Chelsea flopped with Quaresma and Pato, Henrik Larsson became a cult hero at United while Romelu Lukaku made his breakthrough at West Brom... the best and worst Premier League loan signings as Jesse Lingard shines for West Ham

  • Jesse Lingard has been a revelation at West Ham after sealing his loan deal
  • Midfielder is back in the England fold and making the Hammers dream of Europe
  • Lingard's progress has brought up the subject of the effectiveness of loan deals
  • Sportsmail examines five of the best and five of the very worst switches

The talk of English football right now has to be Jesse Lingard.

The playmaker is absolutely running riot in east London and it's fair to say his loan spell with West Ham United has gone better than anybody could have expected.

Lingard is working miracles under David Moyes, who has given him the freedom and opportunity to make things happen in the final third.


Amazingly, it is now May and the Hammers are still in the hunt for a top four finish and Champions League football.

The move has been perfect for all parties involved. Lingard is flourishing and has earned his place in the England starting XI. West Ham are soaring up the table and Manchester United are either set to regain a confidence-laden player, or receive a host of inflated bids for his services.

It's how all loan moves should work, ideally. But this isn't always the case.

For every success story there is a complete and utter failure lurking around the corner. Sportsmail takes a look back through the Premier League archives... 

Jesse Lingard has showcased exactly how a loan deal can benefit all parties involved

Jesse Lingard has showcased exactly how a loan deal can benefit all parties involved

 

The hits

Henrik Larsson - Helsingborgs to Manchester United

When the Swedish icon put pen to paper at Old Trafford at the age of 35 in January 2007, eyebrows were raised.

Was Larsson past it? Had he had his day?

The striker became a living legend at Celtic and went on to impress against the odds in a star-studded Barcelona team, all the while hammering in goals on the international stage.

But his last-minute loan switch to play for Sir Alex Ferguson's United seemed a little odd.

Still, time would be the judge. 

Veteran star Henrik Larsson offered so much to United that Alex Ferguson wanted him to stay

Veteran star Henrik Larsson offered so much to United that Alex Ferguson wanted him to stay

Although Larsson only scored one Premier League goal in his three months at Old Trafford, he was an excellent temporary addition and became an immediate hit with supporters.

Larsson provided the fear factor from the bench and found the back of the net for United in both the FA Cup and Champions League, playing alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.

So impressed by Larsson, Ferguson did his utmost to get him to stay and delay a return to his homeland. It would ultimately prove unsuccessful, as Larsson wanted to bow out of English football on a high after celebrating the 2006-07 Premier League title. 

'He's been fantastic for us, his professionalism, his attitude, everything he's done has been excellent,' Ferguson reflected following Larsson's final game for the club.

Romelu Lukaku - Chelsea to West Brom

This is certainly one of those moves which jogs the memory.

Lukaku's spell at the Hawthorns is not always immediately recollected, but the big Belgian was a revelation during his time in the Midlands.

A fresh-faced Lukaku was determined to prove he could cut it in English football and was desperate to show parent club Chelsea what he was all about.

Romelu Lukaku was a revelation at West Brom despite his tender years and scored for fun

Romelu Lukaku was a revelation at West Brom despite his tender years and scored for fun

The Belgian ace netted 17 times in 35 games as Steve Clarke’s side secured a top-eight finish and proved to be one of the toughest sides to break down in the division.

Lukaku ended his stint with the Baggies during an iconic 5-5 draw with Manchester United on the final day of the season, which happened to be Alex Ferguson's last ever appearance as a manager.

Capping his loan off in style, Lukaku rifled home a hat-trick as the Hawthorns erupted into a chorus of joy. He would later go on to sign for the Red Devils several years later. 

Amr Zaki - Zamalek to Wigan

Remember the Egyptian striker?

Zaki's loan to Wigan was a bizarre one because it started ridiculously well.

So well, in fact, it almost defied belief.

Strangely, according to FIFA’s official player rankings at the time, Zaki was deemed the best striker in the world when Wigan loaned him from Zamalek in July 2008. 

Given the depth of attacking talent in the world this seemed clearly incorrect, but Zaki made a fine job of showing he knew exactly what he was doing in front of goal. 

Amr Zaki arrived at Wigan with a bizarre reputation and made an instant impact in England

Amr Zaki arrived at Wigan with a bizarre reputation and made an instant impact in England

A blistering start at the JJB Stadium saw Zaki led the Premier League goalscoring charts after finding the back of the net in seven of his first eight games, in a jaw-dropping run that featured an emphatic brace against Liverpool at Anfield in a match the Latics only narrowly lost 3-2.

One of the goals on Merseyside would forever be remembered as a Premier League Hall of Fame effort, after finding the back of the net with an acrobatic effort at the Kop end. 

Zaki would later fall out spectacularly with manager Steve Bruce, who labelled him 'the most unprofessional player I've ever worked with.' 

Christophe Dugarry - Bordeaux to Birmingham

Dugarry was the hipster's footballer, in a time when it wasn't as cool to enjoy niche players.

The Frenchman oozed class and sophistication on the pitch, pulling off nimble turns and flicks while showing a keen eye for goal.

Think along the lines of a Midlands Dimitar Berbabtov, and you have Dugarry at Birmingham.

Dugarry was a World Cup winner and many at St Andrews couldn't believe their luck after pulling off the loan swoop.

Steve Bruce hailed Christophe Dugarry as 'biggest signing this club has ever made'

Steve Bruce hailed Christophe Dugarry as 'biggest signing this club has ever made'

Like Zaki, Dugarry would find himself working and flourishing under Steve Bruce. 

At the player's unveiling, Bruce came out with the grandest of statements to reporters: 'To have someone of his credentials is a massive, massive thing for us. It's the biggest signing this club has ever made.' 

Dugarry certainly lived up to his billing, scoring five goals during the end of the season run-in which saved Birmingham's top flight status.

The Blues won five of their last eight matches to survive comfortably, with Dugarry stacking up the Man of the Match awards most weeks.

Daniel Sturridge - Chelsea to Bolton

After moving from Manchester City to Chelsea as one of the most exciting talents in English football, Sturridge had an issue: he needed to play. 

His development was slowing and he needed to be in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League to show his natural zest for hitting the back of the net.

Cue a very willing Bolton Wanderers side in need of goals.

At Bolton, Daniel Sturridge showed the Premier League what he was all about with his goals

At Bolton, Daniel Sturridge showed the Premier League what he was all about with his goals

The England star bagged eight goals in 12 league encounters – including a last-minute winner on his debut against Wolves – and quickly became one of the hottest properties in the league.

He was the first name on the team sheet for then-manager Owen Coyle, and still stands as only the sixth player to score in each of his first four games for a Premier League club.

 

The misses

Ricardo Quaresma - Inter to Chelsea

After sealing a move from Porto to high-flying Inter Milan, everyone tipped Portuguese sensation Quaresma to hit the big time.

Week in week out, even in the Champions League, he played with such flair and audacity that made it inevitable that he would outgrow the league of his homeland.

Things didn't immediately pick up in Italy though, and Quaresma tried a bold move of taking on Premier League football during a loan stint at Stamford Bridge.

Ricardo Quaresma said playing for Chelsea gave him confidence, but he offered very little

Ricardo Quaresma said playing for Chelsea gave him confidence, but he offered very little

It was either going to go really well or completely terrible. Unfortunately for him, it was the latter.

Quaresma played only a handful of games but pulled off an impressive assist to cross the ball in for defender Alex to score against Coventry to secure progression in the FA Cup.

Still, it was nothing to shout home about. Quaresma would later state the move did help improve his confidence levels, but Chelsea got precisely nothing from their end. All in all a very forgettable, fleeting tenure. 

Radamel Falcao - Monaco to Manchester United, and Monaco to Chelsea

The Colombian is a bit of strange double-header on this list, in that he somehow failed in spells at both United and Chelsea.

Falcao first arrived in English football to much fanfare. He was to be the man to finally start plundering goals at Old Trafford and make the Red Devils a real force.

Except... it just didn't happen. Falcao looked powerful and notoriously tough in the air, but never looked at the right level for the Premier League.

Radamel Falcao failed to live up to the hype at United
Yet Chelsea still loaned the Colombian thereafter

Falcao failed to live up to the hype at United, yet Chelsea still loaned the Colombian thereafter

His pace appeared lacking and he just wasn't taking to top flight English football as fans had been expecting. 

Age wasn't on his side, either. Approaching 30 and with a string of injuries under his belt, it never appeared like the loan was going to be a dream match-up.

And yet, despite scoring just four goals in 28 Premier League appearances for United, Chelsea decided he was worth the risk and went for a similar sort of deal.

He scored his first and only Blues goal in a 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace. The less said about that, the better. 

Eliaquim Mangala - Manchester City to Everton

Once hailed as the next giant of European defending, Mangala was supposed to have it all.

The power, the pace, the effortless reading of a game. Yet after myriad struggles at City following his big-money move, the Frenchman decided to test his capabilities in English football elsewhere.

Fair play to Mangala for refusing to give up, but his Everton switch seemed to be cursed from day one.

Eliaquim Mangala played twice for Everton, the first game of which was a 5-1 loss at Arsenal

Eliaquim Mangala played twice for Everton, the first game of which was a 5-1 loss at Arsenal

In his first Premier League game for Everton, the Toffees lost 5-1 to Arsenal. Hardly the ringing endorsement he had been hoping for. 

Surely things could only get better, right?

Wrong. In his second match he badly injured his knee and was ruled out for the rest of the season. Loan move cut short at Goodison, he never played for Everton – or indeed City – ever again. 

Mangala packed his bags and headed back to Valencia, where he still plays today.

Nuri Sahin - Real Madrid to Liverpool

So much excitement followed Sahin to Anfield.

After impressing all of Europe with his midfield majesty in Dortmund, Real Madrid snapped the Turkish star up and quickly realised (as usual) that they could not accommodate him in their starting XI.

A loan move wasn't hard to arrange, with Sahin still very much at the top of his game and keen to prove himself as a Madrid-level player.

The pass-master had actually been hoping for a temporary switch to Arsenal in order to move to London, but Liverpool showed greater persistence and got the deal rubber stamped.

Nuri Sahin struggled with the physicality of the Premier League and soon had his loan cut short

Nuri Sahin struggled with the physicality of the Premier League and soon had his loan cut short

Sahin instead arrived at Anfield where he would play alongside and learn from Steven Gerrard, but things quickly went awry.

He simply couldn't settle at Liverpool, and the rough and tumble of the Premier League took its toll on his body.

After just 12 appearances and three goals, Reds boss Brendan Rodgers decided to cut short Sahin's deal and the player headed back to Dortmund on another loan until the end of the season. Currently, he's plying his trade in Turkey with Antalyaspor at the age of 32.

Alexandre Pato - Corinthians to Chelsea

There was a brief moment in time when Pato was European football's wonderkid.

A rapid Brazilian starlet with bags full of tricks and precision finishing to match. AC Milan were looked upon with envy - surely they had the next Ronaldo on their hands?

In the Champions League against Barcelona in 2011, Pato scored a goal inside just 24 seconds after a blistering breakaway. 

The iconic Nou Camp was stunned into silence and the effort still goes down as the second-fastest goal in Champions League history, behind Roy Makaay.

Still to this day it remains a mystery as to why Chelsea signed Alexandre Pato on loan

Still to this day it remains a mystery as to why Chelsea signed Alexandre Pato on loan

And thus, it was probably this goal and this same period of time which Chelsea were looking back upon with rose-tinted spectacles when they agreed a loan deal out of nowhere with Corinthians for Pato in 2016.

The Brazilian had left Milan to return to Brazil, but had started to underwhelm. After seeming to find his feet again on loan at Sao Paolo, Chelsea quickly nipped in to take Pato off Corinthians' hands and see what he could do in England.

Agent Kia Joorabchian is reported to have done a stellar job of talking up Pato's abilities and convincing the powers that be at Stamford Bridge that he was worth the risk. 

Corinthians were probably hoping he would put himself in the shop window... yet Pato hardly played in west London.

In terms of statistics, Pato's does read well - two games, one goal (a penalty against Aston Villa). But it makes so little sense as to why he was brought on board. 

Ah well, some of life's mysteries will always go unanswered.