Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Mark McCadden

This entire starting-XI is made up of players that are still available on free transfers

We have already seen some eye-catching free transfers this summer, with decorated stars moving on for nothing - except for the massive signing-on fees they pocket at their new clubs.

Paul Pogba, Christian Eriksen, Divock Origi, Gareth Bale, Dani Alvez, Ivan Perisic and Angel di Maria are just a few of those who have benefitted from a Bosman deal.

Pogba has gone back to Juventus, while his former side Manchester United have landed one of the signings of the summer in Denmark star Eriksen.

Origi left Anfield for AC Milan with his cult hero status among Reds fans long assured.

Bale and Alvez have crossed the Atlantic, di Maria has left PSG for Juventus and Perisic has reunited with his former Inter boss Antonio Conte at Tottenham.

With new top-flight campaigns close to kicking off across Europe, there are still some outstanding players to be had for a steal.

We reckon we could put out a starting XI that, while mostly on the wrong side of 30, would easily hold their own in the best leagues across the continent, including the Premier League.

GOALKEEPER: BEN FOSTER

Last club: Watford

Age: 39

Appearances last season: 26 (Premier League)

CV: Foster has tons of experience, has been capped eight times for England and is a two-time League Cup winner with Manchester United. And as a goalkeeper, his age isn’t such an issue.

Interest: Leeds United are reportedly keen to bring him to Elland Road.

RIGHT BACK: SERGE AURIER

Last club: Villarreal

Age: 29

Appearances last season: 19 (La Liga)

CV: Aurier has plenty of Premier League experience, having played 77 times for Tottenham across four seasons. The Ivory Coast international has also played in France and Spain, winning two league titles with PSG.

He was a member of the Spurs side that lost the 2019 Champions League final.

Interest: Fulham could bag this bargain, with Galatasaray and Atletico Madrid also in the hunt.

CENTRE BACK: ELIAQUIM MANGALA

Last club: Saint Etienne

Age: 31

Appearances last season: 14 (Ligue 1)

CV: He moved to Manchester City for almost €50m in 2014 and played 79 times. And although regarded as a bit of a flop, he won the Premier League in 2017/18.

He also had championship successes in Belgium and Portugal with Standard Liege and Porto respectively.

Interest: There doesn’t seem to be a large number of potential suitors.

CENTRE BACK: JASON DENAYER

Last club: Lyon

Age: 27

Appearances last season: 15 (Ligue 1)

CV: Denayer was on the books at Manchester City and played on-loan at Celtic, winning the Scottish title in 2014/15. He spent the last four years at French giants Lyon

Interest: Torino are reportedly ready to offer him a €2m contract to move to Serie A

LEFT-BACK: MARCELO

Last club: Real Madrid

Age: 34

Appearances last season: 12 (La Liga)

CV: One of the great attacking left-backs of a generation, he leaves Real having won six La Ligas and five Champions Leagues. His exit ends a remarkable 16-year stay at the Bernabeu.

Interest: Lazio and Marseille both hope to keep the Brazilian in Europe, while a return home to Brazil is also on the cards.

MIDFIELDER: FABIAN DELPH

Last club: Everton

Age: 32

Appearances last season: 11 (Premier League)

CV: Capped 20 times for England, Delph won two Premier League titles with Manchester City, making 89 appearances after moving from Aston Villa for just over €10m. Everton paid €12m for the midfielder in 2019.

He played at the 2018 World Cup against Panama and Belgium, as England got to the semi-finals.

Interest: Would Leeds United be interested in the 32-year-old?

MIDFIELDER: DANNY DRINKWATER

Last club: Chelsea

Age: 32

Appearances last season: 23 (Championship - on-loan at Reading)

CV: His €40m move from Leicester to Chelsea, one year after winning the league with the Foxes, surprised many - and over five seasons he played just 12 times in the Premier League for the Stamford Bridge side.

There were loan moves during those five years to Burnley, Aston Villa, Turkish side Kasımpaşa and Reading.

Interest: After spending last season at Reading, he could be headed back to the Madejski on a permanent deal.

MIDFIELDER: JUAN MATA

Last club: Manchester United

Age: 34

Appearances last season: 7 (Premier League)

CV: Mata has had a stellar career, winning the Copa del Rey with Valencia, the FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League with Chelsea, and another FA Cup and Europa League with Manchester United.

He is also a World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain.

Interest: Once again, Leeds United are linked with a free agent, with Mata reportedly ready to halve his wage demands to sign.

MIDFIELDER: HATEM BEN ARFA

Last club: Lille

Age: 35

Appearances last season: 7 (Ligue 1)

CV: After relatively settled spells in France with Lyon and Marseille, and in England with Newcastle, he has bounced around Nice, PSG, Rennes, Real Valladolid, Bordeaux and, most recently, Lille.

Interest: Are Newcastle United going to make an offer for their former player?

FORWARD: LUIS SUAREZ

Last club: Atletico Madrid

Age: 35

Appearances last season: 35 (La Liga)

CV: He was a legend during his time at Anfield, but Reds fans were quick to boo him when he returned with Barcelona. An undoubtedly brilliant striker with 132 Uruguay caps, he has a glittering trophy cabinet and is all set for one more crack at the World Cup.

Interest: Two former clubs, Liverpool and Nacional, have been linked with the striker, while Borussia Dortmund are also believed to be interested.

FORWARD: EDINSON CAVANI

Last club: Manchester United

Age: 35

Appearances last season: 15 (Premier League)

CV: He has scored 58 international goals, is a six-time Ligue 1 winner with PSG and has a goalscoring record of more than one in every two games.

Sure, he is getting on in age, but he showed over the past two seasons that he could handle the pace of the Premier League. Cavani is still a class act.

Interest: Villarreal are set to move for the Uruguay star.

READ NEXT:

Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.