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#3 Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere was once lauded as one of the biggest prospects in world football. He made his debut for Arsenal in 2008 at the age of 16. He became a regular member of Arsene Wenger's squad during the 2010-11 campaign and was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year for his consistent performances.
Wilshere suffered a stress fracture ankle injury in a pre-season friendly prior to the 2011-12 campaign. The injury kept him on the sidelines for seventeen months and ruled out his chances of making the England squad for the 2012 European Championships.
Wilshere maintained fitness over the next couple of seasons but continued to suffer ankle injuries. In his last four seasons at Arsenal, Wilshere could make only 60 appearances for the club.
The Englishman was able to rejuvenate his career at Bournemouth during the 2016-17 campaign and earned himself a move to West Ham in 2017. He made just 16 appearances in three years for the Hammers before being resold to Bournemouth in 2020.
#2 Micah Richards
Micah Richards burst onto the scene at Manchester City at the age of just 17. His physical presence, speed and versatility made him one of the brightest prospects in the Premier League.
Richards was a regular feature in Manchester City's starting line-up. He earned a call-up to the England national team at 18. He played a key role in Manchester City's first-ever Premier League triumph in the 2011-12 season.
Richards suffered a knee injury that ruled him out for a lengthy period the following season. He made just nine Premier League appearances in his next three seasons with the club before joining Fiorentina on loan in 2015.
The right-back joined Aston Villa in 2016, where he was able to revive his career. However, he continued to struggle with fitness issues and failed to appear in his last two seasons with the club before retiring in 2019.
#1 Abou Diaby
Diaby will forever be known as one of the big 'what ifs?' of the Premier League. The French midfielder was expected to be the next Patrick Vieira when he joined Arsenal. His physical presence and ball carrying abilities drew comparisons with the legendary Gunners midfielder.
Diaby suffered several injuries during his first three seasons with Arsenal, and was limited to just 39 appearances. He enjoyed a breakout campaign in the 2008-09 season and became one of Arsenal's key players over the next couple of seasons.
However, he suffered an ACL tear towards the end of the 2012-13 campaign. This resulted in him making just 12 appearances in his last three seasons with the Gunners. Diaby joined Marseille in 2015 but was unable to regain full fitness. He was limited to just five Ligue 1 appearances for the French side before retiring in 2017.
