Championship / Dan Fitch / 17 March 2009 /

Having bagged a hat-trick for Barcelona less than a year ago, Giovani dos Santos now finds himself representing the colours of Ipswich Town, albeit on loan. Dan Fitch looks at other Premier League players who have gone out on loan to learn their trade.

Less than 12 months ago, Giovani Dos Santos scored a La Liga hat trick for Barcelona against Real Murcia. On Saturday he came on as a substitute for Ipswich Town in a Championship game against Reading.

As career trajectories go, only Michael Barrymore's has taken a more dramatic nosedive. One moment you're being talked about as the heir apparent to Ronaldinho and then before you know it, you're being brought on as a replacement for Jon Stead.

Some praise has to be given to Dos Santos though, for even being willing to make the loan move to Ipswich. His transfer from Barcelona to Tottenham raised a few eyebrows, but by agreeing to play for Ipswich until the end of the season, Dos Santos showed that he is one young player who is desperate to get some first team football.

Dos Santos joined Spurs, no doubt assuming that he would be a regular in the side. The reality is that he's been given even less games than he got for Barca last season. There have been whispers about a poor attitude, which weren't helped when pictures emerged at Christmas of Dos Santos spread-eagled on the pavement after a few too many festive drinks.

Many have doubted Dos Santos' ability to adapt to the physical nature of the English game and the Championship will put this to the test. Ipswich are in a comfortable mid-table position and need an extra boost if they are to sneak into the play-offs. Dos Santos could be the man to provide it and if this proves to be the case, he might just get another chance at Spurs next season. Ipswich, by the way, are [15.0] to win promotion.

Tottenham have also loaned out two more young players to Championship clubs. I'm certain that one of them will be a success, though like Dos Santos, the other remains something of an enigma.

Chris Gunter made his debut for Nottingham Forest at the weekend in a crushing 5-0 defeat away at Burnley. Yet, this is not a game anyone could have really expected Forest to win and I'm sure that Gunter will prove to become a valuable asset.

With the plethora of right backs currently at Tottenham, Gunter may well spend next season on loan in the Championship. Whether that will be at Forest or another side, will depend if they can survive the drop. Billy Davies' side are currently [2.74] to be relegated.

QPR have taken a gamble on Adel Taarabt, who came on as a late substitute in the draw against Southampton. Taarabt is undoubtedly very skilful, with incredible dribbling ability, but hasn't yet proved that he can be trusted to fit into a team system. He is guilty of holding onto the ball rather than passing, to the point where you want to check that it's not stuck to his boot with Solvite. Whether he will ever fulfil his potential will be tested by his spell at QPR, who are [2.82] to beat Swansea tonight.

Increasingly young players at Premier League clubs, may find themselves having to take one step back by going on loan to a lower league club, in order to take two steps forward and win a first team spot in the top flight.

When top of the table Leicester beat Millwall in their League One clash on Saturday, they did so with a team that included Tony Warner on loan from Hull, Kerrea Gilbert from Arsenal, Jack Hobbs from Liverpool and Tom Cleverley from Manchester United. Such signings have resulted in Leicester trading at just [1.14] to win the division.

At the other end of the table, loan signings form a vital part of Graham Turner's squad at hard-up Hereford United. With no money for transfers, Turner currently has eight players on loan at his disposal, borrowed from teams as disparate as Manchester United and Grays Athletic. Hereford are [1.35] to be relegated.

The Football League has extended the amount of loan signings allowed in recent years and it is a godsend to teams with scant resources. The Premier League clubs are often accused of not doing enough to help the lower divisions, but the loan system has enough mutual benefits for even the most self-obsessed top-flight club to lend their young players out.

So if you're a supporter of a Football League team, you might find that you're most important player next season is a young Premier League star with plenty to prove. Just don't get too attached to him.

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