10 Footballers Who Ruined Their Career
Footballers who made the wrong move!
Sadly for some footballers, they just make stupid transfers at stupid times which eventually end up in them ending their careers.
Whether it’s money talking or a big-name club luring them away, footballers rarely show loyalty to one team these days, but a lot of the time, transfer simply don’t work out and here at SillySeason, we are going to look into 10-transfer that simply flopped.
10 Footballers who ruined their Careers
Not only did the transfer not pay off, but it also killed the careers of said player making the move. So sit back, and laugh at these transfers and the effects it had on their career.
10. Alex Song to Barcelona
Starting the list of the 10 Footballers Who Ruined Their Careers is Alex Song.
After establishing himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League with Arsenal, he attracted the interest of Spanish giants FC Barcelona. The Catalan side stumped up £19million to lure the Cameroon international away from the Emirates Stadium.
Despite Barcelona splashing out £19 million, the midfielder failed to get into the XI and struggled to break the partnership of the likes of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta.
Song has just recently spent the season out on-loan with Premier League side West Ham United after being told he has no future at the Nou Camp.
9. Robbie Keane to Liverpool
Another high profile name on the list after having a very successful spell at Tottenham Hostpur is Robbie Keane.
The striker made his dream move to Liverpool back in 2008 for £20 million, but he simply failed to impress at Anfield and couldn’t establish his White Hart Lane form.
The Irish man lacked confidence in front of goal and managed to bag only 7 goals in 28 appearances for the club before reuniting with Tottenham the following year.
8. Alberto Aquilani to Liverpool
Taking up number 8 is Alberto Aquilani who also ruined his career by joining Liverpool in 2009.
The midfielder moved from AS Roma for £17 million, however he didn’t spend a long time at Liverpool as his move to Anfield was filled up with loans.
In 2010 he joined Juventus on loan and then in 2011 he joined AC Milan on yet another loan.
7. Jack Rodwell to Manchester City
A young Englishman that ruined his career by moving to Manchester City. It was between Jack Rodwell and Scott Sinclair but we went for the former.
The young centre-midfielder was highly-rated after impressing at Everton, but once the lure of City came, he quickly left Goodison Park for the Etihad Stadium.
However, his move failed as he couldn’t break into the first-team, and he’s now at Sunderland.
Jack Rodwell takes up 7th spot on the 10 Footballers Who Ruined Their Careers.
6. Robinho to Manchester City
In 2008, Manchester City broke the bank to lure the Brazilian to Manchester as it cost them £33million for Real Madrid to part ways with him.
City managed to persuade the forward to snub Chelsea in order to join them and he was the first real marquee signing after the club got taken over.
Sadly for him and the club, he simply couldn’t settle in England and swiftly moved on to AC Milan after a failed spell.
5. Andy Carroll to Liverpool
After the sale of Fernando Torres to Chelsea for £50m in 2011, Liverpool needed a striker who could replace the Spaniard.
Andy Carroll was that man as he joined Liverpool the same day Torres left. The Reds spent £35m of the £50m raised on the Newcastle United striker, but sadly, it was £35m wasted as he failed to show his St James Park form.
Carroll couldn’t last two seasons at Liverpool as in 2012 he was loaned to West Ham United before finally making a move to the London club permanently in 2013 in a deal worth just £15m.
4. Juan Sebastian Veron to Manchester United
Juan Sebastian Veron was one of the best players during his playing time before Sir Alex Ferguson broke the bank for the Argentinian‘s services.
With his hefty price tag in 2001 the pressure was on him to shine for United but unfortunately things didn’t go as everyone expected as he turned out a complete flop at the club.
Managing just seven goals in 51 appearances for United, he finally left and joined Chelsea in 2003 for £15 million.
3. Andriy Shevchenko to Chelsea
Andriy Shevchenko takes up 3rd spot on the 10 Footballers Who Ruined Their Careers following his move to Chelsea FC in 2006.
In 1999 Andriy Shevchenko joined AC Milan for a fee of $25m from Dynamo Kyiv and established himself as one of the most lethal strikers in the world.
In 2006, he joined Chelsea for a fee £30.8 million. However, he simply couldn’t adapt to the style of football in England and struggled to find the back of the net.
In 2008 he was loaned back to AC Milan before joining Dynamo Kyiv permanently in 2009.
He arrived as the best striker in the world, but left as a massive flop.
2. Ricardo Kaka to Real Madrid
A world class player who has such great talent makes the list of the 10 Footballers Who Ruined Their Careers.
Ricardo Kaka had seven great years with AC Milan, winning the FIFA Ballon D’or in 2007.
He then joined Real Madrid in 2009 for a reported fee of £65m, but he couldn’t show his Milan form as he struggled to impress at the Bernabeu.
After four years of failure at the Spanish club, Kaka decided to reunite with AC Milan in 2013 before joining his current club Orlando City in the Major Soccer League.
1. Fernando Torres to Chelsea
Fernando Torres tops the list of the 10 Footballers Who Ruined Their Careers.
On 27 January 2011, Torres joined Chelsea on the transfer deadline for the then British record of £50 million making him Chelsea‘s most expensive signing in the history of the club.
With his hefty price tag Torres had alot to prove at The Bridge but everything went horribly wrong as he failed to establish himself at the club for four years before leaving on loan to AC Milan.
After a few games at the start of 2015 he was again loaned to his youth club Atletico Madrid where he is showing signs of regaining his form.