30 Footballers in Desperate Need of a Change of Scenery Right Now
Here are 30 footballers in desperate need of change of scenery which could help reboot their careers.
The 30 footballers will be subjectively ranked via a combination of several standards:
- Current ability.
- Potential ability.ย
- Transfer value.
- Panic meter level in terms of needing a transfer away.
Honourable Mentions
- Neal Maupay, Nice's French CF, Age: 18.
- Bard Finne,ย Koln's Norwegian CF, Age: 19.
- Wang Shangyuan,ย Club Brugge's Chinese CAM, Age: 21.
- Eli Babalj,ย AZ's Australian CF, Age: 22.
- Ivan Franjic,ย Torpedo Moscow's Australian RB/LB, Age: 27.
30. Kwame Yeboah
1 of 30
Borussia Monchengladbach's Australian substituteย Kwame Yeboah, 20, isย lost in the shuffle.
Despite being a super-sub atย Brisbane Roar,ย Borussia Monchengladbach gambled on his freakish athleticism and his ability to conjure up spectacular moments.ย
Yeboah is a case of moving to Europe for the sake of doing so.ย
He should have established himself in Australia before moving abroad.ย
Ifย Kerem Bulutโtheย Ravel Morrison of Australian footballโcan get another chance in the Australian A-League than so shouldย Yeboah.
29. Isaac Success
2 of 30
Granada's Nigerian centre-forwardย Isaac Success, 19, has looked out of his depth.
He runs without any purpose, he does not have a plan of what to do when he is in possession and drifts out of games.
He is still a teenager, so perhaps he needs to step down a level and gain some confidence before giving La Liga another shot. ย
He has scored one goal from 639 minutesย so far this season.
28. Jean Deza
3 of 30
Montpellier's Peruvian right/left attacking midfielderย Jean Deza, 21, has played in France, Slovakia and Peru in the last three years.
A quick and tricky midfielder,ย Deza has watched onโpresumably with vexationโasย Montpellier are easing 18-year-old Anthony Ribelin into French Ligue 1 football.
| Ligue 1 2014-15 | Anthony Ribelin | Jean Deza |
| Minutes Played | 51 | 13 |
| Minutes Per Game | 8.5 | 6.5 |
Deza may feel he could have scored or created a goal in the minutes allocated toย Ribelin, which may have led to an extended starting run.
27. Douglas Pereira
4 of 30
Barcelona's Brazilian right-backย Douglas Pereira, 24, was an odd signing.
He is injury-prone, he was a liability againstย Malaga and his transfer has aroused so much suspicion that it is affecting him.
It has gotten to the point where he has had to consult Xavi for advice.
"I have told [Douglas]ย to be calm,"ย Xavi said, perย Javier Miguel at Sport. "Be the same [and] not to take in what people say about him from outside."
Douglas'ย Barcelona career will probably emulate ex-Barcelona defenderย Henrique Adriano: a series of loans.
26. Simone Pepe
5 of 30
Juventus' Italian right-forward/right-wing-backย Simone Pepe, 31, recently joked about his long spells of inactivity.
"The last time I played, there were still video cassettes,"ย Pepe said, per RAI (h/tย Ben Gladwell at ESPN FC). "I would play in goal just to play. I'm a bit small, but I could do it. Joking aside, I could play either full-back or wide, wherever the coach needs me."
Pepe has been a handy player, butย Juventus need to move on and he should consider alternative career destinations.
What aboutย Major League Soccer?
25. Mustafa Amini
6 of 30
Borussia Dortmund's Australian central midfielderย Mustafa Amini, 21, is approaching four years at the Westfalenstadion and has still not started in the Germanย Bundesliga.
Even withย Borussia Dortmund in the relegation zone,ย Amini still is not getting a look in.ย
You can't help but feelย Amini would have been better served playing in the Dutchย Eredivisie orย Belgian Pro League.
However,ย Amini insists being in theย Borussia Dortmund system has helped him grow as a footballer.
"Everybody thinks, 'ah he's only playing in Dortmund's second team in Germany's third tier' and maybe they shrug their shoulders,"ย Amini said, perย David Lewis at SBS. "[But]ย I have played 11 games straight for [Borussia Dortmund II]. I am playing 90 minutes and I am fit and firing."
A high IQ footballer with excellent passing range,ย Amini should be a starter on a team in a mid-tier European league, as opposed to grafting away in the Germanย 3. Liga.
24. Chris Wood
7 of 30
Leicester City's New Zealand centre-forwardย Chris Wood, 23, is at a career crossroads.
He failed to make the grade atย West Bromwich Albion and has only appeared in 107 minutes of Premier League play forย Leicester City this season.
Wood needs to think about post-Leicester City after the club signedย Andrej Kramaric fromย Rijeka forย ยฃ9.7 million.
23. Josip Radosevic
8 of 30
Napoli's Croatian defensive midfielderย Josip Radosevic, 20, is the forgotten man inย Naples.
He went from being slowly eased into Serie A (115 minutes last season) to hardly even playing this season (six minutes).
He desperately needs a loan, maybe to a Serie B team.
22. Joshua Brillante
9 of 30
Fiorentina's Australian utility playerย Joshua Brillante, 21, has been mistreated by management.
Fiorentina managerย Vincenzo Montella is a coach with immense potential, but he probably would take back substitutingย Brillante 35 minutes into a game againstย Roma, which ended in aย 2-0 defeat.
Montella effectively destroyedย Brillante's confidence and it is harsh management for a player trying to make the grade in Serie A.
Since then,ย Brillante has played four minutes, which suggestsย Montella does not rate the Australian international.ย
Brillante is a diligent, hard-working and team-first footballer, who can thrive if he moves to a team that will give him time to develop.
21. Omar Abdulrahman
10 of 30
Al Ain'sย United Arab Emirates central/right attacking midfielderย Omar Abdulrahman, 23, should test himself and move to Europe.
He is a genius with a wand of a left-foot.ย
He routinely creates scoring chances for his teammates and can walk past opposing defenders with his precise dribbling and quick feet.ย
20. Leroy Sane
11 of 30
Schalke's German deep-lying forwardย Leroy Sane, 19, can play multiple positions and has been lively in the UEFA Youth League.
Sure, his scoring record in the UEFA Youth League is notย Dominic Solanke-great, butย Sane has shown positive attributes.ย
He has a quick first step, he can make big plays and is a willing passer.
Sane needs to be loaned out since he is just a squad member atย Schalke, having played 55 minutes in the Bundesliga this season.ย
19. Vladlen Yurchenko
12 of 30
Bayer Leverkusen's Ukrainian central attacking midfielderย Vladlen Yurchenko, 20, has only played 45 minutes in theย Bundesliga this year.
He had several bright moments in the Florida Cup, whether it was contributing to passing plays against Fluminense, or being a goal-threat againstย Corinthians.
Yurchenkoย should be loaned out in order to receive regular playing time.
18. Caio Rangel
13 of 30
Cagliari's Brazilian right-forwardย Caio Rangel, 19, has yet to start in Serie A.
Part of Brazil's dangerousย four-pronged attackโNathan,ย Mosquito andย Gabriel Boschiliaโat the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup,ย Caio can be a trump card forย Cagliari.
Though, he is not going to have a meaningful impact if he averages 16.8 minutes per Serie A game.
If he is not managed properly, he could have a fruitless career in Italy like anotherย CaioโCaio Ribeiro.
17. Ali Adnan Kadhim
14 of 30
Caykur Rizespor's Iraqi left-back/left-wingerย Ali Adnan Kadhim, 21, is one of the top Asian footballing prospects.
Unlike the archetypalย Iraqi footballerโlow centre of gravity,ย skilfulย and overly reliant on finesse playโKadhim combines physical prowess with technical excellence.ย
He has been monitored closely since he was named a key player by the FIFA technical studyย at the FIFA U20 World Cup, per FIFA.com: "Tireless and competitive left-sided defender with the ability to launch attacks and make dangerous crosses."
16. Tom Ince
15 of 30
Hull City's English right/left-wingerย Tom Ince, 22, has experienced a roller coaster of emotions.
He went from being an Inter Milan transfer target to playing forย Nottingham Forest on loan.
Back at Hull City,ย Ince has spent some games as anย observer starting and finishing the match on the bench.ย ย
Wheneverย Hull City play wing-backs,ย Ince is a misfit in the system.
15. Raul Jimenez
16 of 30
Atletico Madrid's Mexican centre-forwardย Raul Jimenez, 23, was the biggest loser whenย Fernando Torres came home.ย
It effectively endedย Jimenez's chances of becoming a starter underย Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone.
Like whenย Atletico Madrid first signedย Diego Costa,ย Jimenez is still a project, so a loan is on the cards.
He is raw, but he has the qualities to potentially become aย serviceableย No. 9 in European top-flight football.
He has the physical tangibles, has a good first-touch and has been enthusiastic in his attempts to make the grade atย Atletico Madrid.
14. Alvaro Medran
17 of 30
Real Madrid's Spanish central midfielder Alvaro Medran, 20, has made a small impression in limited minutes.
He completed several nice passes throughout his cameo appearances and scored as an impact sub againstย Ludogorets Razgrad.
The factย Medran has even featured in 24 minutes combined La Liga and UEFA Champions League play tells you he is a quality midfielder.ย
Sure, he might not be starting material at Real Madrid, but he could be for a mid-tier La Liga team.
13. Salih Ucan
18 of 30
Fenerbahce's Roma loaneeย Salih Ucan, 21, has made aย bad first impression.
He has only played one minute in Serie A andย Roma need to decide if he is worth anย โฌ11 million transfer fee.
Right now, it's a big no.ย
Though, there is potential, hence why he was selected by the FIFA technical study group as a key player at the FIFA U20 World Cup, per FIFA.com: "Dynamic central midfielder with good technique and passing skills."
12. Emiliano Martinez
19 of 30
Arsenal's Argentine goalkeeperย Emiliano Martinez, 22, has gone from bolting into the starting XI to now back to being third-choice.ย
Behindย David Ospina andย Wojciech Szczesny,ย Martinez needs to consolidate his future.
Sitting and watching is not going to further his development.
11. Jason Davidson
20 of 30
West Bromwich Albion's Australian left-back Jason Davidson, 23, is good enough to play in the Premier League.
Davidson is an energetic, committed and all-round full-back.
Butย he has endured a difficult start atย West Bromwich Albion being the third-choice left-back.
Behindย Sebastien Pocognoli andย Chris Baird,ย Davidson needs to start thinking about finding a club that will give him regular starts.
10. Florian Jozefzoon
21 of 30
PSV Eindhoven's Dutch left/right-forwardย Florian Jozefzoon, 23, is a rotation player.
He is an occasional starter but used more off the bench.ย
Jozefzoon has rapid acceleration and routinely takes on opposing defenders.
Though, he could be the main man on a mid-tier/bottom-tierย Eredivisie team, which may enhance his career.
9. Luca Caldirola
22 of 30
Werder Bremen's Italian centre-backย Luca Caldirola, 23, has been a liability.ย
He only completes 53.3 percent of his tackles and has the second worst Kickerย (in German)ย rating for aย Werder Bremen player.
He could be anotherย Andrea Barzagli: a flop in Germany, but a success post-Bundesliga.
8. Mohamed Salah
23 of 30
Chelsea's Egyptian right/left attacking midfielderย Mohamed Salah, 22, is a glorified squad-filler.
It is a testament to how deepย Chelsea's squad depth is thatย Salah, a dynamic and fast footballer, is not even a regular super-sub, let alone a starter.ย
Salah has only played 30 minutes in the Premier League this season.
7. Christian Atsu
24 of 30
Chelsea's Ghanaian right/left attacking midfielderย Christian Atsu, 23, has been nondescript on loan atย Everton.
He has only played 70 minutes in the Premier League this season, so it is pointless to keep him at Everton.
Chelsea need to re-assignย Atsu to a team that will appreciate his pace and incisive dribbling.
6. Iago Aspas
25 of 30
Liverpool'sย Sevilla loaneeย Iago Aspas, 27, is the least of the Reds' problems.ย
That is whyย Liverpool probably don't even careย Aspas has only played 89 minutes in La Liga.
From one of the best players in Spain to a squad player atย Sevillaโtalk about a fall from grace. Liverpool need to recall him and loan him to a team that will give him regular playing time.
5. Doria
26 of 30
Marseille's Brazilian centre-backย Doria, 20, has beenย discarded without even being given a chance to showcase his talent.
What a waste ofย โฌ10 million.
Doria was never a signingย Marseille managerย Marcelo Bielsa wanted.
"I found out about the Doria signing on Monday afternoon when he was arriving for his medical,"ย Bielsa said, perย Hamish Mackay at theย Daily Mail. "I opposed it."
4. Jose Pozo
27 of 30
Manchester City's Spanish deep-lying forwardย Jose Pozo, 18, has experienced first-team football this season.
This shows you how highly-rated he is toย Manchester City managerย Manuel Pellegrini.
Pozo should be loaned out like otherย Manchester City prospects:
3. Mitchell Weiser
28 of 30
Bayern Munich's German right-winger/right-backย Mitchell Weiser, 20, has the characteristics to be a successful footballer in theย Bundesliga.
He is speedy, able to penetrate opposing defences and can finish with either feet.
It was a nice gesture fromย Thomas Muller to race through on goal and then play in a wide-openย Weiser during a 4-1 friendly win against the Qatar Stars.ย
Sure, it is a meaningless match, but it would have givenย Weiser, who has been a bystander for most of his Bayern Munich career, a temporary confidence boost.ย
That was evident because he later cut in from the right and finished with his left.
2. Ravel Morrison
29 of 30
West Ham United's English central attacking midfielderย Ravel Morrison, 21, has become aย disreputable outcast at another club.ย
This is why his agentย Barry Silkman is drumming up hype inย Morrison; a troubled prospect.
"Wherever [Morrison]ย goes is his last chance. Ravel could get into Arsenal's team tomorrow. His ability is unbelievable, he is fantastic,"ย Silkman said, perย Billy Denny at talkSPORT.ย "Whoever gets Ravel now will get the best deal that's been done this century in football."
Able to skip past opposing defenders withย minimal effort,ย Morrison is one of the most gifted footballers of his generation.ย
He needs to get his act together.
1. Adnan Januzaj
30 of 30
Manchester United's Belgian right/left-wingerย Adnan Januzaj, 19, should be kept as a super-sub.
But, he is aย square peg in a round hole whenย Manchester United managerย Louis van Gaal uses wing-backs, which opens up the possibility of being loaned out.
Januzaj has only started 36.4 percent of Premier League games he has been involved in this season.
When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com.ย
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