With a galactico of stars available on free transfers, managers across Europe will be clamouring to pick up a bargain ahead of a very busy summer of football. Jonathan Day analyses the top Bosmans currently available in Europe.
Junior Hoilett
Along with Nigerian striker Yakubu, Junior Hoilett was one of a few positives Blackburn and Steve Kean enjoyed last season. The right sided midfielder has a degree of pace and skill that is well suited to the Premier League and the Canadian international also added goals to his game last season. Hoilett has been at Blackburn since he was 14, but the competition for Hoilett’s signature looks high with the player having only just turned 22.
Didier Drogba
The Ivorian international is still a very capable player despite turning 34 in March. Drogba picked up three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and departed Stamford Bridge with the perfect swansong by lifting the UEFA Champions League. The two time Premier League Golden Boot winner looks set to secure a mega-money deal in the Chinese Super League next season.
Rob Green
England’s number two keeper has plenty of experience in the Premier League, playing for both West Ham and Norwich. Green had look set to remain at West Ham after Sam Allardyce’s side secured promotion through the play-offs but Green looks set to depart with QPR and West Brom rumoured to be keen. At 32 years of age, Green is capable of playing in the top flight for at least another five years.
Tranquillo Barnetta
The Swiss international spent eight years at Bayer Leverkusen during which the midfielder made 180 appearances scoring 23 goals. Newcastle were tipped to sign Barnetta last summer and Alan Pardew may reignite his interest in the midfielder who has been capped 59 times by Switzerland.
Cristian Chivu
Chivu has been at Inter since 2007, playing 105 times for the Nerazzurri winning three Scudettos, the Coppa Italia twice and picking up a UEFA Champions League medal when Jose Mourinho lifted the trophy back in 2010. Chivu can play at left back or centre half and at 31 there will be plenty of interest for the defender who has won the Romanian Footballer of the Year title four times.
José Bosingwa
The two time UEFA Champions League winner was not offered a contract extension and the former Porto defender looks set to leave the club at the end of the season. Bosingwa played 89 times for The Blues picking up three FA Cups and winning the Premier League title three years ago. Interest in the Portuguese right back will likely to be high with Italian giants Juventus providing one possible destination.
Mohamed Diamé
The former Wigan Athletic midfielder has impressed in the engine room for Roberto Martinez’s side over the past two seasons and the Senegalese international is a player clearly in demand with Sunderland, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Malaga all reported to be interested. At 24 Diamé will want to secure a lucrative contact, something which David Whelan could not accommodate.
Mladen Petric
After four years at Hamburg, Croatian striker Mladen Petric looks set to move on. Petric is a proven goalscorer in the Bundesliga having hit double digits in three of the last five seasons. A host of Ligue 1 clubs are interested in Petric who is keen on Spain, Italy or France as his next destination.
Salomon Kalou
The Ivorian winger is another that looks set to depart Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, with the arrivals of Marko Marin and Eden Hazard adding weight to much of the speculation. At 26, interest in the Champions League winner is likely to be high with Schalke, Arsenal, Lyon and Newcastle are all interested.
Royston Drenthe
Drenthe demonstrated his pace and skill with the ball wide on the left in patches last season during a loan spell with Everton. The Dutch winger who can also play at full back looks set to end a torrid five year spell at Real Madrid and is keen on a return to Feyenoord who qualified for the Champions League this season.
With a host of high profile names available on free transfers, managers will look to act fast to secure their targets for next season.
Jonathan Day is a football betting expert with a keen interest on European and Premier League football. Jonathan currently writes for Sportingly Better, a football betting blog that offers Premier League betting tips and fantasy football picks
Author Credit: Jonathan Day