How Atletico's Emiliano Insua Can Get His Career Back on Track at Rayo Vallecano

Many players, despite displaying an obvious talent, inexplicably fail to make their mark on professional football. While Emiliano Insua is still young at 25, the full-back has already bounced around Europe and needs to follow through on his obvious potential. 

Part of the problem for the player's stilted development arguably comes from his early arrival in England. Insua was just 18 when Liverpool persuaded Boca Juniors to let go of their defensive prospect, who had yet to play a single game for the Argentine giants' first team. This robbed him of several formative years, as has been the case for many South American teenagers. 

Instead of gaining experience in the Boca starting line-up, perhaps breaking into the side that Juan Roman Riquelme led to the Copa Libertadores in 2007, Insua had a different introduction to professional football. The left-back was forced to slog it out in the reserves, and only in his fourth and final season at Anfield was he able to find regular senior football. 

That pattern of irregular football and fleeting contributions has dogged the defender even after leaving Merseyside. Despite having represented four clubs in three nations since saying goodbye to Liverpool in 2010, Insua has only once since that time played more than 40 games in a season. He still shows promise, but after falling flat with Galatasaray, Sporting and Atletico Madrid, a current loan move at Rayo Vallecano could be the last throw of the dice in Europe.

First signs have been encouraging. A 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Real Madrid was hardly the ideal way to go into an international break, but that defeat aside Rayo have held their own so far. Insua has appeared in eight of 11 matches in La Liga and contributed one assist as the side from the Spanish capital's outer suburbs have carved out a spot in mid-table.

But as so often, there is a sting in the tail for the Argentine. That last match was doubly painful as Insua limped off after just 25 minutes. Medical tests later showed that he would face at least four weeks on the sidelines, as Marca reports (in Spanish), practically bringing to a close his season for 2014.  

Insua's mission is clear. Only by establishing himself at a top-class European club will he finally develop into the defender Liverpool saw back in 2006 before taking him over the Atlantic. A good season with Rayo would leave him perfectly placed to go back to Atletico and take the left-back spot definitively once compatriot Cristian Ansaldi's loan comes to an end. 

It will not be easy, and avoiding knocks like that which has currently ruled him out will be key, but Insua has the talent to make it happen with a little bit of luck.