Neither has Diego, but it still doesn't grant a place among chokers like Huntelaar, Quaresma or Tiago.
Anyway, it's not only about transfers made in 2009. Usually players who didn't deliver what was expected from them, and did much less than the expected, were on these lists and were winning it. Adriano was winning it many years after he was bought by Inter.
So if it's about expectations and failing hard to deliver them, then players like Pirlo, Vucinic, and even Amauri, deserve a place on that list much more than Felipe Melo.
I'm a huge Amauri fan and defender, but 17 months ago we bought him for 22m eur and he was on a 8 month goalless streak in 2009. Why is a DMC bought for almost as much, who scored 2 goals in 2 months with Juve, on the list and not Amauri?
Melo hasn't delivered yet what was expected from him, I agree. He's losing concentration during matches and once it already cost us points. But he's been having monster performances too, and on this list only players who failed hard to deliver what was expected from them should be included.
Hey man, I get what you're saying and you are right. But these kind of lists or competitions always work this way.
For one thing, the majority of the players absolutely need to come from the big 3, or 4 if you count Roma. That's just how it goes since they are most prolific.
I agree Amauri, could & maybe should have been there, but he has had an absolutely great first few months at Juve. This has given him a shitload of credit in Italy (as well as in the rest of Europe).
I mean, how else could you explain the ridiculous frenzy surrounding his possible availability for the NT? There is no way in hell that is based on his performances during the last months.
Diego, for some reason, is very loved around Italy (especially the media) it seems. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that he is the kind of player that has become "uncommon" in Serie A over the past few years.
Then there's the fact that everybody seems to agree that we bought him for very little money.
Couple that with his workrate, which has surprised a lot of people (including myself) and I understand why he isn't in the list.
Melo on the other hand is regarded as a player that we did not really need. The consensus in the press (Italian as well as foreign) seems to be that we overpaid to get him.
Now, couple that with some of the mistakes he made & with the at times uninterested (for lack of a better word) performances he has been giving.
So, even if I don't necessarily agree with it, I can definitely see why they put him in the list. I'm not even surprised to be honest.