Players’ careers often stall and stagnate for one reason or another, and many never get going again. Can these ten players get their careers back on track this season?
With some of these stars having played for the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, and Barcelona, it would be a huge shame to see them disappear into obscurity. A new club can often breathe new life into a player, putting the past behind them and starting anew.
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Here are the top ten players according to FootballTop10s who could reignite their careers with new clubs this season.
10) Bebe
Bebe will probably forever be known as the player Sir Alex Ferguson signed without having seen him play. He made just two appearances for United and it will be a part of his career he will want to forget. His move to Benfica could see him regenerated, playing in his native country with one of Portugal’s top teams.
9) Iago Aspas
Having made just six appearances for Liverpool Aspas suffered terribly from homesickness and it was very hard for him to settle in England. He too will be returning to his native country, and will be hoping to get his career back on track with Sevilla.
8) Christian Tello
Christian Tello doesn’t exactly need to reignite his career, but it was dangerously close to stalling badly due to a severe lack of game time at Barcelona. His loan move to Porto means he will get a chance at regular football at a top side, but Barcelona get to keep hold of a player they have very high hopes for.
7) Ibrahim Afellay
Afellay was a revelation at PSV-Eindhoven, but his career took a nose dive after his move to Barcelona. A combination of long term injuries and a lack of game time has destroyed the 28-year-old’s career, and he will be hoping that all that is behind him ahead of his move to Olympiakos.
6) Yann M’Vila
Why players keep insisting on big money moves to Russia is beyond me, but they do. M’Vila may have been hoping for a permanent move rather than a loan deal, but he will have to impress at Inter if he wants to earn that move away from Rubin Kazan.
5) Guillermo Ochoa
Ochoa was once a very promising keeper, but a failed drug test put a bit of a dampener on his burgeoning career. After a fantastic World Cup and being released by Ajaccio however, he was once again highly sought after; Malaga eventually winning the race to sign him.
4) Gary Medel
It was a quick turnaround for Gary Medel, making a club record £11m signing to Cardiff, before promptly heading back out the door when they were relegated a year later in a £10m deal with Inter. The Chilean will want to settle down at Inter and earn himself a starting berth.
3) Jack Rodwell
Rodwell had a hugely promising start to his career, coming through the ranks at Everton and looking like he was destined for future greatness. He was lured from the blue side of Liverpool to the blue side of Manchester however, and after his £12m move it was all downhill from there. Making just 16 appearances in two years, Rodwell’s career was stagnating. Sunderland could be a great place to revive his career, with Poyet looking like having more faith in the 23-year-old than any of his previous managers.
2) Thomas Vermaelen
Hampered by injury and dropping down the pecking order behind the solid duo of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker, Vermaelen was always a player with too much quality to be sat on the bench. He may never recapture the form from his early Arsenal career, but he will be hoping to become a major part of a dominant Barcelona side.
1) Bojan
Bojan is the definition of a player not living up to their potential. He had all the makings of one of the world’s greatest at Barcelona, but somehow he never quite made it. His move to Stoke came as a huge surprise to many, and if they can get anything out of him they will have done very well for themselves. He hit the ground running in pre-season, but has yet to get going in the Premier League, will he ever be able to realise even a fraction of that potential?