Florian Wirtz — The Worst Start Among €100M Attacking Transfers

Florian Wirtz has made history — unfortunately, not in a positive way.

After his €100+ million move, the German playmaker became the first attacking player ever to record zero goal contributions (goals + assists) in his first eight matches for his new club.

A New Anti-Record

Even some of the most disappointing big-money transfers — João Félix, Antoine Griezmann, Romelu Lukaku, Philippe Coutinho, and Ousmane Dembélé — started far better.

The previous holder of this infamous record was Dembélé, who managed two goal involvements in his first eight games. Now, even that looks respectable compared to Wirtz’s slow start.

Isak on the Edge

Alexander Isak has also struggled recently. The Swedish striker isn’t on the list yet, having played only six matches so far, but he has just two goal contributions.

If he goes scoreless and assistless in his next two appearances, he’ll land right between Dembélé and Wirtz on the all-time list of slow starts.

The PSG Standard: Mbappé and Neymar

At the top end of the spectrum stand Paris Saint-Germain’s two record transfers — Kylian Mbappé and Neymar.

Mbappé delivered an incredible 16 goals + assists in his first 8 games, while Neymar followed closely with 15.

These numbers remain untouchable benchmarks for any high-priced attacking signing since.

Wirtz’s case shows once again that price tags bring pressure, not performance.

Even world-class talents can stumble under the expectations of a nine-digit transfer fee — and statistics never forgive a slow adaptation.

Published by Patrick Jane
15.10.2025