In 2018 Crystal Palace Signed the 'New Xabi Alonso' - He now Plays in the 4th Division

· GiveMeSport

Max Meyer was once compared to Lionel Messi and Xabi Alonso, but aged 31 he plays in the fourth division in Germany.

Footballing hipsters priding themselves on intricate knowledge of foreign top flights tipped Crystal Palace for the smartest signing of the summer when they snapped up a highly-rated midfielder on a free transfer back in August 2018.

Compared to various football legends including Lionel Messi , lauded at youth international level as a former Golden Player award winner at the U17 European Championships, and boasting almost 200 senior appearances aged just 22, the Eagles had swopped for a playmaking prodigy once destined for the very top of the beautiful game.

But there was a reason Max Meyer ended up at Selhurst Park that summer, when he was previously a transfer sweetheart for the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United. And as time went on during a relatively dismal spell in South London, one of several moves from the Bundesliga to the Premier League to fall flat , the midfielder's shortcomings became increasingly apparent.

Having made his first-team debut at just 17, off the back of winning the award for best player at the U17 European Championships, Meyer was primed to become the poster-boy of his generation of German footballers, following on from the famous cabal that won the U21 European Championship together in 2009 and then the 2014 World Cup as senior players five years later.

Meyer was a natural successor, emerging from one of Germany's biggest talent factories in FC Schalke, and earning comparisons for his playing style with Messi, the greatest footballer of all time .

And yet, Meyer never quite reached the level that was initially heralded of him; his goal contributions struggled to justify his status as Schalke's chief No.10, and thus he was effectively rebranded as a more cerebral, subtle genius in a deeper-lying role, more akin to Xabi Alonso, one of the greatest midfielders in football history , who had been brought in to pull the strings for Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.

But the transition in role only really papered over the cracks, because when Meyer's contract ran out in 2018, a Crystal Palace team that had finished only within the relative comfort of midtable the season previous proved to be his best option for next club.

Roy Hodgson is not an easy manager for creative midfielders to thrive under. His philosophy has focused far more on keeping shape and avoiding soft goals than taking risks and giving individual freedom to enigmatic talents. Nonetheless, when Meyer joined the Eagles, the plan was to return him to a more advanced role.

> "My position in Schalke was too deep. I like this position [at Palace] more; I am looking to attack more. It’s a good mix for my position – I like the position the gaffer gave me – whether it’s on the left or the middle, it doesn’t matter.”

But forward-thinking players are inevitably judged on goal contributions, and in his first season at Palace, Meyer only provided one goal and two assists. His second season, meanwhile, saw him fall out of favour, making more substitute appearances than starts. Midway through the subsequent campaign, six months before his contract was due to expire, the midfielder left the Eagles by mutual consent.

After leaving the Eagles, Meyer joined FC Koln back in Germany on a short-term deal until the end of the 2020-21 season, but didn't do enough to make it permanent. He then signed for Fenerbahce but soon found himself loaned out to Midtjylland, failing to impress for either club.

Then came a spell with Luzern in the Swiss Super League, where Meyer enjoyed arguably the best football of his career with 20 goals in 75 appearances, a Player of the Month award and a spot in the 2022/23 Team of the Year.

Meyer left in 2024 as a free agent and spent two years with APOEL in Cyprus, which allowed him to play in the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League during the 2024/25 campaign.

But last summer, Meyer returned to Germany again - this time with Rot-Weiss Oberhausen. The Clovers are currently spending their 15th consecutive season in Regionalliga West, one of the five regional divisions that constitute the fourth tier of German football, just below the 3. Liga.

Rot-Weiss Oberhausen finished second in their division last season. However, only first place receive promotion to the third tier. But with Meyer now pulling the strings in midfield, perhaps the Westphalian outfit will go one better and return to the big-time next season.

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