Werner, Sancho: Bundesliga Stars Who Flopped in Premier League

The Bundesliga has been a breeding ground for world-class footballers, many of whom have sought new challenges in the Premier League. However, for some, the transition has been far from successful. Whether due to injuries, tactical misfits, or simply the immense demands of English football, these players went from being Bundesliga sensations to struggling figures in the Premier League. This piece is set to explore five footballers who left Germany as stars but failed to live up to expectations in England.

Timo Werner (RB Leipzig – Chelsea, 2020-2022)

Before joining Chelsea, Timo Werner was a goal-scoring machine at RB Leipzig, netting 95 goals in 159 appearances across all competitions. His pace, movement, and finishing made him one of Europe’s deadliest strikers. In the 2019/20 Bundesliga season, he scored 28 goals and provided 8 assists, making him Leipzig’s all-time leading scorer.

Chelsea signed Werner for £47.5 million, expecting him to replicate his Leipzig form. However, his time in England was marked by poor finishing, missed chances, and a loss of confidence. Despite scoring 12 goals in 52 appearances in his debut season (2020/21), Werner was often criticized for his inconsistency and inefficiency in front of goal. His expected goals (xG) vs. actual goals discrepancy became a meme among fans.

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However several factors could be exploited to have contributed to his underwhelming performance at Stamford Bridge. Most common amongst them is loss of confidence, a series of high-profile missed chances shook his self-belief. Although, he was signed by Frank Lampard who admired the his talent but with the arrival of Thomas Tuchel and his tactics which often required a more clinical finisher, Werner became lost, making him difficult to have impact in matches.

Additionally, Werner struggled against deep defensive blocks and physical defenders, who are more dominant in the Premier League. However, by 2022, Chelsea had lost patience and loaned him back to RB Leipzig, where he rediscovered some of his goal-scoring form, and yet again he returned to the Premier League but this time another London club, Tottenham Hotspur where he has failed again to be the player of promise, that he was when in the Bundesliga.

Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund – Manchester United, 2021-2024)

Sancho was one of the most electrifying wingers in Europe during his time at Borussia Dortmund. In the 2019/20 season, he recorded 17 goals and 16 assists in the Bundesliga, showcasing elite dribbling and creativity. His playmaking ability made him one of England’s brightest prospects.

United paid £73 million on Sancho, expecting him to be their long-term right-wing solution. However, he never lived up to the hype or the prospect that was seen in him while playing in Dortmund, managing only 9 goals and 6 assists in 58 league appearances for the Red devils. He struggled to adapt to the Premier League’s physicality and lost his place in the starting lineup.

Similar with Werner, and most other high-profile signings who eventually flopped, Sancho suffered from low confidence. His decision-making and dribbling ability declined. Asides that, the basic catalyst for his poor performance was his poor relationship with managers, especially his public strife with Erik ten Hag.

Additionally, Sancho was usually no where to be found in big, crucial matches and lacked intensity and by January 2024, he was loaned back to Borussia Dortmund, where he showed glimpses of his old self, but failure for both clubs to agree on a permanent deal, he was loaned to Chelsea for the entire season and yet still struggles in games.

Sebastien Haller (Eintracht Frankfurt – West Ham, 2019-2021)

Haller was a dominant striker at Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring 33 goals in 77 games and forming a deadly partnership with Luka Jovic and Ante Rebic. His physicality, aerial ability, and link-up play made him a complete forward, that top European teams desired. Moreover, West Ham paid £45 million for Haller, but the Ivorian never justified the price tag. In 48 Premier League games, he managed just 10 goals before being offloaded to Ajax.

However, reasons for him not to meet expectations in the Premier League was because he could not adapt to West Ham’s tactical approach, Haller thrived in a two-striker setup at Frankfurt but was isolated as a lone striker at West Ham. Moreover, due to his lack in adapting to the club’s system, he struggled to make an impact and was often benched.

In addition, West Ham’s midfield failed to provide the creative supply he needed as a striker. Following his exit from the club, Haller revived his career at Ajax, scoring 34 goals in 43 games, before moving to Borussia Dortmund.

Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund – Manchester United, 2012-2014)

Kagawa was a key figure in Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund, winning two Bundesliga titles and scoring 21 goals with 10 assists in his first two seasons. His close control and attacking intelligence made him one of Europe’s best playmakers.Manchester United fascinated by his impressive talent, signed him for £17 million in 2012, hoping he would be a creative force under Sir Alex Ferguson. However, he struggled to adapt, scoring just 6 goals in 38 league appearances before being sold back to Dortmund.

However, Kagawa’s inability to succeed were as a result of some factors like playing out of position, Kagawa is best in the central midfield or attacking midfield position but United never gave him a defined role, often playing him out on the wings. More also, Kagawa struggled with the Premier League’s intensity.

Again, due to a shift in the club’s managerial position, Ferguson retired after Kagawa’s first season, and David Moyes who took over never utilized him properly. Following his disappointing spell at Old Trafford, he returned to Dortmund in 2014, but never reached his previous peak.

Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen – Chelsea, 2020-2023)

The most recent to fall into this list is Kai Havertz who was hailed as Germany’s next big star after thriving at Bayer Leverkusen. In the 2019/20 season, he scored 12 goals and provided 6 assists from midfield, showcasing elegance, composure, and goal-scoring prowess.

Chelsea paid £72 million for Havertz, expecting him to be their creative heartbeat. While he scored the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final, his league form was disappointing. In three seasons, he managed 19 goals in 91 Premier League games, a poor return for an attacking midfielder and one who commanded a huge price fee.

Many things were considered to have affected his time at Chelsea but chief amongst them is his lack of physicality, the Premier League is notorious for tough defenders and Harvertz was often bullied by them. In addition, he had an unclear position on the pitch, Chelsea rotated him between midfield, striker, and winger, which affected his development. As usual with others on this list, Harvertz suffered from low confidence missing several key chances and struggled to influence games. However, he moved to Arsenal in 2023, where his performances have improved but still remain inconsistent.

Conclusion

Well, this are just a few that was discussed, many players from the Bundesliga who have moved to English clubs have suffered the same fate. To conclude this piece, it is crucial to address this question of what is happening to these group of players when they transfer to the Premier League, why can’t they dominate as they do in the Bundesliga? While some players like Kevin de Brunye and Heung min Son have thrived after moving from the Bundesliga to England, many have struggled due to:

The Premier League’s direct, physical nature that differs from the Bundesliga’s emphasis on transition play. More also, Big-money signings like Harvertz and Sancho are often expected to perform immediately, which can be overwhelming for the players. In addition, many players, like Sancho and Werner, faced fitness setbacks. Again, losing confidence in the Premier League can be brutal, especially under intense scrutiny from football enthusiasts.

Well, not to discredit the Bundesliga but these five cases highlight how success in one league doesn’t always translate to another. However, football careers are full of surprises, and some of these players may yet find redemption in the years to come.