5 transfers that damaged players' careers
Player transfers are always exciting. The anticipation and the payoff are all things that football fans get a kick out of. Football players also seek and sometimes secure dream moves to clubs that they would have dreamt of playing for.
However, this world is not exactly a dreamland and it's not all sunshine and rainbows. As such, sometimes life scripts tragedies instead of fairytales. Some players move to a different club and burgeon into world-class players. Some others, however, end up having their progress impeded after a joining a new club.
This can happen due to a multitude of reasons. On that note, let's take a look at some transfers that did not benefit the player or the club and in fact ended up damaging the player's career.
#5 Robinho to Manchester City
Robinho was billed to be the successor to the likes of Ronaldinho and Ronaldo (O Fenomeno). The nimble-footed Brazilian was Manchester City's first major signing under the new Middle-East owners and they were immediately lauded for the kind of ambition they showed to rope in Robinho from Real Madrid for £32.5 million.
The Brazilian was an exciting prospect and hit the ground running at the Etihad. He scored 14 goals in his first season and added much needed creativity to the Cityzens. However, he faded almost immediately after and scored just one goal in his sophomore season before being shipped back to his homeland on loan.
He was subsequently sold to AC Milan where he endured a dismal spell, scoring just 25 goals from 108 games. For all the promise that Robinho showed in his early days, he was reduced to an ordinary striker after his initial days at Manchester City.
#4 Kaka to Real Madrid
Kaka was perhaps the best footballer on the planet before Lionel Messi and Ronaldo took over. He was absolutely sublime at AC Milan and led from the front as the Rossoneri made it two UEFA Champions League finals.
Real Madrid saw a Galactico signing in Kaka and scooped him up for £68.5 million in 2009. The sum they paid was reflective of both Real Madrid's ambitions and Kaka's abilities. After all, Kaka had won the Ballon d'Or in 2007.
Kaka's move to Real Madrid did not work out though. At Real Madrid, Kaka was a shadow of the player that once slalomed through defences like knife through hot butter and was eventually overshadowed by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso.
As such, the move which was initially seen as the final step towards the pinnacle for Kaka is now looked at with disappointment.