Gaël Kakuta

Gaël Kakuta once seemed destined for the very top — a teenage prodigy at Chelsea who drew comparisons to Franck Ribéry — but his career became defined by a relentless series of loans and restarts. Rayo Vallecano gave him his most sustained spell in Europe's top leagues, and it was at Lens on loan where he finally delivered consistently, driving their Ligue 2 title and subsequent Ligue 1 consolidation. For Congo DR, he has long been the most recognisable name, a technically gifted playmaker whose best football is behind him at 35 but whose experience remains an asset.