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15 EPL Players Who Need A Change of Scenery

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15 EPL Players Who Need A Change of Scenery

Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore
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The January transfer window supplies the perfect opportunity for some players to escape their current situation for a new club and a fresh start. Not all moves go as planned, of course, and sometimes moving on for a new beginning is best for all involved. Here are 15 EPL players who need a change of scenery come January 2015.

15. Roberto Soldado

Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado
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15. Roberto Soldado

Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado
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Roberto Soldado was a consistent goalscorer when he was playing in Spain, and scored 24 goals in 35 games in his final season at Valencia. Since joining Tottenham, however, the Spaniard has been unable to recreate the form he produced in his homeland. A move away from Spurs can give Soldado the fresh start he needs to help him return to his best goalscoring form once again.

14. Dedryck Boyata

Manchester City defender Dedryck Boyata
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14. Dedryck Boyata

Manchester City defender Dedryck Boyata
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Dedryck Boyata came through the Manchester City academy, but has only made fleeting appearances since his breakthrough into the first team picture. Their were some high hopes for Boyata initially, but the Belgian looks unlikely to force his way into City's starting lineup at this stage. For the sake of his career, a move to a club where he can establish himself in the starting lineup would be more beneficial than residing on the champions' bench.

13. Shaun Wright-Phillips

Shaun Wright-Phillips playing for Queens Park Rangers
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13. Shaun Wright-Phillips

Shaun Wright-Phillips playing for Queens Park Rangers
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Shaun Wright-Phillips is 33 years old now and looking for the final challenge of his career. The winger is totally out of the first team picture at QPR, and a move away looks certain as he enters the final years of his career. MLS has been rumored recently, where Wright-Phillips' brother, Bradley, plays with the New York Red Bulls.

12. Ravel Morrison

Ravel Morrison playing for West Ham United
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12. Ravel Morrison

Ravel Morrison playing for West Ham United
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After an exciting spell in the West Ham first team, Ravel Morrison has now retreated back into the shadows once again. In terms of talent, Morrison could play for almost any club he wanted to, if only he could manage to tame the off-field activities too. Hopefully Morrison will settle somewhere soon and let his play do the talking, but the midfielder is running out of chances. His next move, although necessary, must be carefully picked.

11. Aaron Lennon

Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon
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11. Aaron Lennon

Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon
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Aaron Lennon has been a long time Spurs fan favorite, but has struggled for game time under Mauricio Pochettino. The winger will have been at Tottenham for a decade if he is still around in June, and a new club with new ideas might be just what Lennon needs to get back to his best.

10. Adel Taarabt

Queens Park Rangers attacker Adel Taarabt
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10. Adel Taarabt

Queens Park Rangers attacker Adel Taarabt
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Adel Taarabt needs to find a team where he will be the main man and the focal point of the offense. The Moroccan is super talented, but lacks the work rate to make it with a lot of clubs, and needs the right players around him. Within the right system, however, and with the right club for him, Taarabt could flourish when he moves on from Loftus Road.

9. Anders Lindegaard

Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard
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9. Anders Lindegaard

Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard
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Anders Lindegaard has played the role of a Manchester United backup goalkeeper for four years now, and the time has surely come to accept defeat in his attempts to assume the No. 1 spot. Lindegaard is 30 years old now, and shouldn't want to spend his prime playing years sitting on United's bench. Instead, a move away should be on the Dane's agenda in the new year.

8. Hatem Ben Arfa

Hatem Ben Arfa playing for Hull City
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8. Hatem Ben Arfa

Hatem Ben Arfa playing for Hull City
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Hatem Ben Arfa desperately needs a move away from the Premier League. His reputation around the league is poor right now, and the Franchman needs to start over again and re-prove his worth. The talent is blindingly obvious, but Ben Arfa always seems to have problems wherever he goes. A new country and a different culture could be good for Ben Arfa and encourage him to showcase his talents more often.

7. Paulinho

Tottenham midfielder Paulinho and Mauricio Pochettino
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7. Paulinho

Tottenham midfielder Paulinho and Mauricio Pochettino
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Paulinho joined Tottenham as part of the shopping spree the club went on with the money they received from the Gareth Bale sale two summers ago. The Brazilian was highly sought at the time, but never truly settled in his first season in England. Paulinho finds himself nowhere near the Spurs' starting lineup this season, and another league, with a slower tempo, may ultimately suit the midfielder more than the EPL seems to.

6. Scott Sinclair

Scott Sinclair playing for Manchester City
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6. Scott Sinclair

Scott Sinclair playing for Manchester City
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Scott Sinclair has never seemed a good fit since the day he joined Manchester City. At that time, Sinclair was performing well for Swansea City, but that went straight out the window once he arrived on City's bench. A move away is undoubtedly what Sinclair needs if he is to return to his best.

5. Anderson

Anderson playing for Manchester United
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5. Anderson

Anderson playing for Manchester United
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Anderson has been much maligned and criticized for years at Manchester United, and yet the Brazilian is still there. The midfielder was a talent when he was flourishing at FC Porto before joining United, though, and a permanent move away from Old Trafford might be just what Anderson needs to reinvigorate his flagging career.

4. Jozy Altidore

Jozy Altidore playing for Sunderland
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4. Jozy Altidore

Jozy Altidore playing for Sunderland
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Jozy Altidore's career hasn't stalled at Sunderland -- it's in reverse. The striker needs to get back to playing week in week out and try to regain his confidence, which has surely taken a hit over his time with the Black Cats. Altidore's time in the major European leagues is likely finished, with the American's scoring record being as poor as it is -- save for his time in MLS and the Eredivisie -- but a move away can only help at this point.

3. Andros Townsend

Tottenham winger Andros Townsend
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3. Andros Townsend

Tottenham winger Andros Townsend
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Andros Townsend was one of the most exciting young English players in the EPL a few years ago. Now, the winger struggles for game time at Spurs, and the he should be thinking carefully about his future. The talent is still there, but the minutes are not, and that is what Townsend needs in order to show his class once again.

2. Matija Nastasic

Matija Nastasic playing for Manchester City
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2. Matija Nastasic

Matija Nastasic playing for Manchester City
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Matija Nastasic looked like he was one to watch after his debut season with Manchester City, but his prospects took a turn for the worse after Manuel Pellegrini took over the team from Roberto Mancini. Nastasic is rarely seen in a City shirt these days, and the Serb needs a move away if he is to reach his potential and get his once blossoming career back on track.

1. Lukas Podolski

Lukas Podolski of Arsenal
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1. Lukas Podolski

Lukas Podolski of Arsenal
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Statistically, Lukas Podolski is Arsenal's most clinical forward, having the best goals to minutes ratio of the Arsenal forwards who have played 50 or more EPL games for the club. Still, Podolski either finds himself on the bench, or worse, even in the crowd for some reason. The German international is too good to play such a minimal role, and a move away in January could, and should, be a priority for the player.

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