GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.
This was, however, a weekend of mixed emotions for Britain's most high-profile footballing expats. Real Madrid's English duo endured a frustrating night against one of La Liga's most out-of-form teams, though Scotland's 2025 Ballon d'Or nominee played his part in a massive Serie A win for Napoli. There were also victories for Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund's prized Englishmen, but neither was able to leave a lasting mark on proceedings.
Every Monday this season, GOAL has the definitive lowdown on British stars abroad, what they're getting up to, who is reaching the greatest heights and who appears to be suffering with homesickness. Let's get stuck into this week's edition…
Getty Images SportKane takes backseat as Bayern leave it late
Is it time to panic?! Harry Kane failed to find the back of the net for the second game in a row on Saturday as Bayern Munich ground out a dramatic 3-1 win over St Pauli in the Bundesliga. Kane played the full 90 minutes, but it was another subdued display from the England captain, who also failed to spark into life during Bayern's 3-1 Champions League defeat at Arsenal in midweek.
Kane has scored only twice in his last seven games across those two competitions, well short of the standards he set earlier in the season. But the reality is, they were never going to be maintained across the campaign. Last term, Bayern suffered whenever Kane was slightly off his game, but the pressure on his shoulders is no longer so extreme. Natural dips in form are excusable because the Bundesliga leaders have more firepower elsewhere to hurt the opposition.
Luis Diaz has been especially impressive during this quiet period for Kane. The former Liverpool winger is making a case for the title of best value signing of the summer, and notched two more goal involvements against St Pauli, taking his overall tally for the season to 18 in 19 appearances.
St Pauli grabbed a surprise lead at Allianz Arena inside six minutes, and Bayern didn't find an equaliser until moments before the half-time whistle, when Diaz somehow produced a prodded assist for Raphael Guerreiro despite losing his footing in the box. The hosts laid siege to the St Pauli penalty area thereafter, but struggled to find a way through their stubborn rear-guard.
A magical or superhuman moment was needed, and Diaz delivered in the third minute of stoppage time, busting a gut to get in behind enemy lines and head home a teasing Joshua Kimmich cross. Nicolas Jackson then added a third for good measure, but this was Diaz's night. Kane won't mind if the Colombian overshadows him as long as Bayern keep marching towards back-to-back Bundesliga successes, with Kompany's side now holding a healthy eight-point cushion over second-place RB Leipzig.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportAlexander-Arnold still not convincing
Real Madrid's impressive Clasico win over Barcelona on October 26 feels like a very long time ago. Los Blancos were five points clear at the top of La Liga after that result, but fast-forward just two months, and Barca have clawed their rivals back after reeling off four consecutive victories.
The reigning champions are now first by a point ahead of Madrid, who have drawn three in a row, with relegation-threatened Girona the latest team to inflict a damaging blow to the Xabi Alonso project. Los Blancos were made to pay for a dismal first-half showing at the Estadi Montilivi that saw them muster only one shot on target, with the hosts heading in at the break one up thanks to a lovely first-time finish from Azzedine Ounahi.
Madrid improved in the second half, and secured a share of the spoils thanks to a Kylian Mbappe penalty, but on current form, they have little hope of dethroning Barca. One of Alonso's biggest concerns will be Trent Alexander-Arnold, who again failed to impose himself in attack and defence.
The Liverpool academy graduate is enjoying an extended run in the team with Dani Carvajal out injured, but Real have looked far worse with the 27-year-old filling in at right-back. He was guilty of not tracking his man for Girona's goal, and almost gifted them another after misplacing a pass.
"It's his first year, and this adjustment period is normal," Alonso said when quizzed on Alexander-Arnold's poor form before the game. "He's also demanding of himself, and we have to support him through this significant change." But how long can Madrid afford to wait? The England international has to start proving his worth, or else Carvajal will instantly be reinstated to the starting XI when he returns to action in the New Year.
Getty Images SportMcTominay helps Napoli edge top-of-the-table clash
November was a very mixed month for Napoli. The Serie A title holders opened with successive goalless draws against Como and Eintracht Frankfurt before losing 2-0 at Bologna, after which Antonio Conte sparked talk he may resign by declaring, "I don’t want to accompany a dead man".
But Napoli have since come out fighting for their manager. A 3-1 win over Atalanta got them back on track domestically before they put Qarabag to the sword in the Champions League, which perfectly set up a meeting with Serie A leaders Roma on Sunday.
As expected, it was a tight game at Stadio Olimpico with so much at stake. In the end, Napoli edged it courtesy of a superb goal from David Neres, who ran almost the entire length of the field to finish off a rapid counter-attack after good work from Rasmus Hojlund.
Usually, it's Scott McTominay who inspires Napoli in the biggest games, but the Scotland international didn't get the time or space to make a decisive impact in Rome. That is partly due to the fact he is being asked to play in a more withdrawn role as Conte deals with a mini-injury crisis and a change in formation.
"Some said that McTominay is being sacrificed in this system, but in my view that is his role too, he is a box-to-box midfielder," the Italian coach said after the 1-0 win, which took Napoli back to second in the table, behind AC Milan on goal difference. "We couldn’t do anything else, as only [Eljif] Elmas is an alternative, and that’s not even his role. These lads are proving their enthusiasm, hunger and determination every day, it is what allowed us to win the Scudetto last season, something incredible."
Indeed, McTominay's hunger shone through with his work off the ball. He posted four clearances and seven ball recoveries across the 90 minutes to help ensure Napoli kept Roma at bay. The former Manchester United midfielder always finds a way to lead by example, and Napoli will be there-or-thereabouts in the final title reckoning once again as long as he stays fit.
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Getty Images SportJobe back to square one
Borussia Dortmund have won six of their last nine matches across all competitions since losing to Bayern Munich in Der Klassiker back in mid-October, and their latest triumph was undoubtedly their most important yet. It wasn't always pretty, but Niko Kovac's side leapfrogged Bayer Leverkusen into third in the Bundesliga with a 2-1 win at Bay Arena on Saturday.
Goals from Aaron Anselmino and Karim Adeyemi secured the three points as BVB gave up the lion's share of possession and hit Leverkusen on the break. The gritty, clinical performance pleased Kovac, who told reporters after the final whistle: "We played a really cool away game today. The team have shown that they can survive here as well. We made a lot of plans for this game. The team implemented them really well, and after this, hopefully the talk that we cannot win against big teams this season will stop."
Unfortunately, though, Jobe Bellingham didn't really contribute to Dortmund's "cool game". The former Birmingham City wonderkid was restricted to a 10-minute cameo and managed only four touches, all of which came in his own half.
Bellingham seemed to have turned a corner after playing 90 minutes against Hamburg and Stuttgart, but it seems that Kovac still doesn't trust him in the most pivotal fixtures. He was also a late substitute in the 4-0 Champions League win over Villarreal last week, and it won't be a surprise if he's back on the bench when Dortmund face Leverkusen again in the last 16 of the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday.
There is growing speculation that Bellingham could seek a move away from Signal Iduna Park in January, with BVB reportedly open to a loan amid interest from Paris FC in Ligue 1. While that would be a backwards step, the 20-year-old needs regular football to rebuild his confidence; only then will he have any chance of emulating his brother Jude and break into the England senior set-up.