There are multiple reasons why a player doesn’t quite reach the heights expected of them when they first break through, but it often comes down to how and when they make that first big move.
While it’s tempting to simply join the first elite club that comes along, you need to pick a club where you’ll get a chance to shine and actually stand out. Going from being a talisman to simply part of another team can be too much for some, while it’s also not uncommon to see these talents drift in and out of a team before being replaced.
Ross Barkley was supposed to be the next big thing for England when he initially broke through at Everton, but a big injury ruined his 2017/18 season and it prevented him from getting back to his best after moving to Chelsea.
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In fairness, the Chelsea team was never going to be built around him and he was rarely given a consistent run of games to make his mark, and it eventually led to his release this summer.
He’s now going to link up with Aaron Ramsey in France for Nice, and it could be an excellent pairing if they hit it off together:
*Ou plutôt 5?? ?
Bienvenue #RossBarkley ????#OGCNice #IssaNissa https://t.co/KLrhVqngI4 pic.twitter.com/NTgegPjCE3
— OGC Nice (@ogcnice) September 4, 2022
It gives Premier League fans a reason to watch Nice games this season, and it will be fascinating to see how he fares.