Royston Drenthe's career didn't quite follow the path many expected it to when he signed for Real Madrid in 2007. 

The Dutch winger was named as the player of the tournament at the 2007 iteration of the Under-21 European Championships. 

His performances played a key role in helping Holland eventually win the tournament, and it was no surprise when the Spanish capital outfit came calling for his signature. 

Los Blancos parted with a reported £12.6m to sign the exciting youngster, but he could only muster four goals and five assists in 65 games during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

Following loan spells with Hercules and Everton, Drenthe was eventually released by Real Madrid and the story of his career ever since is an intriguing one. 

It's safe to say that the promise underpinning the winger's breakthrough faded over time. 

By 2016 Drenthe had announced his retirement from football and decided to pursue his career elsewhere. 

Under the alias Roya2Faces, Drenthe tried to forge a career in rap music before returning to football in 2018. 

The year of 2020 brought about another journey into fresh career territory as the now 33-year-old appeared in TV crime drama Mocro Maffia. 

By the end of the year Drenthe was declared bankrupt having previously admitted to losing a staggering £3.2m after his football career fizzled and faded. 

It's been quite the journey for Drenthe, but he's not done with football yet. 

Indeed, the one-cap Netherlands international signed for Spanish third division outfit Racing Murcia on Wednesday as he looks to re-establish himself as a professional footballer. 

In a footballing world where hype so regularly fails to translate into elite level quality, Drenthe's career serves as a poignant example of how quickly players can fall into the realms of mediocrity. 

As the cousin of Georginio Wijnaldum and the nephew of Edgar Davids, it's fair to say Drenthe hasn't quite matched the standard set elsewhere in his family.