Forgotten Premier League wonderkid who now looks unrecognizable may be free agent after red card ends season early

Former Premier League prodigy Jack Rodwell's career is in limbo after receiving a red card in the A-League.

Rodwell, who played for Everton, city ​​of manchester and SunderlandEdit in the Premier League, saw their season end abruptly on Friday night when the Sydney FC star was sent off.

Football Australia's independent match review panel confirmed the two-match suspension, meaning he will not play again this season with two matches remaining on the domestic calendar.

The defender received a straight red after a nailing tackle on Christian Theoharous in Sydney's 2-1 semi-final first leg defeat to the Central Coast Mariners at Allianz Stadium.

Rodwell, who looks completely unrecognizable from the player who began his Everton career in 2007, will see his contract expire at the end of the season in Sydney.

“I'll take a bit of time to see what my options are at the end of the season,” Rodwell told News Corp Australia last week.

This means the 33-year-old may have already played his last game for the Australian club, which he joined in 2022.

The Southport-born star, who left English shores when he was in Sheffield United In 2021 for Western Sydney Wanderers, he was known for his shaved hairstyle.

However, in Australia she has adopted a new look, sporting a bun that might make some wonder who she once was.

When Rodwell came onto the scene at Everton in 2007, he was considered one of the best youngsters in English football at the time.

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So much so, that City shelled out a fee of up to £15 million for his services, a large fee at the time for a player who still had a lot to prove.

Despite his obvious talent, Rodwell struggled to break into a team that featured top players such as Yaya Touré, Gareth Barry, Nigel de Jong and James Milner.

After just two years and 16 league appearances, the Englishman joined Sunderland, but his star had faded and he struggled to return to the kind of form that earned him a big move in the first place.

Unsuccessful spells at Blackburn and Sheffield United followed before moving to Australia to play in the A-League.

But where Rodwell will play next season remains to be seen, with his one-year contract in Sydney expiring and no sign of a renewal in sight.