Tottenham Hotspur have made some pretty high profile flop signings in recent years, with Paulinho and Soldado jumping to mind immediately.
However, we have to go back all the way to 2008 to recall when the Lilywhites signed Brazilian left-back Gilberto.
A decade ago, Gilberto managed six appearances for the club, but fans are still talking about his Tottenham stint to this day.
Last year alone, a talkSPORT poll revealed Spurs fans still regard him as their worst ever winter signing.
Gilberto featured in two world cup squads for his country, won a Copa America, and a Confederations Cup.
However, his move to England didn’t follow the same glittering path, as one headline claimed ‘Brazil finally produce rubbish footballer’.
Despite this negative press, Gilberto says it’s still nice to be remembered.
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ESPN report he said: “It’s true, I had a nightmare at Spurs. But I’d done well in Germany. I played for my country, and I’d won stuff in Brazil.
“In a way, it’s nice to be remembered, and I also kind of half-agree with what they said. But footballers have to get used to this sort of thing. I’ve talked about it on Instagram because I wanted to show how hard it can be.
“I’d had four happy years in Germany, but Brazilians are competitive. Hertha were good but didn’t have the resources to compete for a title. This bothered me a lot because many of my Brazil teammates were playing in big tournaments like the Champions League and I never had the opportunity with Hertha. Tottenham came in, and I saw it as a chance to have a proper crack at some silverware.
“I remember my debut against PSV in the UEFA Cup. I tried to dribble past Jefferson Farfan. He nicked the ball from me and scored. Even though I was a Brazil international, I found it tough to recover, and I felt it was my fault we were losing 1-0. I picked up a calf injury and was subbed at half-time. We went out of the competition after the second leg, and I felt personally responsible.
“From that moment, it was all downhill. I tried my best at training and hoped that things would turn around. I liked London and the life there, but my confidence was shot. Then, Juande Ramos got the boot. Harry Redknapp came in, and he put me in the B-team at 32 years of age. That was embarrassing, playing with the U20s in empty stadiums. It was a tough time.
“I want to say sorry with all my heart to the Tottenham fans. I’m gutted that it didn’t work. I would have loved to have stayed, but I got branded very quickly. There were some great people at the club, but it was a bad time for me personally.”
However, Gilberto may be back in Tottenham in the future, as he is currently trying to partner up with a Premier League club to open a football academy in Brazil.
“Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan and Roma all have football schools in Brazil. Why not Tottenham?”
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