Fernando Torres could be among the high-profile players on their way back to the Premier League this winter from Serie A, amid reports that AC Milan are set to ditch the forward.
Torres, Nemanja Vidic, Ashley Cole and Patrice Evra all found places at top Italian clubs AC Milan, Inter Milan, Roma and Juventus respectively, but rather than boosting the quality of the teams they joined, they have found themselves seemingly surplus to requirements after just four months.
Torres has found the net only once for Milan -- on his starting debut -- and their coach Filippo Inzaghi appears to have ultimately exhausted all of his patience in the Spaniard, preferring Jeremy Menez as a lone forward in recent matches.
Cole has yet to recover from the tough time he was given by Bayern Munich's Arjen Robben in a 7-1 Champions League defeat in which he was replaced at half-time, while Vidic has not been able to convince either Walter Mazzarri or new coach Roberto Mancini at the Nerazzurri.
Evra has played with a certain degree of regularity for the Bianconeri when available, but opinion remains divided among Juve fans as to whether the Frenchman has brought the added quality and experience they needed and expected.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, at least Torres and Vidic could be on their way straight back to the Premier League when the transfer window opens in January.
Torres, 30, signed a two-year loan deal with Milan in the summer, but the chances of him seeing that to its conclusion look slim. Instead, a brief return to Chelsea in January could be his best way out with the Blues then likely to offer him to other clubs since another striker -- and a misfiring one at that -- is not needed.
Vidic has been linked with a return to his former club with an injury crisis making the Serbian defender -- who moved to Inter on a free transfer in July -- a candidate to plug a gap in Louis van Gaal's United rearguard, although that speculation has been dismissed by the player's agent.
Fans of both clubs would probably welcome the move for contrasting reasons. The 33-year-old was not even taken to Azerbaijan for Inter's Europa League tie at Qarabag on Thursday, fuelling rumours he will not find any room under Mancini.
Cole and Evra appear most likely to stay in Italy until next May, meanwhile, even though their prospects may not look great.
Jose Holebas is in fine form for the Giallorossi with Cole sat in the stands on Tuesday night when Roma were eliminated from the Champions League by Manchester City.
The 33-year-old also finds himself behind Vasilis Torosidis in Rudi Garcia's defensive hierarchy, and the opportunity of joining Major League Soccer in the New Year may tempt him to leave the Italian capital after just six months.
Finally, Evra is a near-certain choice in Massimiliano Allegri's side given a three-month injury to Kwadwo Asamoah, which renders the Frenchman indispensable.
He too has been linked with a return to United in the winter, but unless a replacement can be found, his stay in Turin is likely to last the longest of four recruits from the Premier League who have found life difficult in Italy.