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There are plenty of footballers who have thrived since changing their positions. Sometimes, certain abilities of players can go unnoticed or unrecognized for a very long time. They choose or are assigned a position at a very young age and tend to stick to it.
But due to various circumstances, some players end up playing in a different position in their senior careers and realize they're a great fit for it. There are some great examples of players who've thrived since changing their positions.
Thierry Henry, Gareth Bale, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Andrea Pirlo and even Cristiano Ronaldo are all players who have changed their positions successfully.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five players who could change their positions.
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#5 Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa) - CAM to RF
When Aston Villa signed Emiliano Buendia from Norwich City in the summer of 2021, he was viewed as the closest they could get to a like-to-like replacement for Jack Grealish. The Argentinian had scored 15 goals and provided 17 assists for the Canaries in the Championship in the 2020-21 season.
However, he failed to replicate those heroics at Villa Park and struggled to even nail down a starting berth. This was largely down to the fact that former Villa manager Dean Smith was trying to make it work by deploying him as an attacking midfielder.
But Buendia thrived at Norwich City playing as a right-sided forward. He was not one to hug the touchline and would cut inside and create openings inside the final third. The same could work for Aston Villa, but even Smith's successor Steven Gerrard hasn't really tried it out.
#4 Sergino Dest (Barcelona) - RB to RWB
Sergino Dest's time at Barcelona since arriving at the Camp Nou in October 2020. Dest's time in Catalonia has been marked by inconsistency and he has received a lot of flak for his defensive abilities.
While he is pretty good at making surging runs into attacking territory, the defensive side of his game has been found to be lacking. Dest has also played in other positions like left-back and left wing-back as well. However, he has not really been able to impress there either.
It is clear that Dest will thrive as a wing-back, a position where his priority would be to lend an extra hand in attack.
#3 Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) - ST to CAM
Roberto Firmino was one of Liverpool's best players during the peak years of the Jurgen Klopp era. The Brazilian forward proved to be the perfect foil for the pacy Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. Firmino's tenacity and ability to win the ball back coupled with his incredible technique, made him a wonderful false 9.
Since then, Klopp's tactical system has undergone some changes and this has a lot to do with the dip in Firmino's form. He has not been at his best in recent seasons and the arrival of Darwin Nunez this summer signalled a marked change in Liverpool's offensive tactics.
They are now predisposed to play with an out-and-out striker and it's about time Firmino considered a role change. He no longer has the legs to outpace Premier League defenders but he does possess the vision and the technical ability to be an effective number 10.
#2 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) - RB to CM
Trent Alexander-Arnold's defensive frailties have been exposed more than ever before in the opening stages of the 2022-23 season. He is one of the most technically proficient full-backs we've seen in recent times. The Englishman possesses a passing range that even midfielders would be envious of.
Alexander-Arnold has been one of Liverpool's main playmakers in recent seasons as Klopp relies on his full-backs to create opportunities. Unfortunately, the 23-year-old does not seem to possess the doggedness or eagerness you'd expect from a Premier League full-back during defensive transitions.
But he definitely possesses the vision and passing range to slot into midfield. This idea has been floated by various quarters in recent times and it looks like it's time for Klopp to seriously consider it.
#1 Neymar Jr. (Paris Saint-Germain) - LF to CAM
It's not that Neymar Jr. is any less effective playing down the left side for Paris Saint-Germain, but it's just that he could be phenomenal as a number 10. Neymar continues to mesmerize us with his tricks, flicks, vision and incredible shooting range.
He has a first-rate understanding of the game and makes everyone around him a better player. The Brazil international will do wonders in a more central role. But for now, it might be wise to keep things as they are, at least from Paris Saint-Germain's perspective.
But he should and most definitely can make the transition a couple more years down the line when he has lost a yard of pace.
