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Another weekend of European footballing action culminated with a plethora of action and drama on Sunday. In Spain, Atletico Madrid were held to a draw whereas Barcelona ran out 2-0 winners against Villareal.
In Italy, the historically powerful clubs, Inter Milan and Roma engaged each other in a tense 2-2 draw. However, the highest ‘drama quotient’ was witnessed in England. On a day when three intra-city rivalries took centre stage, Arsenal’s stunning victory over Tottenham hogged all the limelight.
Arsenal’s charge was spearheaded by their summer signing Lucas Torreira. While the Uruguayan arrived at the Emirates with a burgeoning reputation, numerous players switched clubs to save their careers. Thus, bringing to light the fact that a change of surroundings is sometimes necessary in order to unlock one’s potential.
Through this article, we will take a closer look at players who have been re-energised after moving to a new environment in the summer. The players looked at are those whose careers had seemingly stalled before a summer move put them back on the footballing map.
Thus, without further ado, here is a look at them:
#5. Andre Silva (Sevilla)
The Portuguese arrived in Sevilla after a sub-standard year in Milan. Over the course of the 2017-18 season, Silva started just 7 league games, with the majority of his 24 league appearances coming from the bench.
With confidence at an all-time low, the Portuguese also lost his place in the national set-up to Guedes. However, the move to Sevilla represented the light at the end of the dark Milan tunnel.
In 13 league appearances this season, Silva has made the net bulge on eight occasions. Whereas the goal tally is impressive, it is his overall link-up play that has brought him back into the limelight.
Moreover, he was the driving force behind Portugal qualifying from their UEFA Nations League group, with him contributing 3 goals in four games.
In Spain, the Portuguese has looked a man reborn and seems primed to re-ignite his career. Once touted as a very bright prospect at Porto, Silva was in danger of never fulfilling his potential. Yet, a summer move to the right club at the right time might just have saved his blushes.
Hence, he makes our list at No.5.
#4. Axel Witsel (Borussia Dortmund)
The Belgian midfielder moved from China to the industrial city of Dortmund in the summer. Having spent a couple of seasons in the East, Witsel was in danger of not exploring his enormous potential. However, at 29 years of age, the Belgian made the right decision to move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Though the Chinese Super League has spent tons of money on players recently, it isn’t comparable to any of Europe’s top 5 leagues. Hence, a player like Witsel was effectively wasting his peak years in a league which wasn’t acclaimed worldwide.
After his summer move though, Witsel has deservedly gotten himself back into the conversation of the world’s best defensive midfielders. Blessed with the ability to break up play and spring counter-attacks from deep, the Belgian has laid a solid foundation for Dortmund’s young starlets to wreak havoc.
With Dortmund waltzing past everyone this season, one can expect Witsel to be fighting for top honours come the end of the season. While he might have been involved in some pressure games in China, nothing would beat the feeling of playing in front of the Yellow Wall in a Champions League semi-final.
With all due respect to the Chinese League, it would’ve been a shame if a player of the ilk of Witsel had spent his prime not being a part of one of Europe’s finest leagues. Thus, without a shadow of a doubt, he makes our list at No.4.
#3. Lucas Digne (Everton)
Lucas Digne became a part of Everton in the off-season. Along with Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes, he was one of three to have been acquired from Barcelona.
After bursting onto the scene as a promising left-back at PSG, he went on to play in the Eternal City with Roma. With a solid 2015-16 season under his belt, Barcelona came calling in the summer of 2016. While the move to arguably the biggest club in the world was appealing, it also led to the Frenchman’s career stalling.
At the Camp Nou, he was forced to play second fiddle to one of the world’s best left-backs, Jordi Alba. Digne featured intermittently and made a grand total of 29 league appearances across two seasons in Barcelona.
With the Frenchman facing the prospect of spending the peak years of his career on the bench, the Toffees came calling. Digne jumped at the opportunity and has shown glimpses of the ability that earmarked him for success at a young age.
In 12 league appearances this season, he has averaged 2.1 tackles a game in addition to 1.8 interceptions per game. While he has been defensively solid, his attacking play has added a new dimension to Everton’s play.
The Frenchman has been a constant menace down the left flank, providing 2.3 crosses per game and complementing it with 2 key passes every game.
Moreover, his displays for Everton have gotten him back into the reckoning for the national team.
There is absolutely no doubt that Digne’s talent was being wasted on the Camp Nou bench. Thus, his decision to move to the blue half of Merseyside was a stroke of genius.
Hence, he rounds off the top 3 of our list.
#2. Paco Alcacer (Borussia Dortmund)
The Spanish striker signed for Barcelona in the 2016 summer to replace Munir El Haddadi as the Blaugrana's back-up striker behind the famed ‘MSN’. As expected, the Spaniard didn’t turn out too often for Barcelona and was left warming the bench with uncomforting regularity.
In the summer, Borussia Dortmund struck a deal with Barcelona. The deal brought Alcacer to the Signal Iduna Park on a season-long loan with an option to buy if things turned out well. And boy, have they turned out well.
Despite making just a couple of league starts, Alcacer has made the net ripple on ten occasions. The super-sub has come on and turned games on its head, with his performances against Bayern Munich and Augsburg the shining lights.
With the Spaniard portraying a clinical edge in front of goal, a national call-up wasn’t far away. He played only 33 minutes in Spain’s UEFA Nations League campaign yet got himself on the scoresheet.
After impressing early in his career with Valencia, many believed his move to Barcelona would catapult him to the next level. However, the move was anything but that.
With his career spiralling downwards at an alarming rate, Alcacer needed to arrest the slide and his move to the Westfalonstadion has done exactly that. Hence, he deservedly takes the runner-up spot on our list.
#1. Xherdan Shaqiri (Liverpool)
Xherdan Shaqiri has enjoyed quite a career since his breakthrough at FC Basel. The Swiss’ precocious talent led to him being touted for greatness from a young age. After dazzling in his native land, he moved to Germany in 2012 to play for Bayern Munich.
At Munich, Shaqiri was always on the fringes, playing second fiddle to the legendary pair of Robben and Ribery. His career never took off and he didn’t fare any better after a move to Inter Milan in 2015.
The journeyman next travelled to England and turned out for Stoke City. Despite spending three seasons at Stoke, the Swiss never really realised his potential. Though there was the odd game where he displayed his immense talent, he wasn’t nearly as consistent. In May 2018, he reached the nadir of his career as he went down to the Championship with his club.
With the prospect of playing in the Championship looming large, Shaqiri’s career had hit a roadblock. Then, Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool came calling.
Though initially looked upon as a back-up, the Swiss, through sheer weight of performance, has put himself on the radar for a starting berth. Additionally, he has found the spark that had seemed to elude him since his Basel days.
Moreover, the move to Merseyside has helped him develop as a player. His development was on display when Switzerland swept past Belgium to enter the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League.
Shaqiri’s career was in doldrums at the start of the summer. If Klopp hadn’t shown faith in the Swiss, he could well have been plying his trade in England’s second tier. While the manager’s vision is commendable, the player also deserves credit for grabbing his chance with both hands.
Once dubbed the ‘Alpine Messi’, Shaqiri might finally unlock his vast potential at Liverpool. His summer move is the perfect example of a player resurrecting his career in newer surroundings.
Hence, he takes the top spot on our list.
