Players who returned back to their former clubs in recent years

In the football World, either managers or players always wish to join big and best clubs to decorate their names.

At the end of each season during transfer market, many players make moves from their club to other favourite clubs; but those who return back to their previous clubs are not many.

Now SOKKAA looks at 13 players who have returned to their former clubs in recent years, excluding loan deals; but including those who players who re-joined their former clubs in this summer.

Paul Pogba has returned to Manchester United for a world record £89m from Juventus in the transfer saga of the summer.

Having departed Manchester United for Juventus in 2012, The Frenchman had gone to become the Italian Champions’ biggest asset, helping them to win four consecutive Serie A titles before returning to the Premier League giants.

But who else has recently returned to previous club?

13. Tomas Rosicky – Sparta Prague [1998–2001 and 2016- ]

Rosický began his career at Sparta Prague, following his father Jiří who played for the club in the 1970s and brother, also called Jiří who played as a trainee in the 1990s. He joined Borussia Dortmund in January 2001, signing a five-year contract before signing a long-term contract with Arsenal in 2006.

Rosicky spent 10 years at Emirates Stadium, where he has been one of their favourite midfielders. On 15 May 2016, he received a guard of honour after Arsenal’s 4–0 final day victory of Aston Villa, with a majority of the Arsenal squad wearing his ‘Rosický 7’ jersey.

The 35-year-old returned to his boyhood club on 30 August 2016.

12. Mario Gotze – Borussia Dortmund [2001-2013 and 2016- ]

Götze is a product of Dortmund’s youth academy, first entering the club as an eight-year-old in 2001, but he made his Bundesliga debut on 21 November 2009 in a scoreless draw against Mainz 05.

The Germany midfielder moved to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich in July 2013, after three seasons on 21 July 2016, Götze returned to Dortmund, on a four-year contract. He also stated that he regretted his decision to join Bayern Munich three years ago.

11. Mats Hummels – Bayern Munich [1995-2009 and 2016- ]

Mats Hummels was a product of Bayern Munich before he moved to Borussia Dortmund in 2009 for just £1m.

Early this summer, The German Champions splashed out £28m to bring the 27-year-old back to Allianz Arena.