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Transfers, especially big-money moves, are a career-defining moment in the lives of many players. It is often a step up from their current clubs and something that will put them in the limelight and help them achieve individual & collective accolades on a consistent basis. However, that is not the case for every player.
There are times when some players make such big decisions in haste or by looking at the money on the table. Moreover, they fail to take into account their value at their current club and pursue what they consider to be their "dream move". Unfortunately, as we know, not every transfer works out the way it should due to one reason or another.
On that note, let's take a look at 5 players who should not have left their former clubs.
#5 Paul Pogba (Juventus-2016)
Paul Pogba returned to Juventus last summer on a free transfer but it is often argued that the Frenchman should have never left the club back in 2016.
The Manchester United academy product was let go by the Red Devils in 2012, which led to him joining the Turin outfit on a free transfer. Under Antonio Conte, he turned into an incredible box-to-box player, often playing as an attacking midfielder in a 3-5-2 formation.
During his four seasons at the club, Pogba registered 34 goals and 40 assists in 178 matches while also winning four Serie A titles and reaching the 2015 UEFA Champions League final.
But the 2018 World Cup winner decided to re-join Manchester United in 2016 for a then-world-record fee of €105 million. In his first season, he helped the club win the EFL Cup & the UEFA Europa League before ensuring a 2nd place finish in the Premier League in the following campaign. However, it was only downhill from there for him as he would blow hot & cold in sub-standard seasons for the Old Trafford outfit.
As mentioned before, he returned to Juventus on a free transfer this summer, managing 39 goals & 51 assists in 226 matches for Man United. A huge waste of his peak years, the midfielder would have been better suited to staying at Juventus and becoming a club legend instead of following the money to England.
#4 Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
Alexis Sanchez was once arguably the best winger in the Premier League but things have not gone his way in the last five years.
The Chilean, after being used as a squad player for multiple years in some great Barcelona teams, joined Arsenal in 2014. The attacker became a revelation under Arsene Wenger through his skill, technique and endless energy.
Moreover, he coped well with the pace & strength of the Premier League, thereby making him a constant threat for opposition defenders. In his three-and-a-half seasons at the club, Sanchez recorded 80 goals & 45 assists in 166 matches.
However, the winger decided to part ways with the club in January 2018, in a swap move that saw him join Manchester United, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan going the other way. Sanchez did not look like the same player at Old Trafford, thereby leading to him joining Inter Milan on loan in 2019 a move that became permanent the following summer. Although he did not play a focal role for Nerrazzuri, he did help them win their first Serie A title in a decade in 2021 before joining Marseille last summer.
The winger has been performing well this season for the French club, but has only managed 36 goals and 29 assists in 159 matches over the last five years. An alarming statistic for a player who was once at the top of English football, Sanchez would have been better off staying at the Emirates.
#3 Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool)
Philippe Coutinho is one of the few players who left Jurgen Klopp & Liverpool during his peak years.
The Brazil international, after multiple decent campaigns with Inter Milan, joined Liverpool in January 2012. It took him less than a year to become one of the most important players at the club, with his creativity, trickery & vision on the ball, becoming a fan favorite in no time. The attacking midfielder was also instrumental for the Reds in the 2013/14 campaign, when they narrowly lost the Premier League title to Manchester City.
But many believed after Jurgen Klopp's arrival in 2015 that Coutinho could now explode under one of the best managers of the current generation. However, after just two-and-a-half seasons under the German boss, the South American decided to join Barcelona for €160 million (including €40 million in add-ons). The Reds later used that money to sign Virgil Van Dijk & Alisson Becker, who have since helped them win multiple trophies.
However, things went south for Coutinho, who could just not fit in at Barcelona, only managing 25 assists & 14 goals in 106 matches for the club. During this period, he also went on loan to Bayern Munich and helped them thrash Barcelona 8-2 in the 2020 UCL semi-final, before winning the competition.
Coutinho later joined Aston Villa on a loan deal and has since joined them permanently. The Brazilian has so far registered only six goals and three assists in 41 matches for the Villa Park outfit. Although Liverpool never seemed to miss the attacking midfielder, the 30-year-old should have never left Anfield and instead could have become a part of their glorious success over the last five years.
#2 Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Eden Hazard is already regarded as a Chelsea legend by many sections of the fanbase but it is often argued that he should have never left the club in 2019.
The Belgian international joined the Blues in 2012 from LOSC Lille and was an instant hit with the club's supporters. The winger could play in multiple positions across the frontline, with his sensational dribbling skills becoming a nuisance for opposition defenders.
His strength on the ball was also underrated, something he displayed eloquently with his memorable solo strike against Arsenal in 2017. He scored many such scintillating goals and helped the West London club win two UEFA Europa League titles, two Premier League titles, 1 FA Cup & 1 Carabao Cup.
During his seven years at the club, he scored 110 times and provided 92 assists in 350 matches. Quite the icon, Hazard's last game at the club was Chelsea's 4-1 battering of Arsenal in the 2019 Europa League final as he scored twice and assisted once in the game.
He went on to join Real Madrid in the same summer for €150 million (including add-ons) and big things were expected of him. He was touted to be the heir to Cristiano Ronaldo but his performances have since not lived up to the billing. Over the last four years, Hazard has played in only 73 matches for Los Blancos, recording just seven goals and 11 assists during that period.
Injuries, inconsistent form, and an increase in body fat have been the downfall of the Belgian star, who has not been able to justify his price tag so far. Hence, the 32-year-old should have perhaps stayed at Chelsea, who would have also benefitted with an attacking leader like him in the ranks, something they dearly lack at the moment.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo has built an irreplaceable legacy in world football, because of which, there are only a few moments from his career that he shall be regretful of.
However, his decision to leave Real Madrid in 2018 has proven to be a massive mistake. The 5-time Ballon d'Or winner spent nine years at the Santiago Bernabeu, scoring 450 goals & provided 131 assists in 438 matches.
During this period, he won two La Liga titles, two Spanish cups, two Spanish Super Cups, three UEFA Super Cups & four UEFA Champions League titles. He was the main man across all these triumphs. Hence, it was surprising when he decided to join Juventus for €100 million.
Although he won multiple titles and scored 101 times in 132 matches for Juventus, he never won them the Champions League and left the club after just two seasons to re-join Manchester United.
The striker endured a topsy-turvy time during his second spell at Old Trafford as he scored 24 goals and provided 3 assists in 38 matches in his first season. The current campaign saw him play only 16 games, mostly coming off the bench, before his contract was terminated by the club following a controversial interview with Piers Morgan.
The striker has since joined Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, for whom he has scored eight times and provided two assists in 12 appearances. Hence, the Portuguese icon could have instead stayed at Real Madrid like many of the current legends at the club, and won several more domestic & European trophies.
