Tijjani Reijnders and the big-money Premier League signings sold after one season
Manchester City are set to sell Tijjani Reijnders to Saudi Pro-League outfit Al-Qadsiah in a £52m deal.
Reijnders is nearing an exit from the Etihad after only one season with the club, having been a high-profile addition from AC Milan last summer.
The Dutchman signed for City having been named Serie A's Best Midfielder in 2024/25, though will now move on after a short-lived stint in England. The £46.5m signing is not the first marquee addition to be moved on after a single season in the Premier League.
Hernan Crespo
Hernan Crespo was arguably the biggest name signed by Chelsea in a transformative 2003 summer window, following Roman Abramovich's takeover of the club. The Argentine had been a world transfer-record recruit for Lazio three years earlier, before a one-season stint at Inter Milan.
Crespo scored 12 goals in 31 games during his debut season at Chelsea, but was allowed to leave the following summer as Didier Drogba arrived from Marseille.
The South American striker was shipped out on loan to AC Milan, though did return in 2005/06 to help Chelsea to Premier League title success. He left for a second time that summer, returning to Inter.
Angel Di Maria
Manchester United broke the British transfer record to sign Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid in 2014.
After a dismal first season under David Moyes, post-Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, United backed new manager Louis van Gaal with a statement signing.
Di Maria had helped Real Madrid to Champions League success the previous season and started brightly, but his fortunes went rapidly downhill. After struggling to settle at Old Trafford, he was sold to Paris Saint-Germain at a £15.7m loss.
"Things started really well," reflected Di Maria.
"Everything was flowing. Then I started to have issues with Van Gaal and from there everything fell apart. Like I said, I started really well. Everything was perfect. But then suddenly we started having lots of meetings about all the things I was doing wrong on the pitch," he said.
"He never showed me what I was doing well, just the negatives, over and over. Eventually I got fed up.
"Life there was very different. It gets dark really early and then the cold started. Everything kept snowballing. There was also the break-in at my house.
"When all of that happens; when you are not playing, when things aren't going well for you, when you have problems inside the club, it ends up affecting you a lot. It made me hate being there.
"I got robbed in Paris too and still stayed for another two or three years, because life there was good. In Manchester, everything just snowballed. I wanted to prioritise my family and that is why I left."
Christian Benteke
Christian Benteke became Liverpool's record signing after the Reds met his £32.5m release clause at Aston Villa.
Benteke had scored 49 goals in 101 games for Aston Villa and marked his home Liverpool debut with a winner against Bournemouth.
He scored nine goals in 29 league games, but struggled for favour after Jurgen Klopp's arrival as manager. Benteke was sold to Crystal Palace for an initial £27m after one season at Anfield.
