Five out-of-contract stars Europe’s top clubs should be eyeing up
Plenty of free gems in this summer’s window
Big money is already changing hands in this summer’s transfer window, with the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool amongst the clubs on these shores who’ve been splashing the cash on new arrivals.
But there are also a number of top talents out of contract this summer, who could prove to be an absolute steal in the current market.
The Coral News Team look at five of the best players available on a free…
Fernando Torres
The 34-year-old may be in the twilight of his career, but there’s no doubt he has more to offer than experience alone.
Despite not being a regular, Torres still hit double figures for Atletico Madrid last season. That marked the 15th time in his 16 career season where the 34-year-old has achieved the feat.
He may have lost much of his pace over the years, but the veteran hitman remains lethal in the box.
With Champions League, Premier League, World Cup and European Championship winners’ medals (to name a few), the offers will likely be flying in.
Holger Badstuber
Lazio were strongly linked with the out-of-contract defender at the close of last season, but talk of a move to Serie A appears to have gone quiet.
The 29-year-old isn’t quite the player he was before that devastating cruciate injury in 2013. But he’s still a powerful and classy centre-half who offers a genuine goalscoring threat on set-pieces.
Badstuber helped VfB Stuttgart to an impressive seventh-placed finish in the Bundesliga last term. With 31 German caps and four title-winners medals with Bayern Munich under his chest, he’s still a steal on a free transfer.
Pau Lopez
Last season was one of mid-table mediocrity for Espanyol. But it would’ve been much worse without Lopez between the posts.
The 23-year-old conceded a very respectable 31 goals in his 29 La Liga outings, including a pair of clean sheets against Atletico Madrid.
In the process, Periquitos chalked up a better defensive record than any side outside the top eight – as well as Real Madrid.
Unsurprisingly, the stopper wants to move on to bigger and better things. He’s reportedly been eyed up by Tottenham Hotspur, but right now there doesn’t seem to have been a firm suitor.
Jack Wilshere
It’s the end of an era for Wilshere, who departs boyhood club Arsenal after almost a decade in the first-team. The 26-year-old is bidding to revive his career after a raft of injuries had seen him fall down the pecking order at the Emirates.
A slew of Premier League clubs have unsurprisingly been linked, though they’re not the only ones sniffing around the midfielder.
As well as reported interest from Everton and West Ham United, AC Milan and Fenerbahce are reported to be keen.
Wilshere showed glimpses of his top level for the Gunners in last season’s Europa League campaign, including a virtuoso display against BATE Borisov. If anyone can bring those displays out of him regularly, he’ll prove a fine buy.
Milan Badelj
The departing Fiorentina captain was probably on a number of clubs’ radars ahead of the World Cup.
But the Croatian’s list of suitors will have grown after his display against Iceland on Tuesday night, where he grabbed a goal and an assist.
A number of big Premier League sides are currently in the market for a robust defensive midfielder with a good range of passing. The fact he’s available on a free could make the Zagreb native one of the buys of the summer.
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