A one time Manchester United target and ex-Leeds midfielder is now looking get his career back on track in France with Ligue 1 side Nantes.
21 year old Brazilian Adryan who was dubbed the ‘heir to Zico’ in his teenage years is hoping to get a foothold back in the game with his latest jaunt into Europe.
Adryan is still held in high regard in his homeland after being hailed as one the countries great hopes during the 2012-13 season, which also attracted interest from Premier League side Manchester United.
He openly declared it is his dream to play in Europe and he aims to seize the chance with both hands, but he hasn’t played for his current side for nearly a month after being dropped following Nantes 2-0 defeat to Rennes on 13th September.
His ambition of forging a career for himself over in Europe seems to be fading slowly, even at this nascent stage with Nantes coach Michel Der Zakarian preferring to play American Alejandro Bedoya over the precocious South American.
Thus far, his career that looked so promising has centred on two failed loan spells, one in Italy with Cagliari where he managed only five appearances and no goals. Many thought a move to Championship side Leeds United may have been the platform he needed to show his best form. The Yorkshire club were even prepared to buy the player outright if his loan spell succeeded.
Nonetheless after 13 appearances and 0 goals, his only indelible mark he left on the club was his spectacular dive after a challenge from Derby County’s Johnny Russell which won him the the parodic award ‘Fallon d’Floor’ the Balon D’or imitation thought up by Reddit users.
His current watching brief is something that the 21 year old wasn’t expecting as he told local paper Presse Ocean;
It was a very good start. I played a lot of matches. Now, I do not play. But I want to keep training hard (…) I am very sad because I do not play this time. I hope to have my chance again “.
Everyone is waiting for Adryan’s career to finally ignite and for him to finally realise his promise, this season may prove to be a definitive campaign in the midfielders fleeting career and if he can fight his way back to contention he can look back on with pride in years to come.
