20 Players Who Look Ready to Kick Their Careers Back into Life

Here are 20 footballers who have battled recent hardship and are either bouncing back or ready to kick their careers back into life.

The 20 European-based footballers, including Javier Hernandez, Marouane Fellaini, Thiago Alcantara et al., are ranked subjectively via a combination of three standards:

• Adversity faced.
• Current playing ability.
• Projected Upside.

Honourable Mentions

French central midfielder N'Golo Kante, 24, Caen.

Paraguayan right attacking midfielder/centre-forward, Raul Bobadilla, 27, Augsburg.

Spanish utility player Oscar de Marcos, 26, Athletic Bilbao.

Dutch centre-forward Michiel Kramer, 26, ADO Den Haag.

English goalkeeper Tom Heaton, 29, Burnley.

20. Julian Draxler (Schalke)

Schalke's German left/central attacking midfielder Julian Draxler, 21, is an afterthought when it comes to Bundesliga talents 21 years or younger.

The likes of Abdul Rahman Baba, Davie Selke, Hakan Calhanoglu and Johannes Geis are all outperforming Draxler.

Even Schalke team-mate Leroy Sane is more exciting than Draxler, who is slowly regaining his match fitness after tearing his hamstring last November.

"There's no pain anymore and I've trained well. It's clear that I'm not 100 per cent yet," Draxler said, per Schalke's website. "I'm still a way off from being at my best after being out for so long."

Draxler does not qualify for Kicker's Bundesliga player rankings, but his current rating would in theory place him as No. 190 out of 208 footballers.

Given how talented Draxler is, expect his ranking to rise quickly next season.

19. Clement Grenier (Lyon)

Lyon's French central attacking/central midfielder Clement Grenier, 24, exudes class with his set-piece prowess and his incisive passing. 

His career has stalled due to his body breaking down.

"My priority is to play football again. It's my job, my passion, my life," Grenier said, per Le Parisien (h/t Ian Holyman at ESPN FC). "I want to play again without pain, have a good end to the season before thinking about my future."

Playing as a right-sided central midfielder, Grenier had bright moments in his first start of the season during Lyon's 4-2 win over Reims. 

His corner led to Corentin Tolisso poaching a goal. 

It was Grenier's second assist in 110 minutes over three Ligue 1 games.

18. Riccardo Saponara (AC Milan)

AC Milan's Italian central attacking midfielder Riccardo Saponara, 23, never received the extended starting run he wanted at the San Siro.

He has played 307 minutes over eight games for AC Milan since 2013.

On loan at Empoli, Saponara is in his comfort zone.

Holding off Francesco Magnanelli, Saponara sprinted towards Federico Peluso and Francesco Acerbi, unleashing a shot which zipped past Andrea Consigli.

Saponara registered an assist and showed good finishing for a second goal, being involved in all of Empoli's goals during a 3-1 win over Sassuolo.

Success is a series of ups and downs rather than a straight-forward path, as illustrated in a message Saponara posted on Instagram. 

It applies to Saponara's career thus far.

17. Arkadiusz Milik (Ajax)

Ajax's Polish centre-forward Arkadiusz Milik, 21, could not cut it in the Bundesliga.

He scored a combined two goals in 709 minutes over 24 Bundesliga games for Bayer Leverkusen and Augsburg.

Punting on Milik's previous status as a wunderkind, Ajax have found their new No. 9.

Scoring 11 goals from 20 Eredivisie games, Milik's solid first season raises question marks over the role of Kolbeinn Sigthorsson moving forward.

Ajax opted to extend Milik's loan from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent deal for €2.5/£1.8 million.

16. Mitchell Weiser (Bayern Munich)

Bayern Munich's German right winger [1] Mitchell Weiser, 21, should have been committed from the outset.

Here are the red flags suitors need to consider before signing Weiser.

• Abandoned Bayern Munich II to go on holiday during preparation for the 2014 Regionalliga playoffs.
• Has previous history of ankle and knee ligament problems.
• Kicker (h/t a tweet via Bleacher Report's German football correspondent Clark Whitney) are reporting that Bayern Munich will not renew Weiser's contract.

Bayern Munich are arguably the best-run club in the world.

You can only assume there are underlying problems, possibly character-related, which Bayern Munich project will hinder Weiser going forward. 

Is Weiser the German Emmanuel Adebayor?

Performs like a star to win a contract, goes missing until the last year of his deal, then plays like a star again, rinse and repeat.

However, Weiser is an immensely talented footballer with quick feet.

Just ask Jens Hegeler, Genki Haraguchi, Marvin Plattenhardt and Per Ciljan Skjelbred.

Those were the four players who were bypassed by Weiser, as he provided the game-winning assist to Bastian Schweinsteiger in Bayern Munich's 1-0 win over Hertha Berlin.

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[1] Can function as a right/left-back.

15. Javier Hernandez (Manchester United)

Manchester United's Mexican centre-forward Javier Hernandez, 26, has a simple playing style, but it does not mean he should be pigeonholed as a super-sub/occasional starter at a major club.

Hernandez is unwanted by Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, despite being better than Radamel Falcao.

"Chicharito's future? I have sent him away already," Van Gaal said, per Marca. "When you score a goal—as he has just done for Real Madrid—are you suddenly different? I don't think so." 

Hernandez has scored four goals and provided one assist in his last five games on loan at Real Madrid.

If he moves to a mid-tier club in one of Europe's elite leagues, he has the capability of scoring 20 plus goals.

14. Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United)

Manchester United's Belgian central midfielder Marouane Fellaini, 27, should have been a big success from the start.

He was being coached by former Everton manager David Moyes at Manchester United.

Moyes had shaped Fellaini's career, yet he flopped under pressure.

"OK, I lost a bit of my confidence ... it was not a great season for me," Fellaini said, per Sky Sports. "A lot of people criticised me, but they forget quickly I played five great seasons [for Everton]."

Fellaini became a victim of the top-flight European football syndrome: It is a what have you done for me lately business.

Instead of pitying himself, Fellaini fought back.

Under Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, Fellaini is making up for lost time.

When Manchester United are in possession, Fellaini is a deep-lying forward, at times unbeatable in the air.

Without the ball, Fellaini is a midfield destroyer.

"From the first training session [Fellaini] did what I asked. He was open and he wants to perform," Van Gaal said, per Jamie Jackson at the Guardian. "He has always played for me because I am looking for balance."

13. Luis Muriel (Sampdoria)

Sampdoria's Colombian centre-forward Luis Muriel, 24, was underwhelming at Udinese.

Erratic performances, weight issues and injury problems meant he never became Udinese's version of Ronaldo Luis.

This is why Sampdoria paying €10.5/£8 million for Muriel was as odd as president Massimo Ferrero's comments about Rafael Benitez's weight.

Muriel is rebuilding his career at Sampdoria, scoring four goals having started five of the 10 Serie A games he has played in. 

He scored a superlative power-laced goal in a 4-2 defeat to Napoli.

12. Eric Bailly (Villarreal)

Villarreal's Ivorian centre-back Eric Bailly, 21, only played five games for Espanyol.

However, Villarreal bet on Bailly's potential and made a calculated gamble, believing he can fill the void left by Gabriel Paulista.

Proactive defending is the one attribute Bailly shares with Paulista.

Bailly averages 2.5 tackles and 3.4 interceptions per 90 minutes.

11. Mohamed Salah (Chelsea)

Chelsea's Egyptian right/left-forward Mohamed Salah, 22, was a glorified squad player at Stamford Bridge.

On loan at Fiorentina, Salah has become manager Vincenzo Montella's go-to guy.

"Salah deserves all the credit for his great impact on Serie A," Montella said, per Sky (h/t Football Italia). "I don't know the details of how we can buy him permanently, but I do know there's another year on his loan."

A one-man counter-attack, Salah has a penchant for extraordinary solo goals.

10. Bas Dost (Wolfsburg)

Wolfsburg's Dutch centre-forward Bas Dost, 25, was a one-season wonder at Heerenveen having had a modest career prior to his outstanding 2011/12 campaign. 

Scoring 32 Eredivisie goals landed a move to Wolfsburg, but his transition to the Bundesliga has been as frustrating as Marcus Berg when he signed for Hamburg from Groningen.

Dost has scored more goals this season (13) than his last two seasons combined (12) for Wolfsburg.

Despite world-class moments this season, Dost generally goes missing, which is a red flag.

9. Marco Sportiello (Atalanta)

Atalanta's Italian goalkeeper Marco Sportiello, 22, only started three Serie A games last season, acting as Andrea Consigli's deputy.

Consigli moving to Sassuolo has given Sportiello the chance to emerge as a breakout star this season.

He leads Serie A in saves (121) and has at times kept Atalanta in games they should have lost. 

If Atalanta avoid relegation, Sportiello would have played a substantial role in their survival.

8. Michy Batshuayi (Marseille)

Marseille's Belgian centre-forward Michy Batshuayi, 21, entered 2015 with a solitary Ligue 1 start under manager Marcelo Bielsa.

It appeared Batshuayi was in Bielsa's bad books like Doria.

Unlike Doria, who sought refuge via a loan to Sao Paulo, Batshuayi pushed on. 

Accumulating three braces in a five-game run has given Batshuayi the confidence he has needed.

He is set to be Marseille's week-in, week-out starting No. 9 should Andre-Pierre Gignac exercise his Bosman right to a free transfer in the summer.

7. Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)

Atletico Madrid's Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak, 22, spent 27 successive La Liga games watching Miguel Angel Moya.

Who is more experienced? 

Moya, but talent-wise, he is not even in Oblak's stratosphere, who is a once-in-a-generation goalkeeper. 

Pulling a hamstring, Moya's misfortune is the break Oblak has been waiting for.

Oblak accumulated eight saves in a 0-0 draw against Real Madrid, which was one of the most dominant performance from a footballer in the UEFA Champions League this season.

6. Patrick Herrmann (Borussia Monchengladbach)

Borussia Monchengladbach's German right/left-winger Patrick Herrmann, 24, seemingly regressed in the first half of the season, scoring three goals and providing one assist in 15 Bundesliga games.

In the following 13 Bundesliga games, Herrmann has scored seven times and registered two assists, which is why he is a tantalising footballer. 

He has looked like making a Marco Reus-esque jump since the 2011/12 season but always falls short.

He is currently placed at No. 26 out of 208 footballers in Kicker's Bundesliga player rankings.

Coincidentally, he is one spot higher than Reus, No. 27.

5. Karim Bellarabi (Bayer Leverkusen)

Bayer Leverkusen's German right-winger Karim Bellarabi, 25, needs to thank Sidney Sam.

Having negotiated a nominal release clause into his contract, Schalke came calling for Sam, whose exit, coupled with Robbie Kruse constantly rehabilitating his body, meant an unchallenged run for Bellarabi.

He was a flair player on loan at Eintracht Braunschweig last season.

Now Bellarabi is Bayer Leverkusen's most valuable player, tied with Heung Min Son in Bundesliga goals (11), while leading the league in dribbles per game (4.9).

Bellarabi is currently placed at No. 4 out of 208 footballers in Kicker's Bundesliga player rankings.

4. Nicolas Otamendi (Valencia)

Valencia's Argentine centre-back Nicolas Otamendi, 27, was not the dominant defender when he arrived from Porto.

Being undersized, a lack of concentration and not showing world-class upside is why Otamendi's transfer fee—€12/£9.9 million—did not match Manchester City paying Porto €40.1/£32 million to sign Eliaquim Mangala.

Yet, Otamendi has performed like a €40.1/£32 million-valued centre-back for Valencia.

Averaging 3.1 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, Otamendi's career-best form has contributed to Valencia having the second-best defence in La Liga (25 goals conceded from 33 games). 

3. Roman Burki (Freiburg)

Freiburg's Swiss goalkeeper Roman Burki, 24, was expected to be an adequate replacement for Oliver Baumann, who left for Hoffenheim.

But Burki has surpassed expectations by playing at a world-class level, which is surprising given he has immediately made the jump from the Swiss Super League to the Bundesliga without an adjustment period.

This is why Sebastian Mielitz, who has played 62 games in the Bundesliga and featured in the UEFA Champions League, is backing up Burki, rather than the other way around.

Ranked at No. 2 in Kicker's Bundesliga rankings for goalkeepers only, Burki's transfer stock is rising.

On the main list, Burki is placed at No. 6 out of 208 footballers.

Burki leads the Bundesliga in saves (131) this season.

2. Francis Coquelin (Arsenal)

Arsenal's French defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin, 23, has previously shown he could make the grade in the Premier League.

During the 2011/12 season, he averaged 4.6 tackles per 90 minutes and was 78 per cent likely to win the ball. 

However, his loan at Freiburg where he was played out of position and looked several steps behind play raised red flags over his competency at top-flight level.

His tackles per 90 minutes drastically dropped to 1.1.

Coquelin did not qualify for Kicker's Bundesliga player rankings, but his rating would in theory place him at No. 206 out of 216 footballers. 

Leading Arsenal in tackles per 90 minutes (4.1) this season, Coquelin has reinvigorated his career.

Fortunate circumstances, Coquelin's grit and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's curiosity are factors in one of the most feel-good comeback stories this season.

"[Coquelin] was not in my plans at the start of the season," Wenger said, per James Olley at the London Evening Standard. "The human being is a strange animal...the more you have suffered, the more you enjoy it."

1. Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich)

Bayern Munich's Spanish central midfielder Thiago Alcantara, 24, has reluctantly come to terms with his career stalling due to persistent ligament problems.

"Why always me?" Thiago said when told he was set for another emotionally taxing rehabilitation period, per UEFA.com. "But I will not give up. I will fight again. I will get back again."

Thiago is one of the most technically gifted footballers you will ever witness.

Combine his phenomenal skill with his high football IQ, his playing style will adapt to the physical limitations he encounters as his career prolongs.

He was instrumental in Bayern Munich's 6-1 UEFA Champions League win over Porto by scoring, creating and showing the world how talented he is. 

+allanjiang.

When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com.