10 Great Players Who Were Ruined By Newcastle United

4. Obafemi Martins

Inter Milan signed Hernán Crespo on loan from Chelsea and Zlatan Ibrahimovi‡ from Juventus leading to Obafemi Martins putting in a transfer request at the San Siro after scoring 28 goals in 88 games. Martins signing a five-year deal at Newcastle United in 2006 and was paraded in front of the Geordie fans before their UEFA cup tie against FK Ventspils. He inherited the club's cherished number 9 shirt, vacated after the retirement of the club-record goalscorer Alan Shearer. But despite scoring 28 goals in 88 league appearances for the Magpies, a hamstring injury during the 2008-09 season (where Newcastle were relegated) meant that he was unable to save the club from demotion to the Championship and the striker's huge potential vanished with the Geordies' Premier League status. He moved to Wolfsburg in 2009 and played for Rubin Kazan, Birmingham City on loan and Levante but only managed 16 goals since leaving St James' Park. The player has now found some form again playing for the Seattle Sounders in the MLS.