Stoke City will undoubtedly want to avoid repeating one of their most expensive transfer missteps—the £18.3 million signing of Giannelli Imbula. The French midfielder arrived from Porto as the club’s record signing, but his time at the bet365 Stadium turned out to be a major disappointment. Despite high expectations, he struggled to make an impact and managed only 28 appearances in all competitions. At one point, his wages reportedly reached £50,000 per week, making his underwhelming performances even more frustrating for the club and its supporters.
When Imbula first joined during the winter transfer window of the 2015/16 season, there was optimism about his potential. Then-manager Mark Hughes hailed him as a significant addition, and at the time, he was the most expensive signing by any Premier League club that window. His arrival came just months after Porto had spent €20 million to bring him in, only to offload him shortly after due to struggles settling in Portugal. Stoke committed to a five-and-a-half-year contract, placing him among their highest earners, but it quickly became apparent that the investment was not paying off.
Initially, Imbula showed flashes of quality, playing a role in Stoke’s ninth-place finish in 2015/16 and even scoring two goals in 14 league appearances. However, his performances deteriorated at the start of the following season, leading to his exclusion from the squad by Hughes. This resulted in a series of loan spells at Toulouse, Rayo Vallecano, and Lecce, while Stoke’s fortunes also declined. By the end of the 2017/18 season, the club suffered relegation after a decade in the Premier League, marking a steep downfall for a team that had been consistently mid-table in prior seasons.
Imbula’s eventual departure in February 2020 came long after he had lost relevance at the club. Since leaving Stoke, his career has been a nomadic one, with short-lived stints at clubs like Sochi, Portimonense, Tuzlaspor, and Istanbulspor. Now 32, he finds himself without a club, a far cry from the high expectations that once surrounded him. His transfer remains one of the most infamous deals in Stoke’s history—an expensive gamble that backfired and symbolized a period of mismanagement that contributed to their relegation.
Stoke City’s struggles have continued well beyond Imbula’s exit. Since dropping to the Championship, they have yet to finish higher than 14th, with their current trajectory even putting them at risk of slipping into League One. While their decline cannot be solely blamed on one player, the Imbula saga epitomizes a time when the club made poor decisions that had lasting consequences. Going forward, Stoke must ensure they learn from past mistakes, making smarter investments to rebuild their status and avoid another costly misstep like Imbula’s.