The high-profile players that are not getting game time this season
European football is in full swing, and we are almost at the halfway point of the 2024/2025 season.
Because the different top-flight competitions are so competitive, the teams always equip themselves with the best talents available.
This sometimes means players who are not good enough are cut off from the squad by their managers.
These stars may need to be better for their present club but can still make an impact for other teams, but they failed to get a move away from their clubs.
Fans who follow these teams may wonder why some of the established names on their roster have not been playing.
In this article, we discuss some of the top players missing in action for much of this term and why they have not been playing.
Arthur Melo, Juventus
When a new manager arrives, he usually has his style of play in mind and tries to get the players on board, but in other cases, the gaffer already knows the players he does not need.
That was the case for Arthur Melo, who had a brilliant season on loan at Fiorentina last term, but Thiago Motta banished him from the first team.
He is one of several experienced players the new manager told to find a new club, but he could not get one.
The Brazilian is not one of the players who helps the club sell its match tickets, so sidelining him is not a big deal.
Divock Origi, AC Milan
Another curious case of a popular player not getting game time in Europe’s top clubs is that of Divock Origi.
The Belgian remains a heroic figure in the history of Liverpool because of the important goals he scored for them.
In fairness, Origi was never a prolific player at Liverpool and the only reason he is achieved cult status at Anfield was because he scored the important goals.
Since moving to AC Milan in 2022, Origi has been terrible. He even spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest and failed to make an impact.
The Belgian has a deal until 2026 and his absence has not even been felt by fans who buy AC Milan tickets.
Ben Chilwell, Chelsea
Chilwell has been a key player for Chelsea since he joined them and he is even the vice captain who wears the armband when Reece James is unavailable.
The former Leicester City star has been at Stanford Bridge since 2020, and he was part of the team that won the Champions League the following year.
However, he failed to convince Enzo Maresca, and the Italian manager made him surplus to requirements almost immediately after he was named the club’s manager.
That decision was one of Maresca's boldest efforts to prepare his team for competition, and it paid off.
Chelsea ticket buyers no longer question the decision to sideline Chilwell, and the earlier he leaves, the better for him.
Dennis Emmanuel, Nottingham Forest
Emmanuel Dennis rose to prominence following his two goals against Real Madrid in the Champions League in the 2019/2020 season.
Watford snapped up the Nigerian shortly afterwards, and after their relegation, Nottingham Forest added him to their squad.
He has struggled to make any impact at the club since he joined them in 2022 and Nuno Santo has taken him out of his plans right now.
Dennis is not even training with the rest of the team and fans are baffled why a player whose signing sold many Nottingham Forest tickets cannot get into the team now.
Mario Rui, Napoli
One of the heroes of Napoli during the successful 2022/2023 season is Rui as he played 22 league games for them, providing six assists from the left back spot.
He has a contract with them until 2026, but Antonio Conte decided during pre-season that the Portuguese star is not good enough for his team.
He asked the defender to find a new home, but he could not get a club to accommodate him, which has forced the gaffer to banish him from the first team.
Napoli tickets are selling because of Conte and the players he trusts to play, so the team would hardly miss Rui if he leaves.
Sergio Reguilon, Tottenham
One of the first players Ange Postecoglou recognised he did not need at Tottenham was Reguilon.
This prompted the club to send him on loan to Brentford and then Manchester United, yet he did not earn a permanent move to either club.
The Spaniard has been at Tottenham since 2020, but his current deal expires at the end of this season, so he should speak to a new club in January.
However, the decision to banish him could force him to cut his contract short and leave before his deal expires, which will not affect Tottenham, whose fans have forgotten about him as they purchase match tickets.
Matt Targett, Newcastle United
Targett’s lack of action now is partly due to his poor injury history, as he has repeatedly been sidelined for serious problems.
He replaced Luke Shaw as Southampton’s left-back and has been at Newcastle since 2021 after three years at Aston Villa.
So much was expected from Targett when he broke onto the scene, but if he keeps breaking down, he might not find another club after failing to impress fans who buy Newcastle United tickets.
Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan
Buchanan arrived at Inter Milan as one of the finest North Americans in Europe as the Nerazzurri looked to sell match tickets in that part of the world.
He played in ten Serie A games last season and showed a lot of promise, with everyone expecting him to be more involved for the Serie A giants this term.
However, a combination of injuries and serious competition for game time has made it difficult for Buchanan to play this season.
The defender might want to leave on loan in January to further improve his chances of playing and staying fit.
Thomas Lemar, Atletico Madrid
Lemar has played only seven minutes of La Liga football this season as he struggles with poor fitness and competition for game time.
His case is different from that of some of the players on this list because Diego Simeone is happy to hand him game time when he is fit, but the Frenchman cannot be trusted to step on the pitch and entertain fans who buy Atletico Madrid tickets.
With a contract that does not expire until 2027, his employers could be stuck with a player they do not need.