Once with Real Madrid, Royston Drenthe managed to delight and frustrate in equal measure during his time in the Premier League and Championship.
Former Everton and Sheffield Wednesday star Royston Drenthe may have never quite lived up to the hype that surrounded him as a youngster in Holland but the Dutchman is still capable of scoring sensational goals – as he demonstrated during a Turkish top-flight encounter over the weekend.
Part of the Oranje under-21 side that won the 2007 European Championship, Drenthe looked on course for big things after signing with Real Madrid at the end of the tournament.
But despite featuring 18 times in La Liga during his debut season with Los Blancos – a campaign in which Real were crowned champions – Drenthe struggled to adapt to life in the Spanish capital.
He would make a further 20 league appearances the following season before moving to Hercules and later Everton on season-long loan deals.
A permanent switch to the Toffees had looked to be on the cards, too, before Drenthe’s poor attitude was cited as the chief reason why then-manager David Moyes would not be pushing to sign the Dutchman on a permanent basis.
After a short spell in Russia, Drenthe returned to England with Reading in the Championship, eventually moving to fellow second-tier side Sheffield Wednesday – where he yet again failed to translate his abundance of talent into consistency on the pitch.
Now on loan at Turkish Super Lig side Kayseri Erciyesspor, the left-winger, who is still only 27, is starting to find some form again, having netted three goals in just eight appearances.
The most recent of these was arguably his best for some time with Drenthe scoring a sensational curling free-kick.
Though it came in a heavy 5-1 loss to Besiktas, the goal and the ex-Everton and Sheffield Wednesday man’s overall performance may just see the one-time Holland hopeful earn one more shot at the big time.
Fingers crossed that he doesn’t waste it.
Where will Drenthe end up in the summer?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
