Despite emerging as a regular in the German national side, Huth has struggled to impress in the Premiership with Chelsea. The Berlin-born centre-back has often been culpable when in the side, including a horrendous attempt to head back to the goalkeeper in a Carling Cup tie at home to Charlton Athletic which enabled Darren Bent to equalise. To add insult to injury, Chelsea went out on penalties - with Huth also missing from the spot.

Despite Chelsea insisting he remains an important member of their squad his appearances and performances suggest otherwise. Huth, a giant of a defender, was snapped up from the youth system at German club Union Berlin. The left-sided player made his debut for the Blues in the last game of the 2001/02 season, as a 17-year-old, replacing Graeme Le Saux at half-time in a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Aston Villa. He earned his first start in a 2-1 win at home to Viking Stavanger in the First Round of the UEFA Cup in September 2002.

Highly regarded by former boss Claudio Ranieri, he was welcomed fully into the first team squad for the 2003/04 season, but looked far from comfortable in the bright lights of the Premiership. He scored his first ever goal on his first appearance of that season, a 3-0 home win over Zilina, and went on to play 20 games. But the defender was dismissed in the penultimate game of the campaign in a 1-1 draw at Manchester United.

The lack of first team opportunities saw the player linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge at the end of the 2004/05 season. He was strongly linked with a return to Germany with Bayern Munich but opted to remain in London. His shaky displayed for Germany at the Confederations Cup in June 2005 may have had Bayern fans thanking their lucky stars. No more than a bit part player at Chelsea, Huth will have to move to earn first team football.

source: soccernet