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Friday, March 29, 2024

8 free agent wild cards Premier League clubs can sign including former Chelsea stars

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After a summer of big spending, the majority of Premier League deals have been confirmed, but there could still be more to come.

Clubs in the English top flight spent close to £2bn over the summer, with Manchester United and Chelsea posting the biggest outlay. Late moves for the likes of Antony, Wesley Fofana and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were the icing on the cake after both clubs splashed the cash, and they weren’t the only big-money deadline deals.

All 20 teams in the league will name their 25-man Premier League squads on September 2, but some may leave spots free in case they decide to dip into the free agent pool. Unattached players can be signed outside the window – we saw this last season with Brentford signing Mathias Jorgensen and Watford adding Nicolas Nkoulou; so there’s less urgency.

While some teams will already be happy with their business, others might decide, whether due to injuries or form, that they need reinforcements. There are plenty of experienced players still without a club, and – while work permits could be an issue for some – one or two of those picked out by Mirror Football could be worth a punt.

Ross Barkley

One of the higher profile free agents, Barkley would be able to bring a wealth of Premier League experience. The England international even scored for Chelsea last season, netting against Watford on the final day of the campaign, and many may feel he has more to offer at the age of 28.

It wasn’t even that long ago that Barkley was playing and scoring for England, hitting a brace against Bulgaria in 2019 to bring his tally up to six. With more than 300 senior games under his belt, almost all of them coming for Premier League teams, there’s pedigree even if he hasn’t consistently shown his best form in a while.

Diego Costa

Have any free agents caught your eye? Let us know in the comments section

Diego Costa last played for Atletico Mineiro
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AFP via Getty Images)

Another former Chelsea man, Costa looked set to join Rayo Vallecano this summer. However, the move fell through, reportedly at the behest of manager Andoni Iraola, who is said to have threatened to quit if Rayo added the veteran.

Those events aren’t exactly a ringing endorsement of the 35-year-old, who is a free agent after leaving Atletico Mineiro at the end of 2021. A return of 52 goals in three Premier League seasons is impressive, even if the last of those was five years ago, and teams looking for muscle up front may be convinced to take a punt.

Fabian Delph

A two-time Premier League champion who played for England at the 2018 World Cup, Delph might look like a surprising name to see in the free agent list. Injuries have impacted the former Manchester City man, though, and this may explain the lack of a move so far.

Delph spent the last three seasons at Everton, but was restricted to just 32 league appearances. An expectation of a full season might be pushing it, but teams could be convinced given the busier-than-usual schedule before and after the winter World Cup.

Fabian Delph has plenty of Premier League experience
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Getty Images)

Marcelo

Some teams might look at their squad and decide adding a winning mentality is important above all else. If that’s the case, few know more about winning than Marcelo.

The former Real Madrid man is a five-time Champions League winner, though he was an unused substitute for the 2022 final against Liverpool, and has played at World Cups and Olympic Games for Brazil. Some may balk at the idea of giving a player his first Premier League experience at the age of 34, but you don’t have a career like his without being one of the best around.

Juan Mata

The moment to sign Mata may have passed, with a return to Valencia reportedly imminent. However, with other apparent done deals collapsing late on, we shouldn’t count on anything until he is pictured holding the shirt aloft.

Mata was used sparingly over the last two seasons, with 16 league outings plus 14 in other competitions. However, he remained a popular figure at Man Utd towards the end of his eight-and-a-half year spell and could well be a good dressing room influence.

Adel Taarabt

Adel Taarabt was playing in the Champions League last season
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Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

Wild cards don’t come much more wild than Taarabt. The Moroccan international is undoubtedly gifted, but hasn’t been able to show that quality at a consistent enough level.

The former Spurs and QPR man was released by Benfica this week after a seven year spell which saw him loaned out for two full years in the middle. He’s 33 now, but played Champions League football just last season, starting at Anfield and coming off the bench in a victory over Barcelona.

Jetro Willems

Newcastle fans may have fond memories of Willems, who scored a memorable goal for the Magpies against Liverpool in 2019. Injuries curtailed his loan spell in the north-east, but might be be ripe for a second shot at the Premier League.

Jetro Willems has already had one Premier League stint
(
newcastle chronicle)

The Dutch left-back spent last season in Germany, playing regularly in the Bundesliga for a Greuther Furth team who finished rock bottom. After being released, the Dutch international is now on the lookout for a new club at the age of 28.

Simone Zaza

Speaking of players with unfinished business in England, Zaza’s time at West Ham United was a disaster he may want to show was just a blip. The Italy international failed to score for the Hammers in 2016, but then proceeded to hit 19 in a year and a half with Valencia.

The former Juventus man is a free agent after leaving Torino over the summer, and was hardly prolific for the Serie A side. He could still potentially offer something as a back-up, though, if a team decides to take a chance on the 31-year-old.

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