5 footballers who should move clubs to get their careers back on track
The world of football is ever-evolving and the aspect of player transfers is no different. One transfer can make or break a player's career. It could be a big move that perhaps came too early in their career; players like Alen Halilovic, Gabriel Barbosa, Malcom come to mind. Once touted as next big things now languish in anonymity.
It could also be a move which just wasn't the right career choice stylistically. Transfers like Alex Song to Barcelona, Kaka to Real Madrid, Timo Werner to Chelsea are prime examples of this.
The common thing these two lot of players have is that, perhaps the transfer choices they made permanently hampered their career. It prevented them from achieving the heights they were destined for.
It might be too late for the aforementioned players to resurrect their careers. However, the below list of five footballers, who made a similar mistake, still have a shot at redemption and bring their career back on track. Without further ado, let's get to them.
#1 Ryan Gravenberch
Ryan Gravenberch, the long-legged, lanky midfielder made his name at his boyhood club Ajax. With a strong 6'2" frame and silky feet, the Dutch midfielder has been touted as the next Paul Pogba. Gravenberch had already made over a 100 appearances for Ajax before by age 20.
The Dutchman made a move to German giants Bayern Munich last summer, but things did not turn out as he would have hoped. He only managed to get just over 550 minutes across 24 games in the Bundesliga last season, with 21 of his appearances coming from the bench.
A move to a club where he will get regular minutes could be the key to getting his career back on track. Liverpool were interested in the services of the Dutch midfielder. His passing range and ball carrying ability might just be what Liverpool need to fix their midfield woes. With the right move this summer, Gravenberch has the potential to revitalize his career and be on track to fulfill his immense potential.
#2 Donny van de Beek
Another former Ajax midfielder, who moved to Manchester United in 2020, Donny van de Beek has since struggled to adapt to the Premier League. A short loan spell at Everton started well but did not come to fruition as the 26-year-old midfielder would have hoped. He was part of a Toffees team that lost five of six Premier League games and was injured for eight games after that.
Van de Beek only made seven Premier League appearences for the Red Devils in the 2022-23 season. Regular playing time is key to his resurgence, be it at Manchester United or elsewhere.There was hope for his resurgence when Erik ten Hag, his manager during his best years at Ajax, was appointed as the new Manchester United boss. However, that did not materialise.
Injuries and high-level performances from Bruno Fernandes contributed to his lack of game time. Van de Beek needs to make a smart transfer move to a club, which compliments his profile and playing style to make a comeback to
#3 Christian Pulisic
'Captain America,' as he is referred to amongst the fans, Christian Pulisic dazzled in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund. He then deservingly earned a big money move to Premier League giants Chelsea in the summer of 2019. His €64 million transfer fee made him the most expensive U.S. player in the history.
Pulisic's Chelsea career has been filled with ups and downs. Although it cannot be termed as a total failure, lack of consistency and competition for places has prevented Pulisic from hitting the heights that his performances in Germany promised.
With his contract expiring in the summer of 2024, a move away from Stamford Bridge could well be on the cards. At 24 years of age, the American still has plenty of time on his side to overcome his injury woes and rediscover the form he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
#4 Pablo Torre
Spain keeps producing technically gifted midfielders one after the other, Pablo Torre is the next in line. The midfielder was one of the best players in the lower tiers of Spain at the age of just 18, playing for Racing Santander. He made 59 appearances across competitions, scoring 14 goals and giving 16 assists.
Barcelona took notice and signed the young midfielder for €5 million in the summer of 2022. With the likes of Pedri and Gavi, ahead of him in the pecking order, Torre was always going to find it difficult to break into the first team.
The Spain U21 international barely played any games and only started a league game in May when the title was mathematically sealed. Still only 20 years of age and showing glimpses of his magic in his cameos, his future might well lie at the Camp Nou. Although a loan spell away from the Catalan giants could do the Spaniard a world of good.
#5 Kalvin Phillips
It would be an understatement to say that it's not been a dream debut season for Kalvin Phillips at Manchester City. The midfielder was signed from Leeds United for a fee of around €49 million. Phillips only made two starts in the Premier League which came after Manchester City had been crowned champions.
Even though he enjoyed a treble winning season with the Citizens, it's hard to imagine he would be satisfied with only 21 appearances across competitions for the season. Manchester City's acquisition of Mateo Kovacic and pursuit of Declan Rice can be seen as a clear indication that Kalvin Phillips is not key for their future plans.
Still at his prime at 27, Phillips should not struggle to find suitors. His profile of being able to play as a lone pivot is a scarcity in the player market at the moment.