stay available.
4. Timo Werner — RB Leipzig to Chelsea
Transfer fee: £47.5m
Werner joined Chelsea in 2020 after establishing himself as one of the Bundesliga's most dangerous forwards. The £47.5m signing was initially viewed as a brilliant move, with his pace, movement and goalscoring record at RB Leipzig appearing perfectly suited to the Premier League.
Chelsea supporters expected Werner to become a prolific attacking weapon, particularly in transition. Instead, his finishing became a major issue. He remained useful with his movement and work rate, but he struggled to consistently convert chances.
Werner scored 23 goals during his two seasons at Chelsea, but that output was underwhelming considering the fee and expectations. His return to Leipzig on loan in 2022 ultimately summed up a transfer that promised far more than it delivered.
3. Christopher Nkunku — RB Leipzig to Chelsea
Transfer fee: £52m
Nkunku was arguably one of the most exciting attacking players in Europe when Chelsea signed him from RB Leipzig for £52m in 2023. He had been named Bundesliga Player of the Season and had established himself as a prolific scorer and creator.
Chelsea fans expected him to become one of the centrepieces of their attack. Unfortunately, injuries immediately derailed his start. A serious knee injury suffered in pre-season delayed his debut, while subsequent hip and hamstring problems further restricted his first campaign. He played barely 500 minutes in 2023/24.
Nkunku did produce flashes of his Leipzig form, particularly in cup and European competitions, but he never established himself as a consistent Premier League starter. His 14 goals in all competitions during 2024/25 showed his quality, yet his limited league impact highlighted the problem.
2. Florian Wirtz — Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool
Transfer fee: £116m
Wirtz is the most controversial name on this list because the story is far from finished.
Liverpool paid an initial £100m plus up to £16m in add-ons for the Leverkusen superstar, making it their club-record signing. Expectations were therefore enormous. Wirtz arrived after starring for Leverkusen and was expected to become one of Liverpool's primary creative forces.
His debut Premier League season, however, was disappointing by his standards, with his output falling well short of what supporters expected from such an expensive signing.
Still, Wirtz is only 23 and has plenty of time to change the narrative. Unlike some names on this list, his Liverpool story has barely begun. A strong second season could quickly transform this from a potential flop into a major success.
1. Jadon Sancho — Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United
Transfer fee: £73m
Sancho's move to Manchester United in 2021 was one of the most anticipated transfers of the summer. He had developed into one of Europe's most exciting wingers at Borussia Dortmund, producing extraordinary numbers and becoming a global star.
United paid around £73m, and supporters expected Sancho to provide goals, assists and creativity while finally solving the club's long-standing problems on the right wing.
Instead, his Manchester United career became increasingly disappointing. He struggled for consistency, endured a highly publicised fallout with Erik ten Hag and eventually left the club after loan spells elsewhere. He managed only 12 goals and six assists in 83 games for United, an extremely modest return considering the fee and expectations.
For the combination of transfer fee, hype and eventual output, Sancho comfortably ranks as the biggest Bundesliga-to-Premier League flop.
Top 5 Biggest Successes
5. Son Heung-min — Bayer Leverkusen to Tottenham
Transfer fee: £22m
Son arrived at Tottenham in 2015 for around £22m after scoring 29 goals in 87 appearances for Leverkusen.
There were questions about whether the South Korean could adapt quickly to English football, but he developed into one of the Premier League's elite attackers. His goals, pace, two-footed finishing and partnership with Harry Kane made him a Tottenham icon.
Considering the relatively modest fee and the enormous impact he eventually had, Son was outstanding value.
4. Vincent Kompany — Hamburg to Manchester City
Transfer fee: £6m
Kompany joined Manchester City from Hamburg in 2008 for just £6m, initially arriving before the club's transformation into a European powerhouse.
What followed was remarkable. He became captain, defensive leader and one of the defining figures of City's rise. Kompany made 360 appearances and won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups.
Few £6m signings in Premier League history can compare with that return.
3. Roberto Firmino — Hoffenheim to Liverpool
Transfer fee: £29m
Liverpool paid around £29m for Firmino in 2015, making him one of their most expensive players at the time. He arrived from Hoffenheim with 47 goals in 151 Bundesliga appearances, but there was still uncertainty about how his attacking qualities would translate to England.
Firmino went on to become the perfect focal point for Jürgen Klopp's attack. His pressing, link-up play, creativity and unselfish movement complemented Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané brilliantly.
He became an integral part of Liverpool's Champions League and Premier League-winning sides and left as a fan favourite.
2. Erling Haaland — Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City
Transfer fee: £51.2m
Manchester City activated Haaland's £51.2m release clause in 2022 after the Norwegian had scored an astonishing 86 goals in 89 games for Dortmund.
The expectation was obvious: replace Sergio Agüero's goals and turn City's already dominant attack into something even more devastating.
Haaland exceeded those expectations. He immediately broke Premier League scoring records, won major trophies and established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in world football. For roughly £51m, City secured a generational goalscorer.
1. Kevin De Bruyne — Wolfsburg to Manchester City
Transfer fee: £55m
De Bruyne is arguably the ultimate example of a Bundesliga-to-Premier League success story. Manchester City signed him from Wolfsburg for a then club-record £55m in 2015, despite the Belgian having previously struggled to establish himself at Chelsea.
City expected an elite creative midfielder, and that is exactly what they received. De Bruyne became the heartbeat of Pep Guardiola's midfield, producing spectacular passing, goals and assists while helping City dominate English football.
His combination of longevity, individual brilliance and silverware makes him the standout success on this list.
Final Verdict
The Bundesliga has produced both spectacular Premier League successes and expensive disappointments. De Bruyne, Haaland, Firmino, Kompany and Son demonstrate how German football can provide the foundation for legendary Premier League careers.
At the other end, Sancho, Wirtz, Nkunku, Werner and Havertz show that even elite Bundesliga talent is no guarantee of success in England. For Wirtz and Havertz especially, however, the final verdict may still have several chapters left to be written.
