4 players who have declined dramatically

#3 Michael Keane

Michael Keane hasn't looked like the same player since moving to Everton

It’s hard to believe that just over a year ago – after England’s solid showing in a friendly match with Germany – that defender Michael Keane was seen as almost a certainty to be heading to the World Cup with the Three Lions, potentially as a starter too. After a disastrous decline after moving from Burnley to Everton last summer though, he’s fallen completely off the international radar and will now be desperate to salvage his career.

Quite what caused such a rapid decline in a relatively young player – Keane is still only 25 years old – is almost hard to say. Stats suggest that Keane made a similar amount of tackles, clearances and blocks last season with Everton to the amount he made with Burnley in the previous season, but he simply never looked comfortable at the back with the Toffees.

Whether that was down to the management style of Ronald Koeman and then Sam Allardyce, an inability to step up in terms of club size, or difficulty in gelling with a new defensive partner (usually Ashley Williams) remains somewhat of a mystery, but Keane’s decline last season was hugely disappointing. Whether this talented player can turn it around next season still remains a question mark.