5 superstars who need to change clubs to revitalize themselves
Sometimes it's astounding to us when players who've performed outrageously well in one season move to another team and suddenly start looking ordinary. No matter how talented a player is, unless he is playing for a side that complements his qualities, he will struggle.
We've seen this happen with multiple high-profile footballers in the recent past. Philippe Coutinho at Barcelona is a great example. At Liverpool, the team was built around Coutinho and he was the creator-in-chief of the Merseysiders before he left for Barcelona.
In Spain, Coutinho was just another cog in a team that had multiple superstars. His influence waned as he was no longer a central figure and was not handling the ball anywhere close to as much as he was at Liverpool. As a result, his form deteriorated and he has had an underwhelming stint with the Catalans.
He is currently on loan at Aston Villa and has done a pretty good job for the Premier League side so far since joining in January. In fact, he looks like a completely different player.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five superstars who need to change clubs to revitalize themselves.
#5 Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
After warming the bench at Manchester United in the first half of the 2020-21 season, Jesse Lingard was shipped out to West Ham on loan in January 2021. Over the course of the next few months, the Englishman showed us exactly what he is capable of when he is part of a team that's suited to his playing style.
The Hammers do a lot of counterattacking and Lingard's direct running and shooting ability helped them greatly. In 16 Premier League appearances for West Ham United in the 2020-21 season, he scored nine goals and provided four assists.
That's the level that Lingard is capable of performing at. However, he has since returned to his benchwarming duties at Manchester United and has more or less wasted an entire season.
The 29-year-old does not have a lot of time left and needs to cop a move as soon as possible because he is a much better player than his recent performances for the Red Devils would suggest.
He has started just a single Premier League game this season and has come off the bench on 12 occasions.
🏴 #MUFC
Jesse Lingard’s expected to leave Manchester United as free agent in June. He’ll be respectful and professional until end of the season - but the plan has not changed. 🔴🏴 #MUFC
Edinson Cavani’s also exploring options for his future as he’s gonna be out of contract in July. https://t.co/q5ILQzRZIG
#4 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Paul Pogba can be absolutely world-class on his day. However, he is not the most consistent footballer on the planet. Part of the reason why Pogba has failed to have the desired impact at Manchester United is because he is not the kind of player they need in midfield.
Manchester United need mobile midfielders and Pogba is quite limited on that front. His defensive discipline is poor. The Frenchman played his best football at Juventus when he had disciplined work-horses around him in midfield.
He is the kind of player who has to be given the freedom to use his creativity. This means sacrificing a bit of positional discipline.
The 28-year-old has done a good job this season, scoring a goal and providing nine assists in 21 appearances across all competitions. He can clearly do better for a team with a more balanced midfield.
Paul Pogba could be on his way back to Juventus #MUFC
talksport.com/football/10578…