Bargain bin

[Rocksuperstar]

Just glancing at those out of contract at the end of this year, and consider how much bargaining power that gives us:

ASTON VILLA: Wayne Routledge, Stuart Taylor.

BLACKBURN: Tugay, Andre Ooijer.

BOLTON: Ali Al-Habsi.

EVERTON: Andy van der Meyde, Nuno Valente.

FULHAM: Danny Murphy, Pascal Zuberbuhler, TJ Moncur, Moritz Volz.

HULL: Ian Ashbee, Nick Barmby, Dean Windass, Sam Ricketts.

LIVERPOOL: Sami Hyypia.

MAN CITY: Michael Ball, Glauber Berti, Dietmar Hamann, Danny Mills, Daniel Sturridge, Darius Vassell.

MAN UTD: Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Chris Riggott, Ross Turnbull, Brad Jones, Mohamed Shawky.

NEWCASTLE: Michael Owen, Shola Ameobi, Steve Harper, Nicky Butt.

PORTSMOUTH: Sol Campbell, Sean Davis, Kanu, Lauren, Noe Pamarot, Herman Hreidarsson, Richard Hughes, Djimi Traore, Richard Duffy, Linvoy Primus, Jerome Thomas, Jean-Francois Christophe.

STOKE: Amdy Faye, Vincent Pericard, Salif Diao, Lewis Buxton.

SUNDERLAND: Dwight Yorke.

TOTTENHAM: Paul Stalteri.

WEST BROM: Dean Kiely, Carl Hoefkens, Sherjil MacDonald, Shelton Martis.

WEST HAM: Lucas Neill.

WIGAN: Emile Heskey, Kevin Kilbane, Ryan Taylor, Henri Camara, Mike Pollitt.

Apparently that's every player in the prem who are angling towards bosman like status by the summer - one glance at Pompey will show you how much trouble they're in if they don't start signing some cheques, but other than that, who out of all them would make you look twice as prospective future Spurs players?

 

[smithym]

heskey & owen would be tasty(ish)

dnt suppose you have a list of similar from spain/italy?

 

[Dougal]

Djimi Traore could probably do a job. Just not as a Professional Footballer.

 

[worcestersauce]

Thats 12 players at Portsmouth who the hell is left?

Michael Owen is still quality.

 

[Kendall]

I would take Hamann, Murphy, Owen & Heskey.

 

[Turbo]

Would still take Giggs without a doubt, though feel he will see his career out at United.

 

[Kushal]

Daniel Sturridge and Hyypia for me

 

[punky]

There is a lot of chaff in that list. For example Tuguy is late 30s and going into management. There are a few others that are unbuyable for various reasons.

Darius Vassell might be worth a punt. He was great at Villa. I can't see him getting much more games soon with Robinho, Tevez, Villa, Messi, and God knows who else they are going to buy.

 

[Partizan]

Isn't Sturridge meant to have great potential? I've seen him a few times and thought he was good, I guess with unlimited money that City could spend, they won't care much about this fella and would be willing to let him go

 

[nldnboi]

Definately take Sturridge and also would take Ali Al-Habsi as back-up/competition to Gomes. I remember him playing a few games last season for Bolton and he did look quality.

 

[mil1lion]

I wouldn't mind Hypia actually as a backup centre back. But its unlikely he'd leave Liverpool unless it was for regular 1st team football.

Giggs would make a great mentor for Gareth Bale.

Owen is the one who i can see highest on Harry's targets. Possibly Heskey too.

Hamann could tie us over until the summer if we cant signa top class defensive midfielder. And Sturridge would be a good signing too.

All of those worth a look if finances really are tight. But i'd hope for better quality than all of those. Although i'd be very happy with Owen and Sturridge.

 

[van_Pommel]

Sturridge would be great but I'd imagine they'll renew his contract soon.

I'd take Pamarot back for cover at CB and RB.

 

[kaboulio]

It is interesting to read that Routledge is out of contract in the summer. He is currently on loan here at Cardiff. He is doing a good job, so hopefully he will be bought in January.

For Spurs, Owen & Heskey. As Redknapp was right to complain about today, with Pav (uefa) cup-tied and Bent sick, that only leaves on-loanee Campbell. Both would work well with the midfield, IMO.

 

[GLUESODA]

Like to put a quid on Harry bringing back Judas?

Al Habsi seems a great keeper, so does turnbull and harper

Giggs, heskey and owen still have at least 1 solid season I'm them, but will def. demand a massive wage

Sturrige and Thomas seem the most likely though I'd think...

 

[spurs mental]

None of them.

 

[PT]

Stalteri - oh wait..

 

[ChRiStOpHe]

None of them.

You're havin' a gee-raffe? Eek

Ali Al-Habsi (as a few others have said) is the exact kind of keeper we should be looking at. He's not a kid but not old, he's free, he's shown himself to be a very decent keeper, and to seal the deal, he's proved he can sit on the bench for long periods before coming in and playing a blinder.

Dietmar Hamann is the kind of player that Huddlestone could learn a hell of a lot from. Hamann in his prime is the player Hudd wishes he was. If we could get him on a 1-year deal, this has Naybet written all over it.

Daniel Sturridge is very highly thought of, and while I believe there would be a small fee because of his age, he'd be ideal as a 4th striker (our own F.Campbell if you like).

Anyone who doesn't think Bale and Lennon could learn from Giggs is off their rocker (not that we'd get him), and the same goes for Neville (see Hutton, Gunter, Charlie).

Michael Owen is a risk, but there are some very good arguments to suggest it would be a risk worth taking. If Owen can keep fit until the summer (assuming he stays until then), I think I'd be prepared to take a chance. One of the most natural finishers around.

For the same reasons as Ali Al-Habsi, Steve Harper would be a good signing.

If he'd be willing to take a fairly big wage cut, Lucas Neill would be a decent option, provided cover at both RB and CB.

Spurs currently have zero target men. Emile Heskey is one of the best around, and is criminally underrated in my opinion. He'd bring a totally new dimension to our attack, and who can argue with that for free?

 

[hughy]

Sturridge, Al-Habsi and Owen I'll agree with, but the rest are all either past it, not good enough, or will sign on.

 

[ChRiStOpHe]

Sturridge, Al-Habsi and Owen I'll agree with, but the rest are all either past it, not good enough, or will sign on.

Name a better experienced central midfielder than Hamann we have in our squad to pass on their knowledge to the younger players?

Name a better target man in our squad than Emile Heskey?

These are players that will improve us (for free) and some of us are turning our noses up at it :eh:

Don't underestimate how much having Naybet around helped Ledley King. We've been so dead set on buying kids and selling high that we've had very few experienced heads in our squad in recent years. The ones that have been around (Naybet, Edgar etc) have all helped the younger players massively.

 

[SpurSince57]

A year, two years ago I'd have given a definite yes to Hamann, but from what I've been told he's struggling a bit now.

Al-Habsi would definitely be a good shout as back-up if Sanchez and Alnwick aren't considered good enough. I'm sure Turnbull will get a new deal with Boro. Would Harper swap the Barcodes' bench for ours?

Sturridge looks to have a lot of potential, Owen—head says no, hear says yes, Heskey could bring out the best in Bent or Pav.

Lucas Neill's just a knob.