every transfer window, clubs scramble to pick up the best bargains, often leaving fans brimming with excitement over the latest big money import but, seven months after last summer's window swung shut, which of those deals have proved to be the worst value for money? as we reach the business end of the season, sportsmail takes a look at which summer signings have promised so much but offered so little for their respective clubs 10   fernando  porto to manchester city  one of two manchester city entries after a summer which saw manuel pellegrini’s side go backwards fernando is one paced, doesn’t impose himself on games and is a man out of his depth, particularly in the champions league porto must’ve laughed all the way to the bank when losing fernando and mangala any better than javi garcia? sportsmail’s not so sure brazilian midfielder fernando has struggled to make an impact at manchester city since his summer move  fernando (right) looked out of his depth during city's champions league campaign  sanchez plus chelsea duo fabregas and costa have all justified big money moves but who is your signing of the season? 9   rickie lambert  southampton to liverpool  who knew that a striker who spent most of his career in the lower divisions probably wasn’t going to be cut out for life at anfield? well, quite a few actually but that didn’t stop brendan rodgers taking him from southampton for £4m last summer perhaps at that price it was worth taking a punt on lambert but the former bristol rovers frontman has had no tangible effect on the side and been reduced to becoming a glorified lump up front in the final moments if liverpool are chasing a game rickie lambert's dream move to liverpool hasn't worked out the way he would have hoped  lambert celebrates just his second premier league goal for liverpool against aston villa in january  8   angel di maria  real madrid to manchester united  this list is all relative if you pay £60m for one of the world’s superstars, there is a reasonable expectation that he wins you a few games; but good performances of di maria’s can be counted on one hand and he hasn’t been able to get to grips with english football louis van gaal has quite rightly persisted with the former real madrid man, although we have witnessed just why carlo ancelotti wasn’t overly fussed about him leaving the bernabeu former real madrid star angel di maria (right) seems to have lost his way at manchester united  di maria is shown a red card by referee michael oliver during united's 2 1 fa cup defeat by arsenal  7   gareth barry  free agent to everton  the epitome of everything that’s been wrong at everton during roberto martinez’s tricky second season in charge on paper an excellent signing   particularly for free   but barry’s inability to drive forward from midfield has slowed everton down they're not the most patient lot at goodison park and he has been no stranger to the fans’ ire everton midfielder gareth barry (right) has endured a tough season at goodison park  barry is shown a red card for a late challenge on willian during chelsea's 1 0 victory against everton  6   mario balotelli  ac milan to liverpool  it just hasn’t worked, has it? balotelli’s difficulties at anfield have actually shone quite the light on how well roberto mancini did in charge of the tempestuous striker at manchester city the £16m fee sounded a snip at the time, but rodgers hasn’t been able to get anywhere near what’s required the italian is a completely different player to that fearsome forward of euro 2012 move him on mario balotelli has struggled for a first team place after several poor performances for liverpool  the italian striker has scored just four goals for liverpool since his summer move from ac milan  5   mauro zarate  velez sarsfield to west ham united  the prerequisite to any signing is that they’re capable of buying into whatever ethos that club’s manager has in this case sam allardyce makes his players do a bit of running zarate doesn’t do running he clearly has the ability required to be a success in the division   the argentine was hugely impressive on his debut away at crystal palace   but he doesn’t appear willing to work on his fitness just ask qpr, who contemplated sending the forward back to the hammers after landing him on loan in january mauro zarate has made just 11 premier league appearances for west ham and qpr  the argentine forward was hugely impressive on his debut away at crystal palace last august  4   radamel falcao  monaco to manchester united (loan) remember the fuss that was made when manchester united swooped on deadline day for the colombian? seems a long time ago now it is absurd to think that van gaal could even contemplate making the loan move permanent at the end of the season just four goals for a man heralded as one of the best finishers in the business has meant falcao even got a run out for the under 21 side a few weeks ago does not justify the astronomical wages united pay him colombian striker radamel falcao has endured a terrible season at old trafford, scoring just four goals  red devils boss louis van gaal (right) looks likely to end falcao's loan spell at the end of the season  3   rio ferdinand  free agent to qpr  another one for the qpr conveyor belt of wasted money the club’s transfer policy of bringing in ‘experienced’ professionals on high wages was perhaps unfortunate when they suffered relegation from the premier league two years ago, but this time it was downright foolish and has left them in serious financial trouble even clint hill   he of crouching on his haunches fame   is preferred to ferdinand, who has looked anything but match fit and failed the basics that tells the whole story, and this looks to being a desperately sad way to end a stellar career rio ferdinand hasn't been able to find his feet during a relegation battle with queens park rangers  2   eliaquim mangala  porto to manchester city  abysmal to think manchester city paid £32m for the central defender beggars belief, and heads will undoubtedly role from a recruitment point of view hasn’t been helped by the continuing slide of vincent kompany, but mangala is supposed to be a big imposing brute of an enforcer and there can be no excuses for a rank average first season in the premier league eliaquim mangala (left) cost manuel pellegrini's side £32million, but has failed to live up to the price  rolando aarons beats mangala for pace before scoring for newcastle against city in october, 2014  1   emmanuel riviere  monaco to newcastle  he didn’t come cheap, costing more than £5m from monaco, and for what? poor misses, the inability to shake off markers and a source of constant frustration for supporters who want their team to attack with gumption seventeen premier league games without a goal means riviere has the dubious honour of becoming sportsmail’s worst signing of the 2014 15 season a special mention must go to siem de jong as well, who can’t fulfill his duties as a professional footballer by virtue of never ending injuries but riviere pips the dutchman for some downright disgusting displays emmanuel riviere (centre) has been a source of frustration at st james' park this season  riviere's only two newcastle goals came during the 3 2 capital one cup victory against crystal palace 
maria mario balotelli 16million radamel falcao manchester city fernando eliaqium mangala
angel di maria has failed to impress despite a bright start at man united . mario balotelli hasn't been able to live up to his £16million price tag . radamel falcao made a big money loan move but has just four goals . manchester city signings fernando and eliaqium mangala have struggled 