Arsenal’s sicknote midfielder Jack Wilshere has recently declared himself fit after a spell on the sidelines since November, after he went off injured against Manchester United.
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Since then, the England international has gone under the knife twice and done a lot of waiting. He is finally back to full fitness though after playing a full 90 minutes for the Gunners’ under-21 side.
While it will surely be a boost Arsene Wenger to have a player of his quality available again. it remains to be seen whether he can ever reach the level once expected of him, before injury woes. Here are eight top players who had their promising careers damaged by injury problems.
Jack Wilshere
The England midfielder has been injured since November after an ankle injury, following various other injury woes as he tried to establish himself in English football as a successor to Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Only time will tell if the 23-year-old will be able to find anything like as impressive form again.
Michael Owen
Michael Owen arrived on the world’s stage with a bang following his amazing solo goal for England against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup. A long career, in which he scored 222 goals in just under 500 appearances could have been so much better, had he not have had such woeful luck with injuries.
Owen Hargreaves
The former Bayern Munich and Manchester United man was named England’s best player at the 2006 World Cup, but then sustained a broken leg. Following his recovery, he was diagnosed with tendinitis, going 777 days without a start for Manchester United, and Hargreaves’ knees were said to be in the worst state his consultant had ever seen in his career. Following such a drawn out injury history, he left Old Trafford under a cloud and signed for their neighbours Manchester City.
Paul Gascoigne
The troubled and controversial midfielder ruptured a cruciate ligament in a lunge at Nottingham Forest’s Gary Charles in the 1991 FA Cup final. Then began a lengthy spell on the sidelines for the player who was about to begin a spell at Lazio, though the injury which denied him the chance to lift the FA Cup will always be a gripe with Gazza.
Kieron Dyer
The 20-year-old was injured in his first England appearance, a minor knock, but nevertheless a sign of things to come. Throughout his career he suffered from persistent knee and hamstring complaints, manifesting itself in just 29 West Ham appearances in four years.
Joe Cole
Once a glittering West Ham youth prospect, the winger then moved on to Chelsea where he shone further. Following a long term knee injury though, he left for Liverpool where his injury and fitness woes continued to be an issue. Now at Aston Villa and he has started just three Premier League games this season.
Ledley King
Before the summer of 2006, Ledley King’s career was as promising as anyone else’s. After he suffered his first debilitating knee injury though, he never really found a way back. A huge shame for a man touted by many to be one of England’s best central defenders ever.
Jonathan Woodgate
As a youngster, he was an asset at Leeds United, though he has barely had an injury free season and making just a handful of appearances when he moved to Spanish giants Real Madrid. Highlights in his career came in relatively long spells in the Middlesbrough and Tottenham sides in the 2006/07 and 2008/09 seasons respectively.