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The loan market has provided many players with an opportunity to go out and secure some much-needed game time at other football clubs.
Loan deals are often utilized to help develop young players by giving them a chance to maintain regular game time. They can also be used to reinvigorate stalling older players by offering them a change of scenery and pace, in the hope that they recapture their previous form.
Some loan signings have flourished with their performances this season, making their parent clubs sit up and take notice. However, others have had a struggling campaign out on loan, unable to achieve the reason for their loan spell.
So without further ado, here are five players who have flopped on their loan spells this season.
#5 Ainsley Maitland-Niles | Arsenal (on loan at Roma)
It has been a rather underwhelming season for Ainsley Maitland-Niles, with the star unable to find game time at Arsenal and failing to make his moments count with Roma.
It was reported that the star had intentions of leaving the Gunners during the summer. However, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta convinced the star to stay.
Although he stayed, Maitland-Niles made just 11 appearances for the Gunners and it fueled his decision to leave the club in January. Roma would come calling, giving the star an opportunity at a loan move. However, recent reports have stated that Maitland-Niles' performances for the Giallorossi have been underwhelming.
The Italian outfit are not likely to keep Maitland-Niles after his loan deal and there appears to be no place for the star in the first team at Arsenal.
#4 Luuk de Jong | Sevilla (on loan at Barcelona)
Many fans and pundits alike have questioned Barcelona's reasons for bringing Luuk de Jong to Camp Nou on a loan deal. The star was brought in during the summer by Ronald Koeman. However, life with the Blaugrana has proved to be underwhelming, to say the least.
Some Blaugrana fans have even argued that there was no need to even bring in de Jong, seeing as the club had signed fellow striker Memphis Depay.
The winter transfer window saw an influx of more attackers at Camp Nou, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joining the squad alongside Ferran Torres. Luuk de Jong's six goals in 22 appearances has been a sub-par return. However, it is even better than the return the star has had with Sevilla in the last two years - 19 goals in 94 appearances.
Barcelona will certainly not be signing the 31-year-old on a permanent transfer and his days at Camp Nou are numbered.
#3 Moise Kean | Everton (on loan at Juventus)
Despite emerging in Italy as one of the biggest prospects in European football, the youngster has had consecutive sub-par seasons. Unable to flourish properly at Juventus, where he graduated from the academy, the star was sold to Everton.
However, life with the Toffees proved difficult, with Everton eventually loaning Kean back to Juventus this season. His loan spell to PSG may have been impressive during the previous campaign but the star has stalled again.
In 29 appearances for the Bianconeri, Moise Kean has managed just five goals. This is a woeful return from a player who scored seven goals in 17 appearances for the same club when he was a teenager.
The higher-ups at Juventus will not be happy with Kean, especially because they brought the star in on a two-year loan deal. Reports have emerged that there is no break clause in the star's contract even though it was believed that Kean would return to England.
#2 Anthony Martial | Manchester United (on loan at Sevilla)
Anthony Martial leaving Manchester United to go on loan to Sevilla would have been deemed impossible when the star moved to Old Trafford in 2015. However, since he joined the Red Devils, Martial has struggled to find consistent form, enjoying only one season with more than 20 goals.
Last season, the star had just seven goals in 36 games, his worst output for the club. After managing to score just one goal in 11 games for the Red Devils this season, the star decided to leave on loan to pursue more game time.
His move to Sevilla was heralded as a potential change of fortunes, yet the Frenchman has faltered once more. Since his arrival, the 26-year-old has scored just once in eight appearances, and he has recently faced criticism from Sevilla supporters.
Reports have stated that he is unhappy with the situation at the Spanish club. Sevilla are also unhappy about spending money on a star who has not performed.
#1 Saul Niguez | Atletico Madrid (on loan at Chelsea)
If Saul Niguez remains at Chelsea after the end of the season, it won't be because of sublime performances but out of necessity. The Blues have not been keen to hold onto the Atletico Madrid star, especially because his performances have left many fans frustrated and unhappy.
However, current sanctions on club owner Roman Abramovich will keep the club from partaking in the transfer market. This means that the London club will need to keep all the players they have.
It won't be an easy feat either, as Chelsea are reportedly seeking a better understanding of the sanctions to see if they can sign Saul Niguez for another season.
The Blues have been unable to renew contracts of some key players, which will see Stamford Bridge lose a good number of key defenders. Saul Niguez may have been a poor fit at the club, playing just eight Premier League games so far. However, they will require all hands on deck due to the sanctions in place.
