The Premier League has this season seen another influx of international superstars arrive on it's fields, with the likes of Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ilkay Gundogan, Leroy Sane, Nolito and David Luiz setting tongues wagging and gaining innumerable column inches in the gossip pages along the way.
Yet, of all the big money moves to be brokered by English clubs this season, none of the players involved have generated more Bing searches than the one and only Shay Given.
The 40-year-old Stoke City goalkeeper has made five appearances, this term yet, despite not featuring in any major headline news over the past three months, has garnered more interest than the likes of Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero and Mesut Ozil. Rooney comes in second behind Given, with Ibrahimovic, Marcus Rashford and Harry Kane rounding out the top five.
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According to the research carried out by Bing, a player's search traffic will rise by 160% if they score and 20% if they're cautioned. Without much to sing about in the way of goals or cautions, it's puzzling as to why Given has performed so well online.
"If you're the most famous player in the Prem, clap your hands" (Image: PA)
Strikers account for 33% of searches on the site, with midfielders accounting for another 31%. Funnily enough, despite his world record breaking transfer in August, Paul Pogba doesn't even make the top 10, with his manager Jose Mourinho not breaking into the top five most searched for managers, with new Chelsea boss Antonio Conte sitting atop the pile, closely followed by David Moyes, Eddie Howe, Mike Phelan and Ronald Koeman.
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We're not sure how or why it's happened, but for a player who's given English football over 20 years of terrific service, we're glad to see so many people care about Shay Given. Or they're trying to find him to give him shit for his heroics costing their team a game at some point in Premier League history. That genuinely wouldn't surprise us, either.
(H/T The Mirror)
Topics: Football, Premier League, Stoke City