Gyokeres next? Players who returned to the Premier League with a point to prove

Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon, with the Gunners set to land one of Europe’s most coveted forwards.

Gyokeres has exploded in output since joining Sporting, where he has netted 97 goals in 102 games over the last two seasons. His prolific form has been a far cry from his time at Brighton, where the Swedish striker failed to make a Premier League appearance.

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After maturing during spells in the Football League and Portugal, he’s set to return to England with a point to prove. He’s not the first big name to have done so.

Players who returned to the Premier League with a point to prove

Kevin De Bruyne

Kevin De Bruyne departed the Premier League this summer, recognised as one of the league’s all-time greats. But the Belgian’s time in England had a rocky start. After joining Chelsea as a teenager, De Bruyne struggled to get a look in. He made just three league starts for Chelsea before being sold to Vfl Wolfsburg for £18m in 2014.

18 months later and established as one of the Bundesliga’s best, Manchester City spent £55m to sign De Bruyne in a club-record deal. The gamble paid dividends, as De Bruyne starred during their most successful era. He won six league titles, the Champions League, five League Cups and two FA Cups, alongside twice being named PFA Player of the Year.

Outside of the boot 🤌 @KevinDeBruyne | @ManCity

 – Thursday, 18 August 2022

De Bruyne holds the joint-record for the most assists in a Premier League season (20), and sits second for all-time goals created in the division. Point proven.

Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba chose to leave Manchester United in 2012 after becoming frustrated by his lack of opportunity at Old Trafford.

The Frenchman joined Juventus on a free transfer and soon cemented a reputation as one of Europe’s most promising talents. Four consecutive Serie A titles followed, with Pogba earning the 2013 Golden Boy award.

Manchester United decided to correct their error in 2016, breaking the world transfer record to sign Pogba for £89m.

He won a Europa League and League Cup double during his debut season but failed to justify the club’s investment. Five trophyless seasons followed, during which Pogba proved a divisive figure despite his immense talent. After six seasons, he rejoined Juventus, again on a free transfer.

Mohamed Salah

Another error that Chelsea have cursed. Mohamed Salah’s time in West London yielded just two goals and 13 league appearances, as competition from Eden Hazard and Willian limited his involvement.

Salah signed for Roma after a successful loan with the club and scored 19 goals during the 2016/17 season. Suitably impressed, Liverpool spent £36.5m to sign the Egyptian international.

Doubts over his ability to succeed in England were removed instantly, as Salah scored 44 goals during his debut season – setting a then-Premier League record – to win the PFA Player of the Year award.

The goals have hardly stopped since. Salah has won a joint-record four Golden Boots and is now the highest-scoring overseas player in Premier League history. His impact has led Liverpool through a memorable period that has included two league titles and the Champions League among his honours.

Romelu Lukaku

When Romelu Lukaku left the Premier League for Inter Milan, he did so with 113 goals scored in England’s top flight.

Not much to prove, you might think, but his return to Chelsea was certainly filled with personal motivation. Lukaku had failed to break in at Chelsea as a teenager, restricted to just 15 goalless appearances before finding his feet elsewhere.

He returned to Stamford Bridge in a £98.5m deal, having scored 64 times over two seasons at Inter Milan and appeared the ideal fit to spearhead Thomas Tuchel’s Champions League winners.

However, a disappointing season saw Lukaku muster just eight league goals and alienate himself with the club’s fans. A controversial interview in which he criticised Tuchel’s tactics and yearned for a return to Inter Milan was not well received. At the end of the season, he rejoined Inter on a season-long loan deal.

Mikel Merino

It’s easy to forget that Mikel Merino has previous Premier League experience before joining Arsenal. The Spaniard spent the 2017/18 season with Newcastle United but returned to Spain after just 12 months on Tyneside.

At Real Sociedad, he developed into one of Spain’s most consistent performers, earning inclusion in the La Liga Team of the Season in 2022/23.

After helping Spain to success at Euro 2024, including a vital quarter-final winner against Germany, he joined Arsenal in a £32m deal.

A solid first season saw the 29-year-old score nine times and deputise as an auxiliary forward during the club’s absence of a striker