Because of what’s happened over the past two years, it’s easy to forget that Arda Turan was widely regarded as one of La Liga’s best players prior to his €34 million move to the Camp Nou.The Turkish winger was excellent during his four-year spell with Atletico Madrid, helping the Rojiblancos win the Europa League, Copa del Rey and La Liga while plying his trade at the Vicente Calderon.Arda was happy at Atletico but couldn’t resist the opportunity to leave Diego Simeone’s side after Barcelona came calling in the summer of 2015.

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Barça were serving a transfer ban at the time which meant that although they could sign Arda, they were unable to register him until the following January.

But rather than send him out on loan for the first half of the 2015-16 campaign, the Catalan giants instead opted to keep him at the club so he could train with his new teammates every week.

This turned out to be a bad decision.

Arda lacked match fitness and struggled to adjust to the style and tempo of Barça’s play.

He began to find himself in and out the starting line-up and this continued last term, his first full season at the Camp Nou.

His reputation has plummeted

The 30-year-old’s reputation has plummeted over the past 24 months and he could be forgiven if he had regrets over his decision to join the five-time European champions.

Arda was photographed looking overweight earlier this summer, sparking a surprised and angry reaction from the club’s supporters on social media.

Arda's career has hit a new low

And now, less than two weeks before the new La Liga season gets underway, his career has hit a new low.

According to Marca, Barcelona’s new head coach Ernesto Valverde has made it clear to the player that he’ll stay on the subs’ bench.

Basically, he appears to have little to no future at the Camp Nou.

Arda subsequently wants a return to Atletico, per Marca’s report, but his former employers don’t want him back.

He no longer features in Simeone’s plans, meaning a return to Atleti is now out of the question, too.

Rather than moving to another of Europe’s top clubs this summer, the former Turkey international is likely to end up a club in China or back at his first professional club, Galatasaray.

It’s been some fall from grace for Barcelona’s current No. 7.