Man City’s worst Premier League signings of all time

While Manchester City have experienced unprecedented success since their takeover in 2008, they have not always got it right in the transfer market.

Here, FootballWhispers counts down Man City's worst five signings of the Premier League era.

5) Benjamin Mendy

While Man City did not envisage what would have happened when they signed Benjamin Mendy, he enters our list in fifth.

Indeed, the left-back had to attend several court cases after being accused of six counts of rape, but was found not guilty of those upon leaving the club in 2023.

Still, having paid a significant fee for Mendy in 2017, he only featured 75 times for the Cityzens, and left for free.

Mendy did win nine trophies during his time in Manchester, but it is safe to say he hardly contributed to them.

4) Eliaquim Mangala

There was some hype when Eliaquim Mangala signed for Man City, but he just did not live up to his £39m price tag.

The centre-back struggled to adapt to the Premier League, and quickly found himself out of the team.

There were loan spells at Everton and Valencia during his time in Manchester, and eventually he left for free.

In Man City's most successful period in their history, Mangala only won one Premier League title and two Carabao Cups.

3) Jack Rodwell

Off the back of winning the Premier League in 2012, Man City decided to fork out £13m for promising talent Jack Rodwell.

However, it was quickly clear that he simply was not at the level the club would have hoped, and he was shipped at a loss just two years later.

Having only made 25 appearances, Rodwell managed a mere two goals and no assists from midfield.

He does go down in history as a Premier League winner, but his contributions were minimal.

Want to know who Man City might sign this summer? Check out our Man City transfer targets page.

2) Robinho

Robinho was meant to be the signing that kickstarted the new era at Man City.

After their takeover in 2008, he was signed for what was a club-record £37m, but he did not live up to his enormous hype.

Spending just three years at the club, he scored an unimpressive 16 goals in 53 appearances, and was eventually shipped for around half of what Man City paid for him.

Robinho was brought in to help the Cityzens win major silverware, but he failed to do so in Manchester.

1) Man City's worst Premier League signing of all time: Kalvin Phillips

Topping our list is a player that is still at Man City in Kalvin Phillips.

After impressing in the Premier League at Leeds United and with England, where he won their Player of the Tournament at Euro 2021, the Cityzens decided to fork out £42m for him.

However, it quickly became apparent that Pep Guardiola did not fancy him, and he has been sent out on loan multiple times including this season to Sheffield United again.

Phillips has won many major honours in Manchester, but with just one goal and no assists in 32 appearances from midfield, it is safe to say he has hardly contributed to them.

Also, check out who we think are Man City's best Premier League signings of all time.