7 Scottish Premiership transfer exits that turned disastrous from Bassey to Feruz, Jota and Boumsong

The likes of Calvin Bassey and Moussa Dembele saw big money moves fail to work out after leaving Scotland.

They came, they saw, they left. Jilted fans who have seen another hero leave Scotland are often accused of sour grapes. But sometimes the grass isn't always greener.

The money usually is, and it screams rather than talks, especially in Saudi Arabia. But shining in the Scottish Premiership doesn't necessarily translate into success elsewhere. That's no slight on our game – sometimes the brightest lights don't appreciate when they've got a good thing going and are a bit quick to jump ship.

It's hard to grudge anyone a life-changing move. Players will without fail back themselves to make an impact when stepping it up a level, even when historical evidence suggests it's going to be a tall order. But you can't just stay in Scotland for ever because it might be harder going elsewhere. Sometimes though, our wee league isn't such a bad way to make a living; trophies on offer, European football and a fanbase that cares deeply.

Record Sport looks at the stars whose light has dimmed after leaving the cinch.

Jota

The obvious and most topical example. Given what's happened since, it perhaps should have been no surprise in hindsight that the Saudi money men swooped for the Celtic winger. However, he was one of the first that they had in their cash rich crosshairs before the really big names started making the move.

The financial argument made it a no brainer. But no one could have foreseen the situation Jota now finds himself in. Al Ittihad either forgot or just didn't really care about the eight registered foreigners rule and have just axed Jota from their squad, leaving him on the sidelines. If their pursuit of Mo Salah is eventually successful, then there's little doubt Jota will move on in January.

Calvin Bassey

After an outstanding season for Rangers in 2021/22 that saw the defender pick up a Scottish Cup winner’s medal and was an Aaron Ramsay penalty away from a legendary Europa League triumph, Rangers won the jackpot when Ajax made a club record £19million plus add-ons offer for the Nigerian.

A big-money move to a European legacy club in one of the continent’s great cities, it all seemed set up for Bassey to succeed. But despite thumping his former club in the Champions League group stage, Bassey was burned in the Dutch oven of Amsterdam. Regularly slaughtered for his displays – not least by the ever tactful Rafael Van der Vaart – Bassey became a scapegoat for a poor Ajax season domestically. It was therefore something of a relief when Fulham stepped in this summer to take him back to England.

Moussa Dembele

One of the best value signings Celtic have made. The Frenchman spearheaded the first Brendan Rodgers era at Parkhead and became the scourge of Rangers as the Hoops racked up trophy after trophy. A departure was always on the cards given his scoring record and a £19.7million fee from Lyon after paying Fulham a relative pittance in development cash was a lovely bit of business.

Dembele's scoring record at Lyon wasn't shabby at all and they did make the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2020. But there were regular spells of discontent and Dembele was eventually shipped out on loan to Atletico Madrid, who had an option to buy. They didn't take it up, so Dembele went back to Lyon and Celtic hopes of a chunky sell-on fee faded. He made the move to Saudi Arabia this summer, joining Steven Gerrard' Al-Ettifaq on a free transfer.

Kieran Tierney

In fairness to KT, his first few seasons at Arsenal were good. Very good. He was a regular, popular with the fans and linked with moves to even bigger fish. But over the past year or so, things have somewhat soured. Mikel Arteta had them challenging for the title last season, but without Tierney at left back. He prefers Oleksandr Zinchenko and the Scotland star was relegated to the bench.

Despite saying he wanted Tierney to stay at the club, a week later, the boyhood Celtic fan found himself training with the reserves and clearly had no future under Arteta. A season-long loan to Real Sociedad will provide regular game time and Champions League football this season, but longer term, Tierney must be thinking about his next permanent home. Newcastle appear to be off the table after they signed Lewis Hall, but plenty of big guns will be keen if they can make it work in terms of FFP.

Jean Alain Boumsong

Probably the best signing Rangers ever made in terms of return on investment. The next big thing from Auxerre was picked up on a free transfer, was excellent at Ibrox for six months, then flogged to Newcastle for £8m just six months later. Despite spending only five months as a Gers player, Boumsong still played enough games to pick up a league winner’s medal at the end of that season.

The timing of the transfer raised concerns, even being looked at by the 2007 Stevens Inquiry into football corruption which found "inconsistencies" in the evidence provided by Graeme Souness – a former manager of the club – and Freddy Shepherd.

His first season on Tyneside saw him form an effective partnership with Titus Bramble. However, second season syndrome kicked in and Boumsong was singled out for stick. However, an illness suffered by his girlfriend has to be taken into account, but he didn't hit the heights expected in black and white.

Garry O'Connor

The Hibs striker was another who didn't really have much of a decision to make when Lokomotiv Moscow offered him massive money in 2006. For a relatively small outlay, the Russians picked up a player who had yet to reach his peak and was a proven goalscorer in Scotland.

And despite a promising start in the east, scoring a winner in the Russian Cup Final, O'Connor found it hard to adapt to life in such a different culture and away from his family. He was back in the UK just over a year after leaving, joining Birmingham City for £2.7m. Despite scoring on his debut, O'Connor soon lost his place and it later emerged that an "injury" absence was actually due to the player allegedly failing a drugs test, as reported in a Dispatched documentary aired in September 2011, by which time O'Connor was back at Hibs after a disappointing spell at Barnsley.

Islam Feruz

The Scotland youth international, born in Somalia, was set up as the perfect rags to riches story after finding a home in Glasgow following his family's emigration from Tanzania after leaving their homeland. Spotted by Celtic as a 11-year-old during a kickabout at Castlemilk Sports Centre, he joined the Hoops academy and was playing for their Under 14s, still aged just 11.

The Feruz family were at risk of deportation back to Somalia in 2012. But with the help of Celtic coach Tommy Burns, they were granted British passports and able to remain in Glasgow. The hype around Feruz kept building and it wasn't long before English clubs became interested.

Chelsea were the favourites and in 2009, then Celtic boss Neil Lennon said he hadn't seen Feruz since the start of the season and admitted he was "disappointed" that after the club's effort to help him stay in Scotland, he was set to leave for London, although apportioned blame to Feruz's agents rather than the player himself.

Feruz did sign for Chelsea and won the 2012 FA Youth Cup. But that was as good as it got at Stamford Bridge. He was eventually released on transfer deadline 2019 without making a top team appearance, with plenty of loans thrown in, including a spell at Hibs. Off field problems included a driving ban. Feruz retired from football in 2020 to set up a company selling designer caps.