Serie A has garnered a status for turning into a little bit of a retirement house lately, in distinction to the times when it was the place to be for the highest stars of the period.
The likes of Luka Modric (40), Kevin De Bruyne (35) and Paulo Dybala (32) are among the many as soon as world-class stars nonetheless conserving their particular person flames alive in Serie A.
However what in regards to the gamers who might need light out of your reminiscence?
Impressed by David Alaba signing for Udinese after his launch by Actual Madrid (wait, does that imply he’s off to Watford subsequent 12 months?), we’ve taken a better take a look at some forgotten ballers he’ll be becoming a member of in Italy’s prime flight.
Nemanja Matic
Serie A simply made sense as a subsequent cease for an ageing Matic as his time with Manchester United wound down. The very fact Jose Mourinho was the one desirous to take him to Roma definitely helped his 2022 transfer.
Matic impressed in Rome, taking part in in a Europa League last, however solely lasted a 12 months there earlier than a shock exit. The midfielder has since clarified it was because of unkept guarantees over an extended contract.
However after two years in France, spent with Rennes and Lyon, Matic fancied a bit extra Serie A and so returned to Italy with Sassuolo final summer season.
And yep, he’s nonetheless bought it. Don’t be fooled by him rocking up at Soccer Support in the summertime. He made 34 appearances final season and continues to be bossing it on the age of 38. Like a high quality wine.
Talking of forgotten ballers, his supervisor at Sassuolo now, solely 4 years his senior, is Alberto Aquilani. Keep in mind him?
Ricardo Rodriguez
Yep, seems he does have a membership and isn’t simply somebody who randomly seems every time there’s a world match.
Switzerland’s second most-capped participant of all time after Granit Xhaka, Rodriguez spent the summer season as a free agent after being launched by Actual Betis.
In September, the left-back returned to Torino for a second spell there after taking part in greater than 100 instances for them between 2020 and 2024.
His unique Torino spell marked an extension of his time in Serie A after taking part in for AC Milan from 2017.
Rodriguez has made only one substitute look since his return to Torino.
Federico Bernardeschi
We’re making an attempt to steer away from too many Italians right here, however Bernardeschi is unquestionably price a shout.
The flashy former Fiorentina and Juventus winger left Serie A behind in 2022 to affix Toronto FC, the place he performed with compatriots Lorenzo Insigne and Domenico Criscito.
Bernardeschi hasn’t performed for Italy since he headed throughout the pond, however resumed his Serie A profession in 2025 by becoming a member of Bologna.
Now 32, he scored 9 targets from 45 video games final season, greater than half of these targets coming within the Europa League.
Diego Carlos
There was a time when it felt like all of Europe envied Sevilla for his or her centre-back pairing of Diego Carlos and Jules Kounde, which helped them win the Europa League in 2020.
In fact, whereas Carlos was extra imposing, Kounde was at all times the higher expertise, even when it’s needed to be as a right-back that he’s finally constructed a profession for himself on the prime stage with Barcelona.
The extra error-prone Carlos has had a extra eclectic profession path since, taking part in for Aston Villa after which Fenerbahce.
The Turkish facet are nonetheless his present employers however have despatched him on mortgage to Serie A for the previous couple of seasons. He was a part of the Como facet that certified for the Champions League final season, however hasn’t caught round for that European journey.
As an alternative, the 33-year-old now quickly belongs to Parma, who he joined on deadline day. He’s began all three of their Serie A video games since his transfer below the steering of former Arsenal assistant Carlos Cuesta, who’s two years youthful than him.
Sead Kolasinac
On the subject of former Arsenal staff, Kolasinac has not too long ago launched into his fourth season in Serie A with Atalanta.
The left-footed defender solely performed in half of Atalanta’s league video games final season, however has performed in 4 out of 5 up to now this time period.
Maurizio Sarri has switched Atalanta’s form to a again 4, which means Kolasinac has been in a position to play in his pure left-back function once more after being a part of a again three final season.
Mario Hermoso
After 5 years with Atletico Madrid, Hermoso turned a free agent in 2024, when Manchester United regarded into signing him.
In the long run, he went to Roma as an alternative, as one in every of two replacements for ex-United defender Chris Smalling.
Hermoso’s first season as a Roma participant was turbulent. After a shaky begin, he was shipped out on mortgage to Bayer Leverkusen just some months in.
However Hermoso bought a second probability final summer season and took it, happening to play in 27 league video games for Roma final season after discovering extra favour below new coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
Hermoso, who earned 5 Spain caps throughout 2018 and 2019, has been a daily starter on the left of Roma’s again three this season as nicely.
Yerry Mina
Like Hermoso, Mina is somebody who wound up in Serie A as a free agent after 5 years elsewhere – Everton, in his case – and had a rocky begin earlier than settling.
Certainly, his time with Fiorentina, after becoming a member of in summer season 2023, was brief lived. The Colombian defender moved on after simply half a season to Cagliari, the place he signed a short-term deal.
He has caught round longer than anticipated, now getting into a fourth season with the Sardinian facet. He made his first look of the season within the final sport earlier than the worldwide break.
Florian Grillitsch
Not fairly a family identify, however just some years in the past while at Hoffenheim, Grillitsch used to draw a handful of hyperlinks with a Premier League transfer.
A fast refresher by way of Google reminds us that Arsenal, Tottenham, Brighton and Leeds have been all touted as potential locations for the midfielder throughout the previous 5 years or so.
As an alternative, he left Hoffenheim for Ajax earlier than retracing his steps and later taking part in for Valladolid and Braga.
It’s not the glossiest CV, but it surely’s a formidable sufficient one for his arrival at Frosinone this summer season to be seen as a coup for the not too long ago promoted facet.
The 31-year-old was taking part in Europa League soccer with Braga final season. He’s solely managed eight minutes in Serie A up to now, although, and Frosinone are flying (sixth place is dizzy heights for a membership who’ve solely ever gone straight again down when promoted to Serie A) in his absence.
David de Gea
OK, De Gea isn’t a ‘forgotten’ participant. His prolonged spell with Manchester United isn’t too distant a reminiscence. However he risked that turning into the case when he spent a 12 months out of the sport after his launch at Outdated Trafford.
It was Fiorentina who finally got here to De Gea’s rescue, signing him as a free agent in 2024.
Since then, the Spaniard has bought again on observe with 21 clear sheets from 77 Serie A video games. Not dangerous going when the staff he performs for completed fifteenth final season.
Arkadiusz Milik
A type of that makes you go: Is he actually nonetheless there?
Milik signed for Juventus in the summertime of 2022, returning to Serie A after a earlier spell with Napoli.
His in depth damage points make it arduous to maintain observe, however seems he’s nonetheless on Juve’s books 4 years later.
He’s solely been in a position to play twice over the previous two seasons, although, which means he’s most likely even a forgotten baller for Juve followers.
First rate striker in his prime, although. Tall, medical and averaging a objective about each three video games at Napoli – usually whereas taking part in second fiddle to another striker – Milik is a ‘what might need been’ sort of participant.
Keita Balde
Right here’s a little bit of a blast from the previous for the extra seasoned Serie A followers. Keita rose to fame at Lazio after making his debut in 2013, not taking too lengthy to change into one of many league’s most enjoyable wingers.
He scored 16 targets in his fourth and last season with Lazio earlier than leaving for Monaco. He later returned to Serie A for one season every with Inter, Sampdoria and Cagliari, however from these three seasons mixed, he fell one wanting the variety of targets he’d scored on the finish of his unique Italian spell.
Time in Russia, Spain and Turkey adopted as Keita turned one thing of a footballing nomad.
Serie A got here calling once more in February 2025, when Keita joined Monza. They suffered relegation on the finish of that season, consigning him to a primary style of Serie B, however he caught at it and continues to be a part of the squad that got here again up by way of the play-offs.
The one-time West Ham goal is but to function this season, although.
READ MORE: Serie A glow-ups: How McTominay, Gilmour & others have blossomed in Italy
TRY A QUIZ: Are you able to identify each British and Irish participant to play in Serie A since 1990?
