Players ready for the next level?

Who are the players that are ready to take the step up to the next level and be a success?

The Next Level could be signing for a club that plays regular Champions League football or moving to a tougher league.

Recent Success
Evra - From Monaco To Man Utd
Vidic - From Spartak To Man Utd
Diego - From Porto To Bremen
Alves - From Malmö To Heerenveen
Rosicky - From Dortmund To Arsenal
Adebayor - From Monaco To Arsenal
Gourcuff - From Rennes To Milan

Failures - but still young & can turn things around, e.g. Diego.
Diego - From Santos To Porto
Robinho - From Santos To Real
Podolski - From Cologne To Bayern
Quaresma - From Sporting To Barca

Gareth Bale - going up a division this summer...

As should David Nugent.

Robinho isnt a failure you moron. In his first season he scored 12 goals in a new leauge, and new team. Thats more than what Ronaldinho did.

The summer before the move Robinho played numerous games for Santos and only had a 2 week vacation before the start of Liga.

This season he has hardly played, and longest run has been 3 games. And under Capello's tactics the wingers are doing more work defensivley than offensivley, due them having to track back.

Look at the likes of Ronaldinho, Kaka have virtually a free role where they play their game, create chances, if asked to track back more often they would hardly be as affective as they are. Also Capello idea of football is hardly Joga Bonito or Torque torque.

IMO i think Robinho has failed to make the impact that some people thought he would, but there is still time.

Robinho is a very good player, but he cost a shedload of money and so people expect miracles from the lad. He hasn't lived up to unreasonable expectations, but he's a damn good player.

Robinho's failures are more a product of the poor state of the club than his actual ability, in my opinion.

"Diego - From Porto To Bremen"

I agree with the success, but not as "next level". I think it is success within the same level. Porto European power is equal (or higher?) than Bremen.

The question is... will Diego be a success to the next level? (Inter, Real, Milan, Barça, Chelsea, Man Utd, ... even Bayern)

Florent Sinama-Pongolle

People took the piss when I said he would be a great striker at the start of the season. His record from his time with us is so skewed it's untrue. Something like 6 goals in 50 games, but less than 20 starts and most of them just 10 minute sub appearences.

Now he has 8 in 11 starts and a few assists I believe.

Cristiano Ronaldo - gone as far as he can at his present club, should be looking to go to a team with more future in terms of winning things.

I think the best one in this is off course Danny Koevermans.
From Sparta Rotterdam (first division at that time) to AZ. Now he is topscorer for AZ and is very close to get a Holland call up.

DANNY 4 ORANJE!

Players that are ready for the next level:

Mathieu Bodmer - Lille
Despite playing for a Champions League side, I think he is ready for the a larger League. He has been linked with AC Milan in the past.

Rio Mavuba - Bordeaux
Another Frenchman that will probably be leaving soon. The closest thing to a new Makelele. Still highly rated. But he may end up like Stephane Dalmat or Peter Luccin and not fulfill his potential.

Vagner Love - CSKA Moscow
I like this guy, strong and powerful but has all the right technical qualities as a striker. Was a handful for both Toure and Gallas at the Emirates in November. He will want a move to a bigger League soon.

Igor Akinfeev - CSKA Moscow
Everytime I have seen him for CSKA or Russia he is usually outstanding. As good as Cech when he was his age.

Curtis Davies - WBA
Cool and composed defender. Deserves to be playing in a top 10 Premiership side. Not WBA.

Rodrigo Palacio - Boca Juniors
Will surely be joining Gago and Higuain in Europe soon. Very good golascorer.

Gareth Bale - Southampton
Will be playing in the Premiership next season, whatever happens.

Is Rafa Sobis ready?

In fact anyone of these; Dudu, Elano, Ricardo Carvalho?

Sobis has only just joined Real Betis. He won't move on for a few years yet.

Cesc wrote:Sobis has only just joined Real Betis. He won't move on for a few years yet.

I see .. needs more time.

however, Elano recently said 'Get me out of here..'

Elano is one of a number of players at Shakhtar that deserves to be in a better league. They've got a major problem. The quality of the average Ukrainian team is akin to that of a top League One side at best. Shakhtar however are a decent UEFA cup team.

Chygrinsky, Marica, Brandao, Tymoshchuk, Duljaj, Jadson, Srna, Matuzalem, Fernandinho - all deserve to be playing in better leagues where they'd get more exposure. I'm not saying they're all world beaters, but they're good enough to play at decent clubs in the top 3 leagues. Brandao and Duljaj being the possible exceptions.

Cesc wrote:
Curtis Davies - WBA
Cool and composed defender. Deserves to be playing in a top 10 Premiership side. Not WBA.

Do what?

Obispo wrote:
Chygrinsky, Marica, Brandao, Tymoshchuk, Duljaj, Jadson, Srna, Matuzalem, Fernandinho - all deserve to be playing in better leagues where they'd get more exposure. I'm not saying they're all world beaters, but they're good enough to play at decent clubs in the top 3 leagues. Brandao and Duljaj being the possible exceptions.

I'm really surprised that no one picked him up this Summer.

Cesc wrote:
Curtis Davies - WBA
Cool and composed defender. Deserves to be playing in a top 10 Premiership side. Not WBA.

Like who? I don't see many(if any) top 10 sides which he could get into.

Cesc wrote:

Obispo wrote:
Chygrinsky, Marica, Brandao, Tymoshchuk, Duljaj, Jadson, Srna, Matuzalem, Fernandinho - all deserve to be playing in better leagues where they'd get more exposure. I'm not saying they're all world beaters, but they're good enough to play at decent clubs in the top 3 leagues. Brandao and Duljaj being the possible exceptions.

I'm really surprised that no one picked him up this Summer.

Surprised both he and Srna stayed there as long as they have. Srna I can understand I guess because he was injured for a while earlier in the season. Think he might have been towards the end of the summer aswell.

Tymoschuk though? Maybe big enough clubs didn't come in for him. Why would he leave the club he's captain of, who play in the champions league, to go and play for a club the size of Everton?

On a more interesting note:

Of all the players I mentioned, I'm 95% sure only Chygrynsky (defender) and Duljaj (defensive midfield), failed to score directly from freekicks last season. Though that says alot about the quality of the keeping as much as anything else.

Luka Modrić: Dinamo Zagreb - ??

Kimbo wrote: Like who? I don't see many(if any) top 10 sides which he could get into.

Certainly Premiership quality though. Clubs like Aston Villa or maybe Middlesborough would good moves for his career.

Cesc wrote:

Kimbo wrote: Like who? I don't see many(if any) top 10 sides which he could get into.

Certainly Premiership quality though. Clubs like Aston Villa or maybe Middlesborough would good moves for his career.

His problem isn't his ability. He's a decent - not spectacular - premiership defender at the moment. He's not a £10m player by any stretch of the imagination though.

I hate to bring it up again - ok, not really - but would you pay twice as much for him as you would for Agger?

Then again, given Villa's spending of late, they may be tempted to.

Obispo wrote:His problem isn't his ability. He's a decent - not spectacular - premiership defender at the moment. He's not a £10m player by any stretch of the imagination though.

I hate to bring it up again - ok, not really - but would you pay twice as much for him as you would for Agger?

Then again, given Villa's spending of late, they may be tempted to.

Exactly - If it wasn't for that high price tage that Peace slapped on him, he would be plying his trade here.

Your Agger point is valid and we faced that type of situation that Summer. Pay 10 million for a talent that has not real top class experience or wait for another Kolo Toure type player that costs a fraction of the price. Wenger had his fingers burnt whilst spashing out on English talent before with Jeffers and Wright. 6 months previously we signed Walcott for a large fee.

We got Gallas though. I would have him over Davies any day of the week.

Jaime wrote:Robinho's failures are more a product of the poor state of the club than his actual ability, in my opinion.

I used to rate robhino more than i do now. Too much dribbling, running etc but very little end product.

again as jaime said that has more to do with the clubs tactics.
i mean some say that robinho is told to only dribble when he is close to the goal and the thing is he rarely is. he showed some of his skills when Real were going through a good period in the start of 2006. i think if he went to barca or roma he would shine so much.

Cesc wrote:

Obispo wrote:
Chygrinsky, Marica, Brandao, Tymoshchuk, Duljaj, Jadson, Srna, Matuzalem, Fernandinho - all deserve to be playing in better leagues where they'd get more exposure. I'm not saying they're all world beaters, but they're good enough to play at decent clubs in the top 3 leagues. Brandao and Duljaj being the possible exceptions.

I'm really surprised that no one picked him up this Summer.

You wouldn't be if you watched him play a lot - he's massively overrated.

He goes to ground more often in 90 mins than Makelele has in a career - perhaps he'll be a really good player when he's learnt to stay on his feet.

The poster who seemed to be suggesting that Bremen is better than Porto or Bundesliga is better than Superliga - were you taking the piss ?


Yaya Toure should be with a top club in England or Spain sooner rather than later.

Good shout for Bodmer - add Keita and Makoun to that.