Tottenham Hotspur, Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City, Swansea City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Sunderland, Chelsea, and Aston Villa players feature in our list.
With the season coming to an end, it’s time for us to take a look at which players have made the biggest breakthrough at their clubs. Who was sitting in the reserves last year? Who has made the jump from the lower leagues? Who has come in from on-loan and performed? Who has made it? Here are our top 10:
Kyle Walker
Walker’s inclusion should go without saying. The PFA Young Player of the Year may be going through a rough patch with Spurs right now, but his progress has been every bit as rapid as one of his forward runs. The right-back picked up from excellent performances for England under-21s last summer and has become Tottenham’s first choice in the position. He spent last season on loan with QPR and then Aston Villa, and this season scored the winner for Spurs in September’s North London derby. A sure pick for England’s squad for Euro 2012.
Andreas Weimann
Austrian youngster Andreas Weimann still has a lot to do at Villa Park, but the signs of progress he has made are hugely encouraging. He spent the early part of the season on loan at Watford, before getting a place in the Villa side through Darren Bent’s injury, being asked to lead the line at Old Trafford and the Emirates. He has bagged two important goals, which have earned Villa four points. If they stay up they will have him to thank, and among all the gloom he has offered hope for the future.
Grant Hanley
Grant Hanley made nine appearances for Blackburn last year, but this truly has been his breakthrough season. The Scottish 20-year-old centre-back has played 28 times for Blackburn this year, and even headed in a crucial winner against Manchester United in December. United have even been linked with signing him, and if Rovers go down, he will be targeted by a number of clubs.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Arsene Wenger may have gambled £15 million on The Ox, but it was still a risk. For a teenager who had only played club football in League Two with Southampton to make the jump up to Arsenal as quickly as he did has been remarkable. His performance against AC Milan at the Emirates was one of his brightest moments, as was his display in the 7-1 demolition of Blackburn. He would still like to start regularly, but that will come.
Ryan Shotton
2011/12 is the year Ryan Shotton finally made it at Stoke City. The 23-year-old has been on the club’s books since 2007, but been loaned out to Altrincham, Tranmere Rovers and Barnsley. Able to play in defence or midfield, he has been a real useful option for Tony Pulis’ side, playing over 20 times this season, and his ability to take long throws makes him even more valuable to them.
James McClean
The rise of James McClean has been remarkable. Plucked from Irish side Derry City for a pittance in the summer, it was only under Martin O’Neill that he got regular first team opportunities. The winger has been a revelation, scoring four times and creating eight more for Sunderland, and he looks set to top off his breakthrough season with a place in Ireland’s Euro 2012 squad.
Danny Welbeck
Welbeck did well on loan at Sunderland last season, but there is a big difference between cutting it at the Black Cats and making it at Manchester United. Welbeck has risen to the challenge, and is set to be rewarded with a big contract. His nine league goals mean an England call-up is again a possibility for the summer, and his form has even kept Javier Hernandez out of the side.
Jake Livermore
Jake Livermore’s emergence has been a bright spot in a truly mixed season for Tottenham. He has made 21 league appearances for Spurs this season, where last year he was farmed out on loan to Ipswich Town and Leeds United. Age 22 it was about time he made the breakthrough, his career has seen him loaned also to Peterborough, MK Dons, Derby County and Crewe Alexandra.
Steven Caulker
While not a breakthrough at his parent club Spurs, Caulker’s performances for Swansea City have been superb. He has even kept club captain Garry Monk out of the side, and Swansea would dearly love to keep him. Premier League football is certainly a step up from Bristol City and Yeovil Town where he has previously been loaned to, and while only 20 he has even been touted as Ledley King’s long-term replacement at Spurs.
Ryan Bertrand
Bertrand’s breakthrough into the Chelsea line-up has been one he had to be patient for, but he was rewarded with a man of the match honour for his performance against Arsenal last week. The young left-back will soon be putting pressure on Ashley Cole for the position, and looks a great prospect. Another member of last season’s England under-21 squad he has a bright future, and has honed his craft on loan at a number of football league clubs.
Who else deserves to be on our list?
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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