11 Bench-Warming Footballers Who Need Summer Escape Routes

Look around any football team in any league in the world and you will find those players that seem to have a spot reserved on the subs bench especially for them. 

Week-in week-out, they habitually make their way to the shadowy confines of the background, dreaming of their escape to the wider expanse of lush green carpet.

Rarely are they given the chance to parade their wares for the thronged masses and to evoke the adulation they once dreamt of.

In the upcoming slides we will look at 11 players that need to move during this summer's transfer window in order to re-ignite their careers.

To follow the trajectory that was once a realistic aim until either injury, loss of form or a manager's preference deprived them of the audience for their obvious talent.

Let's take a look and see whether you agree with my choices.

Leave your comments at the foot of this article and follow me on Twitter: @jasonpettigrove

Darren Bent

It was only two short years ago that England international striker Darren Bent joined Aston Villa from Sunderland in a record £24m swoop.

That Bent rarely now features in the Villa starting line up tells you what a turnaround in fortunes there has been for the player.

In fact, the last time Bent played 90 minutes was way back on 22 September 2012 against Southampton.

It's a situation that he acknowledges can't continue, via this report from Stuart James of The Guardian.

Said Bent:

"

Every game you don't play in hurts that little bit more. Especially when you're on the bench and come on—you're still hurting because you want to start. But it's nowhere near as bad as when you're sitting on the bench and you don't come on at all.

It is frustrating and I do get angry at times. 

"

Noting that he doesn't have long left at the top level, the 29-year-old went on:

"

I want to play football and I want to contribute and enjoy playing. I won't ask to go but at the same time I have to sit down with the manager, the chairman and my agent and just go from there really.

As much as I've enjoyed my time at Aston Villa and loved every minute of it—I've obviously got a good relationship with the fans and the football club—it is about playing games and, at my age, I can't have another season like I've had this season, because time is running out. I have to play football. It's as simple as that.

"

Thiago Alcantara

Rumours surround the possible departure of Barcelona's young star Thiago Alcantara.

The 22-year-old Spanish U21 captain has been unable to command a regular place in the Barca starting eleven.

Many pundits and commentators see Alcantara as the natural heir to Xavi Hernandez who is surely coming to the autumn of his career in the next 12 to 24 months and unable to play a regular 60 games a season.

Such is the player's talent, that according to Simon Jones of the Daily Mail a bid from Manchester United is expected to be forthcoming.

Thiago's father Mazinho, a former World Cup winner with Brazil has said:

"

My son would play a lot more in any other team in the world. He’s learning a lot playing with great players but Thiago is very ambitious and needs to play. 

No one knows what might happen in the future. Football changes a lot and anything can happen. If Thiago wants to go to the 2014 World Cup, he needs to play much more.

Thiago has the quality to succeed at Barca. But he’d play a lot more at another club. He’d get into any other team in the world.

I don’t know if Barca are buying more players in the summer. They already have a lot of players who can play in the middle. Also, [his brother] Rafinha will be part of the first team squad next season.

"

Alcantara's buyout clause of 90m euros has been reduced to just 18m euros as the player has not played the required number of games that his contract states. This will rise again on August 1 so any potential suitors will need to move quickly.

Jermain Defoe

As with Darren Bent, Tottenham Hotspur have another England international on their books who needs a change of club to rediscover his best form.

Defoe doesn't appear to fit into manager Andre Villas-Boas' future plans and as far back as May 2012— when Harry Redknapp was in the Tottenham hot-seat—Defoe himself identified the need to move, per Daily Mail.

Despite starting 34 games in all competitions in 2012/13, Defoe was subbed off in a number of those matches.

He has also been a substitute on nine occasions.

His inconsistency and inability to play anything other than a poacher's role may well see him leave White Hart Lane during the summer window.

Kaka

That Real Madrid are prepared to let 68m Euro signing and former World Player of the Year Kaka leave the Santiago Bernabeu is something of a mystery.

Since signing for Los Blancos in 2009, Kaka has made just 76 La Liga appearances, mainly due to a string of injuries.

His all-too-brief appearances point to his still-obvious talent but perhaps the hierarchy at Real wish to cut their losses.

Yet the player himself still wishes to prove his paymasters wrong. 

As Daniel Storey reports for Sky Sports, Kaka is in a bullish mood:

"

I have two years left on my contract.

I am happy to continue at Real, but I don't want to be a problem for the club. If I have to go, I will go.

I don't know if I will get back into the national team, but I have to be prepared. I would love to return. There is still time.

"

Yossi Benayoun

Yossi Benayoun has struggled with injuries ever since he put pen to paper at Chelsea after his transfer from Liverpool.

In the three years the player has spent at Chelsea, he actually played more on loan for Arsenal than he had for the Blues in that time.

A loan to former club West Ham United ended early after Benayoun suffered a ligament injury and Chelsea have decided enough is enough.

As Ben Curtis of The Mirror has identified, Benayoun is one of a number of players that are not being retained by the club who will no doubt undergo a "facelift" in the wake of the hiring of new manager Jose Mourinho.

Anatoliy Tymoschuk

Anatoliy Tymoschuk could be the only person in Bavaria not happy about Bayern Munich's record-breaking season.

As the German champions swept all before them, Tymoschuk played a part on just five occasions and the player capped 125 times by the Ukrainian national side is set to leave for pastures new according to Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN.

Chief Executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed the Tymoschuk's exit when he said:

"

Tymo has told us he’s going to leave. He’s going to tell us his destination after the Cup final.

"

A move to his former club Zenit St. Petersburg is expected and coach Luciano Spalletti would not be averse to the switch, saying only:

"

I can see no problems if he returns

"

Javier Hernandez

Manchester United's Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez is growing disillusioned by the lack of first-team opportunities.

A deadly striker with an eye for goal, the stellar form of Robin Van Persie has kept the Mexican confined to the subs bench in the main.

Although ESPN reports the player is happy to stay, he clearly would like to make more of an impact in a starting eleven:

"

It is frustrating. All the players in the world want to start every single game, every week. Of course any player wants that. I'm happy to be at this club but I'd love more games.

My attitude is that even when the gaffer wants me to be on the bench I'm going to do my best. I have to respect the club, Manchester United. But of course I would like to start more.

"

With United ready to bring fan favourite Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford, Real Madrid have demanded Hernandez's signature as part of any deal.

Indeed, according to Neil Custis and Dan King of The Sun, the deposed La Liga champions would like to sign Hernandez whether or not Ronaldo moves back to England.

Cristian Tello

Cristian Tello would be a massive loss to Barcelona.

The Spanish youngster is predicted to have a great future in the game but with a derisory buyout clause of just £8.5m, the vultures are circling.

Brendan Rodgers would like to make Tello his first summer signing for Liverpool according to Charles Perrin of The Express and Tottenham are also rumoured to be interested.

The player has excited whenever he has turned out for Barca but his sporadic appearances from the bench have been few and far between.

With 2013/14 perhaps expected to be his breakout season, the signing of Neymar could possibly once again hinder Tello's chances to make a longer lasting impression at Camp Nou.

Nani

Nani is expected to decide his future shortly, according to Geoff Sweet of The Sun.

The player is quoted as saying:

"

I have not yet decided where I am going or if I am going.

I do not want to speak about rumours but I will decide my future in the next few days.

"

The Portuguese international has slipped down the United pecking order and it remains to be seen whether new manager David Moyes considers the player an integral part of his Manchester United team.

With one eye on World Cup 2014, it's extremely doubtful that the player would accept another season playing second fiddle to the likes of Antonio Valencia and Wilfried Zaha.

Andre Arshavin

Poor old Andre Arshavin.

Signed in 2009 from Zenit St. Petersburg, the player got off to flyer in his Arsenal career.

He will always be fondly remembered for the four goals that he scored vs. Liverpool in the Premier League in 2009.

However, he could never recapture his early Gunners form and so poor has he been recently, that he only started two games during the whole of the 2012/13 season—nine as substitute—and scored a solitary goal.

That kind of return has prompted Arsenal to finally cut their ties with the player who will shortly be released by the club.

Where the 32-year-old will end up is anyone's guess. As with our final player in this list, a lack of confidence has severely hampered a career in England that promised much.

Fernando Torres

Much has been written on Fernando Torres' incredibly unsuccessful stint at Chelsea since his record £50m move from Premier League rivals Liverpool.

It has never been shown more clearly how a lack of confidence can affect a strikers' form.

Torres has been nowhere near recapturing the form of his Liverpool days and the news that new Blues boss Jose Mourinho wants to sign Edinson Cavani, Stevan Jovetic and Hulk (per Sami Mokbel, Daily Mail) will not be music to the ears of the Spaniard.

Demba Ba can also be found in the striking talent pool so it would appear Torres has his work cut out to become the main man at Stamford Bridge.

To save Torres treading water for another season, his own talent may be better served by a move away.

However, it seems the player disagrees: 

"

There's talk and speculation about my future every summer. I've got three years left so my future is at Chelsea.

I've not spoken to anyone from Chelsea (about my future). I will have the chance to talk with the manager and the club, but until right now nothing has happened.

I will focus on Spain and the Confederations Cup and then focus on another season with Chelsea.

"