The 'next Frank Lampard' is unemployed at 31 and failed to secure a Rangers move

Chelsea had at one point thought they’d secured the next Frank Lampard, but 11 years and just four senior appearances for the club later, he’s now unemployed.

Marco van Ginkel penned an £8million move to Stamford Bridge from Dutch outfit Vitesse in the summer of 2013, after the dynamic midfielder had caught the eye in his native Netherlands.

Such was his strong showings for the Eredivisie side, Van Ginkel began earning – perhaps unfair – Lampard comparisons.

Jetro Willems claimed of his compatriot: “He had something special about him that not a lot of players have. You don’t get many box-to-box players nowadays, particularly not who can score a lot of goals.

“He was especially good at scoring headers, arriving late into the box. He is the same type of player as Lampard was.”

Whereas his manager at Vitesse, Peter Bosz, backed up those sentiments – a legacy Van Ginkel failed to live up to.

Part of that was down to luck. Van Ginkel had to be taken off midway through a League Cup clash against Swindon Town just two months into his Chelsea career after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

He’d return to action the following spring, but out of favour at the Bridge, Van Ginkel embarked on the first of several loan moves during his time as a Chelsea player.

Spells at AC Milan, Stoke City and finally PSV Eindhoven – the club he’d eventually leave Chelsea for on a permanent move – made up the majority of his time with the capital club.

A return to Vitesse followed, but despite seven goals and two assists across 30 league outings as the club captain, Van Ginkel was unable to prevent the side based in Arnhem from being relegated to the second tier.

It meant another summer of uncertainty for Van Ginkel after his Vitesse contract expired, but Scottish side Rangers, managed by Dutch boss Philippe Clement, had emerged as a potential destination.

Reports linking the now 31-year-old with a move to Ibrox emerged, only for them to disappear as quickly. The man once touted to be the next Lampard was seemingly unable to agree to a move to the Scottish giant.

What was meant to be the twilight of Van Ginkel’s glistening career has turned into nothing more than a nightmare for the Dutchman.