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LONDON. — They were the signings unveiled beneath the optimistic burn of the summer sun. But, as winter nears, they remain in the shadows; injured, benched or still searching for the form which persuaded their new employers in the English Premier League to invest in the first place.
While labelling them flops may well prove premature, more was no doubt hoped for and expected.
For after 11 games of the English Premier League soccer campaign, it is fair to reflect that the stars of this season were already in residence.
The new boys, on the other hand, are yet to convince.
Indeed, Sportsmail has assembled a squad of 16 which are still to impact since their close-season move.
And, at a combined cost of £150 million, supporters will be hoping to see more when the top-flight resumes this weekend.
Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma to Fulham, £4,75m): It was a bittersweet bow for the Holland netminder, the joy of a 1-0 victory at Sunderland tempered by the agony of a shoulder injury which would keep him out for two months.
His last four outings, however, have all ended in defeat, shipping 13 goals along the way.
John Brayford (Derby County to Cardiff City, £1,5m): After three impressive years at Pride Park, Brayford won his move to the Premier League with the newly-promoted Bluebirds.
The 25-year-old, though, is yet to enjoy a single sniff of top-flight football and there has even been talk of a return to the Rams.
Martin Demichelis (Atletico Madrid to Man City, £3,5m): Within a week of arriving the Argentine damaged his knee ligaments in training and was subsequently sidelined for nearly two months.
He returned for a trip to Stamford Bridge but it was a debut to forget as Fernando Torres nicked a last-minute winner for Chelsea.
Demichelis started City’s final outing before the international break — an away-day at Sunderland — but he was again below par as the hosts emerged with a shock 1-0 victory.
Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland to Aston Villa, £4m): The Denmark international has already been ruled out for the remainder of the season after rupturing cruciate ligaments in the 2-1 defeat to Newcastle last month.
That was his third English Premier League appearance, each of them ending in defeat for the Ivory Coast-born defender. Florian Marange (Bordeaux to Crystal Palace, Free): Bizarrely signed and then left out of Ian Holloway’s 25-man squad for the English Premier League, the
Frenchman’s contract was duly ripped up last month following just one League Cup outing.
Jesus Navas (Seville to Man City, £17m rising to £22,9m): The winger had long since been revered on these shores thanks to the exposure of Spanish football on television.
Marouane Fellaini (Everton to Man Utd, £27,5m): The Belgian would probably don the armband in this XI. It was soon levelled at the 25-year-old that he was not in the class of player normally associated with the Red Devils.
He has made just two league starts for his new club and was sent off against Real Sociedad in the Champions League earlier this month.
Erik Lamela (Roma to Spurs, £30m): A harsh inclusion? Not when you consider the fee and the hope on the terraces of White Hart Lane that this was the man to fill the void left by Gareth Bale.
Lamela is yet to even a start an English Premier League match and his sole goal has come against Moldovan minnows FC Sheriff in the Europa League.
Arouna Kone (Wigan to Everton, £6m): Roberto Martinez raided his former club to snare the Ivory Coast striker for a fairly sizeable fee.
Just as well he later landed Romelu Lukaku on loan from Chelsea, for Kone failed to score from five substitute appearances in the league before a knee cartilage operation ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Ricky van Wolfswinkel (Sporting Lisbon to Norwich City, £8,5m): Many had flirted with the possibility of bringing the Dutch forward to England, only to switch their attention elsewhere.
Chris Hughton, one of those who had tracked Van Wolfswinkel during his time in charge at Newcastle, eventually took the plunge but the £8,5m gamble has backfired on the evidence thus far.
Stevan Jovetic (Fiorentina to Man City, £22m): More was no doubt expected of the highly-rated Montenegrin following five eye-catching seasons in Serie A.
SUBSTITUTES
Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo to Liverpool, £9m): The Spaniard was already struggling to impact on the pitch when a thigh injury confined him to the treatment room.
Marco van Ginkel (Vitesse Arnhem to Chelsea, £9m): The Dutch midfielder suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Swindon Town in the Capital One Cup having appeared as a substitute against Hull City on the opening day of the season
Andreas Cornelius (FC Copenhagen to Cardiff City, £7,5m): The Dane was, until the arrival of Gary Medel, a club-record signing for the Bluebirds.
His league exposure has been restricted to just one minute and, after suffering an ankle injury at Accrington in the Capital One Cup, he is only set to return this weekend.
Andrea Dossena (Napoli to Sunderland, Free): He may have cost nothing, but there were high hopes for the 10-times capped Italy full-back when Paolo Di Canio brought him to Wearside from Napoli. — Mailonline.
Online Reporter