The 2026-27 Premier League season is only five matches old, but several high-profile players have already found themselves under scrutiny after failing to make the expected impact. The international break provides an opportunity to assess some of the biggest disappointments of the opening weeks, particularly players who arrived with strong reputations or carried significant expectations from their previous campaigns. While five games are far from enough to determine how a full season will unfold, these six players have plenty of work ahead of them when domestic action resumes in October.

Florian Wirtz has struggled to justify Liverpool’s €117.5 million investment after arriving from Bayer Leverkusen, registering just one assist at the beginning of his Premier League career with the club. Bryan Mbeumo has also found life more difficult after being moved into a wider role at Manchester United, where his limited dribbling numbers suggest he has been less effective in one-on-one situations than when operating centrally. Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres faces a different challenge, having been restricted to only 29 minutes of league action without scoring, with Mikel Arteta yet to give him an extended run in the starting lineup.

Sandro Tonali is another player facing significant pressure after Tottenham spent £100 million to bring him in from Newcastle. His ability to carry the ball and contribute during defensive transitions remains valuable, but Tottenham’s difficult start has limited his influence, with the club sitting at the bottom of the table after failing to score through five matches. Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has also experienced a challenging beginning after replacing Robert Sanchez. He has conceded 10 goals in four league appearances, although his average of 4.5 saves per 90 minutes indicates that his individual numbers are not entirely negative and that Chelsea’s defensive problems have also played a role.

Dominic Solanke completes the group after failing to establish the attacking consistency expected from Tottenham’s main forward options. With Richarlison unavailable for the Premier League squad, Solanke was expected to shoulder more responsibility alongside Omar Marmoush, but an ankle injury has affected his physical condition and confidence during the opening weeks. The international break therefore represents an important period for several of these players to recover, adjust and regain momentum. None of their slow starts necessarily defines the rest of the campaign, but stronger performances will be needed once the Premier League resumes.