Top 5 players who are playing for their futures this season
Football is a sport of highs and lows. At one point, players and teams are at the very pinnacle of success, allowing the fans to kiss the badge with pride and celebrate in whatever way they can. At other points, clubs and players hit lows that take time to recover from.
Turning failures into success is no short-term project. It takes years of rebuilding and could involve several humiliations along the way. Just ask Barcelona, who won the treble in 2015 but are now remembered as the team that lost two games to Bayern Munich by a 11-2 aggregate scoreline.
Teams are not the only ones who suffer such a fate, however. Football has been riddled since its inception with players who often fail to sustain a peak, hit a trough and then struggle to get back up. Here, we look at five players who could be playing to hold on to their careers at their current clubs in the 2021-22 season.
#5 Gabriel Jesus | Manchester City
Gabriel Jesus is a tough player to analyze. The Brazilian has often provided Manchester City with a spark off the bench, which in turn leads to him receiving starts. But Jesus often fails to take that chance and is promptly placed back among the substitutes in due course.
There is little doubt about the forward's talent, however. Few would have been more confused than Jesus when the entire football community called City a team without a striker when Sergio Aguero departed this summer. The Cityzens' pursuit of Harry Kane also fell through. This prompted many to call the lack of a goalscoring forward, City's biggest weak link heading into the 2021-22 campaign.
Yet, the talk hasn't affected Jesus. The Brazilian has already scored three goals and assisted three more in seven matches this term. He finally seems to be grasping the opportunities that have come his way.
What a day! Very happy for this goal, this very important win for us and for the wonderful news. Expecting my first child. A celebration for a more than special moment!
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City still look set to try and sign Kane next summer, meaning Jesus is likely to be playing for his future at the Etihad this season. If that does prove to be the case, he has certainly begun the journey to prove his value to the club on the right foot.
#4 Anthony Martial | Manchester United
Anthony Martial has been repeatedly linked with moves away from Manchester United this summer. But as things stand, he looks set to continue at the club for at least another season.
Martial was considered a world-class footballer not long ago. The Frenchman was in devastating form during the 2019-20 season for the Red Devils, registering 23 goals and 12 assists. He was the top scorer for United that season.
Our top two goalscorers of 2019/20 ✔️
Our top two assisters of 2019/20 ✔️
@MarcusRashford 🤝 @AnthonyMartial https://t.co/cw1Tlb6qob
Since then, however, Martial has played 42 matches for the club and found the back of the net just seven times. The fall in his form has been undeniably massive and, more worryingly, the forward hasn't looked like ending this rut any time soon.
Selling Martial, who is still only 25, might be the best option for both parties. But if the Frenchman can find his feet again this season and break into a stacked United attack, he might just guarantee himself an extended stay at Old Trafford.