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There is no denying that every manager has his favorite. While they have moved on from a club, there have been some of the players who have tagged along, as they wouldn't want to play with or under anybody else. The fact that the future of a player completely changes with the introduction of a new boss is something they keep in mind, and thus they too sometimes try to follow the footsteps of their former bosses.
There have been instances when the players have been signed by the manager on multiple occasions and for multiple clubs, Ricardo Carvalho is one of the examples as he was signed twice by none other than Jose Mourinho. We all have our idols, and for these sportsmen, managers are probably their biggest influence. Hence, let's look at five such players who have followed their managers wherever they went, to another club or another country.
#5 Marouane Fellaini and David Moyes
David Moyes may have not given his best at Old Trafford after his much evident sacking was something that put steep plummet on his managerial career for long and for good. However, he was able to make some signings who have stuck to the Red Devils till date.
Once such inclusion was the Belgian holding midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who was signed by Moyes after he left the Toffees for the Old Trafford, assuming the mantle left behind by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Moyes stated that he had already planned on signing the Belgian the moment he heard the news of his departure.
"He can play higher up, if we need it, behind the striker or as a defensive or holding midfielder. In any position in the middle of the field he's comfortable"
It was obvious for Fellaini to move to Old Trafford as Moyes had him in his radar.
#4 Thiago Alcantara and Pep Guardiola
Thiago was surely shy of chances back when he was playing for Barcelona, as with the likes of Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Sergio Busquets, and Cesc Fabregas being the frequent starters up in the midfield, the Spaniard had no chance in order to play up as a first team player, to show what he was truly capable of.
However, after the saddening departure of Pep Guardiola back in 2013, Thiago looked like he was all set to make a move, as the Spanish manager made him one of his priorities in the summer transfer window.
Delighted by the offer, Thiago, without hesitating, joined the German giants, following his former manager. Since then, however, the Spanish international has been in the books of Bayern Munich as a first choice midfielder, combining with the likes of Corentin Tolisso and James Rodriguez.
#3 Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Mourinho
Carvalho was signed by none other than Jose Mourinho not once but on two different occasions. The Portuguese centre-back has played with the self-proclaimed 'Special One' for more than a decade.
He was initially playing for Porto before the arrival of Jose Mourinho in 2002. After taking the Champions League title in 2004, Mourinho departed for Stamford Bridge and signed the Portuguese star as soon as he arrived. He then established himself as one of the most important defenders for the Blues back in the mid-2000s
However, the cycle did not end here as Mourinho, while in charge of Real Madrid in 2010 made yet another offer to Carvalho while he was a Chelsea player. Without a shadow of a doubt, Carvalho became a Real Madrid player in no time at all. Well, it is sure that Ricardo Carvalho is one of his favorite players and none can change that particular fact!
#2 Jermain Defoe and Harry Redknapp
Well, he may have not won a major trophy in his career that spans for almost two decades, there is definitely no denying that he is one of the stardusts of the Premier League being the ultimate goal poacher that he truly is.
Defoe is most notably known for his time with the Tottenham Hotspur side in the mid-2000s to early 2010s. His career has surrounded around some of the most infamous managers in English football. One such person being none other than Harry Redknapp.
Redknapp is often credited for giving Defoe the start of his career with West Ham back in 1999 while he was in charge. The cycle had only begun as Redknapp signed him for Portsmouth in 2008, however, as soon as the English manager signed him all over again in 2009, after his immediate departure from Portsmouth to Tottenham, it spoke volumes about the trust that Redknapp had in Defoe.
#1 Jorginho and Maurizio Sarri
Maurizio Sarri's arrival from Napoli has been more than just a revelation for the Blues, as he has completely flipped the way Chelsea used to function under Antonio Conte, bringing back the famous possession-based football system and the good ole' 4-3-3 formation that enables playmaking. His first signing? Well, we all saw it coming as the holding midfielder from Napoli was bought to the Stamford Bridge almost immediately.
His arrival has bought a lot more than what Chelsea can cherish, as he now lies in the middle of the Chelsea machinery playing as a holding midfielder, allowing the likes of N'golo Kante to move forward and take up a more aggressive role for his team.
While being a defensive midfielder is a specialty, the Italian can also play as a central midfielder. It looks like Jorginho is one of Sarri's favorite and will continue to follow him wherever he goes.
