With Ravel Morrison sealing his move to Italian giants Lazio we take a look at the best English players to have played in Serie A, with Arsenal & Liverpool stars featuring…
Ravel Morrison is about to follow in the footsteps of some great English footballers, with the West Ham flop securing a move to Serie A side Lazio. Surprisingly few English players move abroad however, and even fewer find success there.
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Here are the top 12 English players to have played in Italy:
12) Jay Bothroyd – Perugia 2003-04
The nomadic striker spent a season at Perugia before returning the England on loan, and remained in England until the final year of his career.
11) Ravel Morrison – Lazio 2015-present
The controversial youngster has had trouble finding a place to settle down in England, with his behavioral problems preventing his talent from being fully recognised. Hopefully his move to Serie A will signal a fresh start.
10) Micah Richards – Fiorentina 2014-present
Once a promising young defender, Richards has seen his career decimated by injury. He was left to rot on the bench at Manchester City for years, and has never fully realised his potential.
9) Des Walker – Sampdoria 1992-93
Another player whose career was irreparably damaged by injury, Walker spent just a season at Sampdoria before being shipped back to England.
8) Ray Wilkins – AC Milan 1984-87
After successful stints at Chelsea and Manchester United, Wilkins was sold to AC Milan. He spent several seasons in Serie A, but unfortunately for him it was during one of the club’s less fruitful periods.
7) David Platt – Bari 1991-92, Juventus 1992-93, & Sampdoria 1993-95
The former Arsenal man spent several years in Italy, enjoying mixed success. His stint at Juventus was somewhat disappointing, but his time at Sampdoria and Bari were considered huge successes.
6) Trevor Francis – Sampdoria 1982-86 & Atlanta 1986-87
Francis was sold by Manchester City to Serie A side Sampdoria. He enjoyed some success at the club, winning the Copa Italia before eventually being sold to Atlanta. He managed just one goal in 21 appearances at his new side however, and was quickly offloaded.
5) Jimmy Greaves – AC Milan 1961
Greaves’ time in Italy can hardly be counted really, making just 12 appearances for Milan. He was unhappy at the thought of leaving London before the move even went through, and then fell out with the club’s manager. He was sold that same season.
4) Paul Ince – Inter Milan 1984-87
Ince enjoyed a hugely successful time with Inter Milan, and spent two fantastic years there. The club tried to get him to extend his stay, but he wanted to return to England; doing so with Liverpool.
3) Ashley Cole – Roma 2014-present
Cole’s time in Italy may have been something of a disaster, but he was unquestionably one of the most talented left-backs in the world in his day.
2) David Beckham – AC Milan 2008-10
An ambassador for English football, Beckham has played for some of the biggest clubs across the globe. He spent two separate loan spells at Milan, with varied success during his time in Serie A.
1) Paul Gascoigne – Lazio 1992-95
One of the most talented footballers ever, Gascoigne should have done so much more with his career. His move to Lazio in 1992 was a difficult one, as the Englishman failed to settle in Italy. He received a lot of negative media attention, and fell out badly with a number of senior members of the club. He eventually made the switch out of Serie A to Rangers.