5 players who have returned to their former clubs this summer
The summer transfer window of 2021-22 has seen some crazy transfers take place. With the pandemic still going on, clubs have struggled with their finances but the money involved in the transfer window this season has been shocking.
That being said, some unbelievable homecomings have taken place this summer. To add, the homecomings took place very unexpectedly this summer. There's no doubt that it will be a delight for the fans to see their former players in their second spell. Let's look at the players back for their second stint.
#5 Eric Garcia (Barcelona)
Garcia graduated from Barcelona's famous youth academy, La Masia, before deciding to join Manchester City in 2017. The young Spaniard captained the U18s and U19s in his first year in Manchester. One would have expected Garcia to get more game time under City manager Pep Guardiola. But the Spanish manager wasn't quite convinced by his countryman.
Garcia has managed to make only 35 appearances in the last three years and therefore decided not to sign a new contract last season. City already have center-backs like Ruben Dias, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Ake and a make-shift center-back in Fernandinho and Rodri. Hence, Garcia wouldn't have gotten enough game time.
He returned to Barcelona this summer as a free agent. Unfortunately, his start to his Barcelona senior career hasn't been the best. The former Manchester City center-back was sent off in his second match for the Catalan club in a 1-1 draw against Athletic Bilbao. Out of all the homecomings this summer, this was probably the most anticipated one.
#4 Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
Young graduated from the Watford academy before signing for Aston Villa in 2007. Within two years, Young proved himself to be one of the best wingers in the league. He won the PFA Young Player of the Year in the 2008-09 season, earned a move to Manchester United.
Young spent nine years at United, starting out as a winger but with age, the Englishman started playing as a fullback/wing-back. In the summer of 2019, Young joined Inter Milan and the very next year he won Serie A with the Black and Blues.
This summer though, Young decided to rejoin Aston Villa despite receiving an offer from his former club Watford as well as Burnley. The decision to rejoin saw him sign a one-year contract with an option to extend it for another year. Young is likely to be used as a winger at Villa this season rather than being played as a fullback or wing-back.