FIERCE, feisty and free-spirited – this list includes players who could strike trepidation into their own managers as well as rival teams.Each of these ten big names in Premier League history have the same claim to fame – or shame.
Luis Suarez bounced back from his training banishment to produce a legendary Liverpool season and earn his dream Barcelona moveCredit: Getty
Paul Pogba’s second spell at Man Utd was far longer and filled with more drama but he was barred from training during his first stint thereCredit: Getty
Some – like Paul Pogba and Luis Suarez – are legends whose careers in England were marred by controversy amid their brilliance.
Others – such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – had long spells inspiring awe blotted by sudden revelations.
And a few – step forward Virgil van Dijk – have long-forgotten incidents in their Prem CV.
There’s also the public spats – none more dramatic than Jadon Sancho’s with his Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
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But all of them have been banished from club training at some time.
The numbers easily run into ‘trouble figures’ – but here’s our guide to how ten of these players were forced into solo practice and the effect it had on their careers.
JADON SANCHO
The England winger’s Old Trafford future was threatened by a remarkable exchange with Ten Hag.
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Three Lions’ attacker Jadon Sancho had an incredible public disagreement with his Manchester United manager Erik ten HagCredit: Getty
Sancho’s omission from a match squad at Arsenal in September 2023 was put down to poor training by his Dutch manager.
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The 23-year-old hit back on social media at the “completely untrue” claims and added: “I’ve been a scapegoat for a long time.”
Sancho deleted his post days later during an international break – when United players were given a week off training.
The Red Devils then gave him an individual training plan – as club chiefs reportedly discussed if he should play for them again.
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG
From iconic goalscorer and skipper to sudden outcast – the Gabon hero’s Arsenal stint deteriorated rapidly after what boss Mikel Arteta called his “latest disciplinary breach”.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang landed on his feet at Barca after his Arsenal bust-upCredit: Getty
The striker was stripped of the club captaincy for reportedly returning late after being given a day’s leave to visit his family in France back in December 2021.
But amid other claims of dodgy time-keeping, the ex-Borussia Dortmund ace was promptly barred from first-team training.
Aubameyang moved to Barcelona just two months later before an unhappy 2022-23 season with Chelsea.
LUIS SUAREZ
For a player banned for biting three players on three separate occasions, the Uruguayan’s training banishment at Liverpool seems tame by comparison.
Suarez reacted angrily in the summer of 2013 after claiming the Reds had broken a promise to sell him to Barcelona.
Then-Anfield manager Brendan Rodgers denied the suggestion – and made him train alone.
But in a way the outcome was perfect for both parties.
Suarez went on to hit 31 goals and SAS strike partner Daniel Sturridge 21 – as the first Liverpool frontpair to notch 20 apiece in one campaign since Ian St John and Roger Hunt in 1963/64.
The Reds missed out on the Prem title to Manchester City by just two points.
And Suarez was sold at the end of the campaign to Barca – where he formed the all-time great MSN link-up with Lionel Messi and Neymar.
AINSLEY MAITLAND-NILES
The versatile Englishman paid the price for an Instagram post on transfer deadline day in August 2021 revealing he wanted to quit Arsenal for Everton.
The Londoner wrote: “All I wanna do is go where I’m wanted and where I’m gonna play.”
Gunners’ chief Arteta swiftly told the wideman to train on his own.
Maitalnd-Niles was, however, brought back into the Arsenal squad for the season, although he never became a regular starter and joined Lyon in August 2023.
JOEY BARTON
The hothead midfielder blasted Newcastle on Twitter in August 2011 – and as a result, in his own words, was “predictably” barred from training with the rest of the squad.
Joey Barton has been involved in many hostile encounters on and off the pitch but it was his words that led to a training ban at NewcastleCredit: AFP
Four years after winning his only England cap, Barton chose social media to attack the Magpies on their transfer policy and even suggested Toon players were unhappy.
Boss Alan Pardew isolated Barton in training ahead of a move to QPR the same month.
DIEGO COSTA
Best-known for winding up opposition defenders, the hardman forward could be pretty adept at irking his own managers too.
Then-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte sent the Spain star back to his birth-country Brazil following a row with one of the Blues’ coaches.
Conte allegedly told Costa by text he was no longer wanted.
And soon, in September 2017, the targetman got the return to Atletico Madrid that he admitted he wanted.
Costa was later forced to do a solo spell of training back at Atletico – when manager Diego Simeone ordered him to lose weight.
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PAUL POGBA
Despite the soap opera of his second spell at Old Trafford, it was during the Frenchman’s first stint from 2011-2012 when he got banned from team training for a week.
It summed up the awkward relationship Pogba and agent Mino Raiola had with legendary United chief Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Red Devils eventually allowed the midfielder to join Juventus.
United brought him back for £90million in 2016 but Juve re-signed him six years later.
HENRIKH MKHITARYAN
Arguably Jose Mourinho’s least successful recruit for Manchester United, the Armenia winger was an outcast just four months after arriving from Borussia Dortmund in June 2016.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan was signed by Jose Mourinho for Man Utd but his Old Trafford career soon nose-divedCredit: Getty – Contributor
Mourinho made Mkhitaryan train alone at Carrington.
Yet his United career somehow continued until January 2018, when he switched to Arsenal as the make-weight in Alexis Sanchez’s move the other way.
PAPISS CISSE
The Senegal attacker put his principles first when controversial payday loan company Wonga became Newcastle sponsors in 2013.
Standing by his Muslim faith, Cisse refused to wear the club shirt with the firm’s name on it.
Toon chief Alan Pardew made him train on his own.
But Cisse revived his Newcastle career impressively before joining Shandong Luneng in 2016.
VIRGIL VAN DIJK
Southampton ordered the Dutchman to train away from his club-mates when he tried to force a move to Liverpool in the summer of 2017.
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The Saints wanted to hold VVD – already rated as one of the Prem’s finest ever centre-backs – to his contract.
He did return to the fold – awkwardly – but hardly played for the whole of the campaign and switched to Liverpool at the end of the season. More
