The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word MIDFIELDER
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
M
I
D
F
I
E
L
D
E
R
More clues leading to the result MIDFIELDER
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "player" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case player = midfielder.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does MIDFIELDER mean?
MIDFIELDER noun- A player who operates behind the attackers and in front of the defence.