Premier League XI of under-used players during 2021-22 campaign featuring three England internationals

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With another Premier League season in the history books several players will be looking forward to recharging their batteries ahead of returning to their clubs for pre-season.

But for others the 2021-22 campaign has been a frustrating year which has brought little or in some cases no Premier League game time.

Those players will face big decisions this summer and will have to decide whether their playing prospects are going to improve at their current employees, or whether they’ll have to push for a move.

With that in mind, TBR has put together a Premier League XI of under-used players for the 2021-22 campaign.

Premier League XI of under-used players

Dean Henderson

The one-time England international didn’t make one Premier League appearance this season and only featured three times for Manchester United in the cup competitions.

After making 26 first-team appearances for the Red Devils last season, the 25-year-old looked ready for a battle with David de Gea for the number one spot.

But the Manchester United Academy graduate has had to take the watching brief this season while the Spaniard has returned to his best form.

But with Newcastle United increasing their interest in Henderson, the stopper who has aspirations of securing a place in England’s World Cup squad could secure first-team football next season.

Phil Bardsley

The 36-year-old didn’t feature for Burnley at all in the top-flight and like Henderson, Bardsley made three cup appearances for the Clarets.

With the former Scotland international’s contract at Turf Moor expiring at the end of next month, it looks Bardsley won’t be part of the side that plies their trade in the Championship, and he’ll leave the Lancashire side after five years with the club.

Joe Rodon

The Wales international played 86 minutes of Premier League football this season and that game time came across three appearances.

The 24-year-old didn’t start a top-flight game and with Antonio Conte’s Tottenham side securing Champions League football, a move away from north London may be required for the Swansea City man to feature regularly.

With Conte demanding a hefty transfer kitty to improve his Spurs side, Rodon is only likely going to fall further down the pecking order.

Eric Bailly

The Ivory Coast international signed a contract extension with Manchester United last April and then the Red Devils signed World Cup winner Raphael Varane a few months later.

With Phil Jones returning to fitness, the former Villarreal man has effectively found himself as low down as United’s fifth-choice centre-back option.

The 28-year-old, who made four Premier League appearances, hasn’t featured for the Reds at all in 2022 and it’s hard to see a way back for him, despite Erik ten Hag taking the reins.

Martin Kelly

The final member in defence for TBRs Premier League XI of under-used players is one-time England international Kelly.

The 32-year-old, who was named on the bench 29 times by Patrick Vieira this season, didn’t feature in the top-flight.

Aside from an FA Cup start against Hartlepool, the former Liverpool man didn’t feature for the Eagles. But with his contract expiring at the end of June, Kelly will be seeking assurances of first-team football ahead of his next move.

Dan Gosling

After coming off the Watford bench on the opening weekend of the season against Aston Villa, Gosling didn’t feature in the league for the Hornets again until May.

The 32-year-old played in all three of Roy Hodgson’s last three games in charge of the Vicarage Road side, but the man signed from Bournemouth in January 2021 played just 164 minutes of Premier League football this season.

Jairo Riedewald

The former Ajax youngster hasn’t played in the Premier League for Crystal Palace since New Year’s Day where he had a 15-minute cameo against West Ham United.

Aside from starting the first game of the season against Chelsea, the 25-year-old Netherlands international only made one further top-flight outing and that came in September against Liverpool.

The midfielder looks to have a big battle on his hands in getting himself back in Vieira’s plans.

Juan Mata

Mata’s one-year extension at Manchester United in July ahead of the new season was bizarre, and the decision was made to look even more peculiar given his lack of involvement.

The Spaniard didn’t make his first Premier League appearance of the season until April and with him set to depart Old Trafford next month, his involvement towards the end of the campaign seemed nothing more than a gesture of goodwill from interim boss Ralf Rangnick.

The 34-year-old played in seven of United’s last eight games and amassed 232 minutes of game time.

Ross Barkley

If the 28-year-old is to have any hope of forcing his way into Gareth Southgate’s World Cup thinking, a move away from Stamford Bridge has to be pursued.

The attacking midfielder made one Premier League start during 2021-22 and prior to scoring the winner against Watford on the last day of the season, Barkley hadn’t featured in the top-flight in 2022.

The former Everton youngster made six Premier League appearances under Thomas Tuchel for the Blues this season.

Bertrand Traore

The Burkina Faso international made just one Premier League start this season and with Aston Villa’s potential 2022/23 starting XI looking rather formidable, Traore may have no other choice but to pursue a move away from Villa Park, if he has aspirations of playing week in, week out.

The 26-year-old may have been brought to Birmingham by Dean Smith, but the former Lyon man is unlikely to form a part of Steven Gerrard’s lofty ambitions for the Villains.

Dwight Gayle

Thirty minutes of game time across eight appearances shows where Gayle stands in the Newcastle United pecking order.

And with PIF and Eddie Howe having their first summer transfer window together to bolster the Magpies squad even further, Gayle, 32, is likely to be moved on.

With 59 goals from 100 Championship games, the striker could represent a coup for sides chasing promotion to the big time.