the pretty eleven of the players without a club
Before each transfer window, many players struggle to find a club despite a rather well provided CV. This winter, a large number of them are in this case and could come to the aid of certain Ligue 1 clubs, in particular, in great financial difficulty since the health crisis. Here are our eleven of the free players who are on the market and are hoping to find a buyer quickly. And there are some pretty talents who could relaunch their careers for the start of 2022.
At the goalkeeper position, few experienced players stand out, but there are bets to be made. Among them, on Finding an ex-international hopefuls: Zacharie Boucher (29 years old). Trained in Le Havre and passed through Toulouse, then Auxerre and Angers, the Frenchman then lost himself in Greece, at Aris Salonika, where he only played nine games before finding himself without a club since last summer. However, the winner of the UNFP Trophy for the best goalkeeper in Ligue 2 in 2013 has certain qualities and had made the heyday of Auxerre between 2015 and 2018. He is currently training with the AJA. We could also quote Yoan Cardinale (27 years old), without a contract since leaving Nice last year.
The world’s most expensive ex-defender is without a club
On the left wing, we chose to field a former Real Madrid side: Fabio Coentrão (33 years old). Former promising Portuguese Liga, Coentrão had joined the White House, where he had achieved a mixed course. After inconclusive loans to AS Monaco and Sporting Portugal, the Portuguese international had found his training club Rio Ave until last season. His experience and his defensive contribution could help a good number of European clubs. In central defense, on Find Eliaquim Mangala (30 years). The most expensive former defender in the world is still free of any contract since leaving Valencia FC this summer. If he had a few touches in Greece during the summer, the international tricolor (8 caps) always assists in the right challenge to relaunch and train with a physical trainer.
The passage of Neven Subotić (33 years old) in Denizlispor will not have lasted. The 33-year-old Serbian international has terminated his contract with Süper Lig’s red lantern, just four months after arriving from Union Berlin. The former Stéphanois has only played four small games since the start of the season in Turkey and could find a nice base in Europe. To complete this defense, we find another former Ligue 1 player: Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (32 years old). Free as the air since the end of his contract with Olympique Lyonnais, the versatile defender could still return to business in 2022. The international central defender tricolor (4 capes) is looking for a new base.
An impressive midfielder
In the midfield, many internationals are still free. Among them, Clément Grenier (30 years old) has always been looking for a new opportunity since leaving Rennes last summer. According to our information, he would be targeted by Troyes to strengthen the workforce of ESTAC, current 17th in Ligue 1, while he is currently training with OL. Free since his departure from Bournemouth, the former great Arsenal hope, Jack Wilshere (29 years old), do not be overwhelmed by offers. While he is training for the moment with the London club, the manager of the Gunners, Mikel Arteta, nevertheless ensures that he has the level of the Premier League.
Nabil Bentaleb (27 years old) is always looking for a new project since his departure from Schalke 04. According to our information, the Algerian international community, in full possession of its means, is in advanced discussions with Angers for this winter. To end with this attractive midfielder, we found Hatem Ben Arfa (34 years old). The former midfielder of OM, OL and PSG is still without a contract and still does not have the shadow of a concrete track, since a complicated season with Bordeaux last year. “For the moment, he takes his time and continues to train while waiting for a good project. In any case, he is free, so he can engage wherever he wants and very quickly ”, we explain a source close to the player.
Two scorers losing speed
In attack, we have chosen Wilfried Bony (33 years old). The Ivorian international was long perceived as a great Premier League scorer when he chained goals for Swansea. But after leaving Manchester City for around € 32.5million, the striker got lost. He had joined Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and remains without a contract since 2020. On his social networks, the Ivorian says he is currently training with Newport County, in League Two (English D4).
To end this eleven, here is Kevin Mirallas (34 years old). Trained at LOSC and passed through Saint-Etienne, Everton’s ex-scorer is also looking for a new base after a season in Gaziantep, Turkey. The ex-Belgian international is still training and seeing a new opportunity. According to the Belgian press, he is currently training with the Espoirs du Standard de Liège. Without signing a contract being on the agenda …