The Premier League Flop Turned Serie A Star That Nobody Is Talking About

From Written Off To Rising

If you ever needed proof that the Premier League gives up on players too quickly then meet André-Frank Zambo Anguissa. Remember him? The £25 million signing Fulham brought in from Marseille in 2018, labelled as a flop before he’d even unpacked his bags. Two years later they sold him at a £5 million loss for £20 million and everyone moved on like it never happened.

Well Anguissa hasn’t disappeared, he went to Napoli, found his rhythm and has quietly become one of Serie A’s best midfielders. Last season he played 35 league matches, scored six goals and has cemented himself in the heart of Napolis midfield. His market value’s up to £27 million and he’s playing for a club sitting top of the table.

A superb goal by FRANK ZAMBO ANGUISSA! #NapoliInter 3-1

— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) October 25, 2025

Finding The Right Stage

It’s a story we’ve heard before, throwback to 2015 Juan Cuadrardo was signed to Chelsea for £23.3 million, had little to no game time and sold to Juventus in 2017 for £17 million where he became one of Serie A’s most reliable players for nearly a decade. Italy seems to suit some players better. Anguissa is another player who has thrived from this shift. He was never a flop, he just needed a league that saw what he could really do.

BBC Sport archive: Chelsea set to complete Cuadrado signing (2015)

Now at Napoli he’s competing in a midfield full of European talent. Playing amongst Kevin de Bruyne and Scott McTominay, names that dominate the conversation around the best in Europe. This is the level Anguissa’s operating at now. He’s not just surviving in Serie A, he’s standing out in it.

For a Cameroonian midfielder who was told he wasn’t built for English football, he’s written a new story for himself. One that doesn’t need anyone else's approval, just the proof he’s been showing every week.