The
English Premier League is arguably the most competitive football league in the world, it is probably also the toughest. There are a ton of brilliant players who have dominated in leagues all around the world, but for some reason just couldn’t cut it in England. These are some of the best football players who dominated elsewhere, but who couldn’t quite hack it in the Premier League.
Iago Aspas – Liverpool
Image source: en.as.com
When Iago Aspas joined Liverpool in 2013, he probably thought that he was set for an amazing career alongside Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.
Instead, he found himself watching from the bench most of the time and only managed one assist in 14 appearances for the Reds.
But, it turns out the Spaniard was just in the wrong league. After leaving Merseyside in 2015, Aspas would go on to score at will for his hometown club, Celta Vigo. He managed to net 18 goals in his first season with the club and has since followed up with 27, 23 and 21 since.
The Spanish forward is now worth roughly £22m, £17m more than when he played in the EPL.
Memphis Depay – Manchester United
Image source: sportbible.com
Even Memphis Depay didn’t think he was good enough for Man United or the Premier League, and in all fairness, he wasn’t wrong. The Dutch winger only managed to score twice in 33 matches for the Red Devils.
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Then-manager Louis van Gaal defended Depay saying that he just needed time to settle in and that he would soon find his feet. But that too wouldn’t last long. Following some dodgy performances, Van Gaal was sacked and Mourinho hired, that marked the beginning of the end of Depay’s United career.
In January 2017, the Dutchman was sold to Lyon where he quickly found the going a lot less tough. He has since scored 38 goals in 93 appearance for in the Ligue 1 and has boosted his value to roughly £41m.
Florian Thauvin – Newcastle
Image source: skysport.com
Florian Thauvin joined Newcastle in the 2015/16 season and it was thought that he would have an immediate positive impact for the Magpies – but it wasn’t to be.
Thauvin failed to score, or even assist, in his 13 appearances for the club and was promptly shipped off to Marseille where, at first, he didn’t do much better – netting twice in 16 games. But the following season would prove to be a lot more successful for the Frenchman who went on to score 15 goals and play a hand in another 10.
Thauvin has managed to find the back of the net 78 times in more than 220 matches in the French Ligue 1, and has boosted his value from £11m to a massive £41m – making him one of the most valuable players in the league.
Andrej Kramaric – Leicester City
Image source: footballtransfertavern.com
In January 2015, Kramaric attracted interest from all over Europe and, in particular, the Premier League where both Chelsea and Leicester were interested in signing the Croatian center-forward.
After learning that Chelsea wanted to send him straight out on loan after joining them, Kramaric opted to sign for the Foxes but that was just about all he did right for the club. After scoring just two goals in 15 games for Leicester, he was sent out on loan to TSG Hoffenheim and then promptly sold to the club at the end of his loan spell.
Both Chelsea and Leicester will be kicking themselves for not giving the Croatian a fair shot at the Premier League. After leading Hoffenheim to a spot in the Champions League as the leading goalscorer, Kramaric has become one of the most valuable players in the world and would probably walk into most Premier League teams’ starting XI.
Diego Forlan
Image source: bleacherreport.com
Diego Forlan is arguably the only player in this list who was given a proper shot at making it in the Premier League. Playing for Manchester United, the Uruguayan only managed 10 goals in 63 appearances – finding the back of the net for the first time in his 34
th outing for the club.
Forlan has been the butt of many jokes in the Premier League, and never really fit in with the Red Devils. That being said, he would go on to become one of the most dominant players of all time in the Spanish La Liga.
After being sold to Villarreal in 2004/05, and then later to Atletico Madrid, Forlan would go on to score 128 goals in 240 matches in the league, making himself one of the most revered strikers in the world.
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