Current football has changed to such an extent that there are stars who don’t have minutes on their teams, but they don’t have great ambitions to leave either. Some of them are victims of their own contracts, while others are the consequences of their coaches’ decisions. Next we analyze some of the clearest cases of players who are absent in the teams, although they should play but do not want to leave:
GARETH BALE
maybe that’s the case more clear of all that we are going to say. The Welshman doesn’t care if he plays for Real Madrid or not as long as he has time for his Wales team and to play a few holes of golf. Since September 2021 he has not been seen in an official match with the white team, who has decided not to renew his high contract this coming summer after disappointment upon disappointment with his behavior.
OUSMANE DEMBÉLE
The French striker has his future in the air and everything indicates that he will not renew with Barcelona. The culé club decided to remove him from the team until he prolongs his relationship with the team, something that is not going to happen at the moment. The player has enormous talent as one of the most skilled wingers in the world, but it is possible that he will go down in history as one of the most ruinous operations of the Catalans after paying 143 million.
DONNY VAN DE BEEK
The multiple changes of coach at Manchester United have taken away a footballer who amazed Europe in 2018 and for whom almost 50 million euros were paid. After playing just 380 minutes this season, the player’s market value has plummeted, forcing United to find a solution. There is talk that he may end up at Everton, but the player does not seem to want to pack his suitcase.
GABRIEL JESUS
After being one of the great participants in Guardiola’s last titles and with Kun Agüero out of the equation, it seemed that the Brazilian striker’s moment had to come at Manchester City. The player has gone from more to less to the point of being overtaken by many players, including a Sterling who had one foot out, to stay on the tightrope. He is not going to go out in this market and he has barely played 100 minutes in the last three games.
KEPA ARRIZABALAGA
The Chelsea goalkeeper has established himself as Mendy’s substitute in Chelsea’s goal and it seems that he has a difficult time reversing the situation. For the moment, the Basque goalkeeper has not asked to leave, but as soon as he is careless he will be left out of Luis Enrique’s plans for the next World Cup. The most expensive goalkeeper of all time -the ‘blues’ paid 80 million for him- is not meeting expectations even close.