Max Aarons

Aarons builds his game around reliability rather than the eye-catching runs other full backs are known for, holding his position when a winger drifts inside and trusting his recovery pace rather than gambling on an early challenge. That discipline made him a fixture at Norwich through multiple promotions and relegations, seasons where a defence needed players who did the same job properly every single week rather than occasionally brilliantly. Coaches value that kind of dependability even when it goes largely unnoticed by supporters chasing highlights.

The trade off is obvious watching him next to more expansive full backs, since he rarely produces the moment of magic that turns a tight match. Loan spells away from his parent club have tested whether that consistency travels to unfamiliar systems and different football cultures. Whether he becomes first choice again depends on convincing a new manager that steady is still valuable.