Footballers need to stop returning to their former clubs, because, on many occasions, the reunion is not always as rosy as planned.
Many players are on record to have returned to a football club they starred for or developed in. The players believed that returning ‘home’ would be the best decision to make at that time. But this is not often the case.
However, this is not to say that there are footballers who have not excelled upon their return to their former clubs. But it looks as though the tides have turned, and such moves end up in déjà vu, and the players regret the moves at the end.
A player like Didier Drogba is one player who enjoyed a successful spells with the Chelsea football club, scoring many goals and winning important trophies.
Recall that the former Ivorian international lifted the Champions League trophy (2012) in the twilight of his stint at Chelsea scoring a decisive goal in the final of the tournament.
Players like Thierry Henry for Arsenal, Juninho for Middlesbrough Football Club, and Robbie Fowler for Liverpool, enjoyed the good returns to their clubs.
But some players’ inability to reestablish themselves at their former clubs is more pronounced than the aforementioned. The three top players who made regrettable moves back to their former clubs are analyzed below:
3 Players Who Should Not Have Gone Back to Their Former Clubs
- Romelu Lukaku
The current loan move back to Inter Milan for Romelu Lukaku says a lot regarding his decision to move to Chelsea FC last summer.
The 29-year-old Belgian intentional striker returned to Chelsea last season for a record £97.5m after an impressive spell with Inter Milan. He was returning to a club where he had spent many years, albeit on loans.
He has been unable to break into the Chelsea team for many years. But after an impressive season with the Italian outfit, he decided to return ‘home’ to prove his worth. Well, it didn’t work as planned as the striker was unable to make the starting eleven for many parts of the season.
All eyes will be on the striker next season as he tries to break back into an Inter Milan side that has a new manager from the last two seasons while Lukaku was there.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United last summer after leaving the Club 12 years ago as the World’s Best player for 80 million GPB.
Things did not go as planned upon his return to a highly depleted Manchester United side. After an impressive appearance and scoring important goals, the Club ended the season trophyless and outside the Champions League spot.
Although he managed to score 18 goals in the league, playing under three different managers in one season is not something the Portuguese superstar would have hoped for.
Over the weekend, reports made the rounds that Ronaldo has asked to leave the Club as he aims to play Champions League football next season.
3. Paul Pogba
Also leaving Manchester United in 2012, Paul Pogba returned to Manchester United for a second spell on a record fee of €105 million (£89.5m) in 2016.
After his impressive career in Juventus and winning the World Cup with France, Pogba’s return to his boyhood club is nothing short of disappointing.
His return was marred by various criticisms both on and off the field. As a result, he ran down his contract with the former English giants and is expected to rejoin Juventus.
Based on the aforementioned examples, it appears footballers need to stop returning to their former clubs.
