50. Ronaldo, 31, AC Milan
Yes, he's still around. And sooner or later Milan may decide they're tired of
waiting for him to get fit. Which means he'll need to be "rescued",
possibly on loan. A gamble? Of course. But if you're romantic and you
remember that he remains one of the greatest goalscorers of his generation
(61 international goals and counting . . .) he may be hard to turn down.
49. Stephen Hunt, 27, Reading
Won't win popularity contests, but the plucky Irish winger is a
perpetual-motion machine who seemingly never stops running. This season he
has contributed a few goals as well. Might be tempting for someone looking
to provide instant dynamism to their side.
48. Sebastien Puygrenier, 25, Nancy
He's ready for a bigger stage and if you want a giant, no-frills old
school stopper who'll get to the ball first and boot it in Row Z, he's a
sensible option.
47. Goran Pandev, 24, Lazio
A gifted and unselfish second striker who looks on the cusp of stardom.
Lazio are notoriously cash-strapped and won't turn down a reasonable offer.
46. Tim Borowski, 27, Werder Bremen
This giant (6ft 5in) hyperactive midfielder gives you work rate and goals.
He has 18 months left on his current deal and has had the odd run-in with
his manager, Thomas Schaaf, which suggest he may be ready to up sticks.
45. Antonio Cassano, 25, Sampdoria (on loan from Real Madrid)
Approach this outrageously talented basket case with caution . . . but, if
you can unlock his ability, you will find one of the most gifted players in
Europe. Sampdoria have a buy-back option but a decent offer will pry him
loose. A gamble but possibly a worthwhile one.
44. Willy Sagnol, 30, Bayern Munich
It's not often a veteran right back with 53 French caps becomes available but
Sagnol says the rift with Ottmar Hitzfeld, the Bayern manager, can't be
healed. Still has several seasons at the highest level in his 30-year-old
legs.
43. Johan Elmander, 26, Toulouse
A late bloomer who really came into his own only in the past two years,
Elmander is a big, athletic striker who probably still hasn't fully tapped
into his talents. Toulouse are a selling club, and there is plenty of
interest.
42. Miguel Veloso, 21, Sporting Lisbon
Tough-tackling holding midfielder in the Claude Makelele mould who can
also line up as a defender. Veloso is calm, composed and reads the game
uncannily well. Don't expect him to stick around past the summer.
41. Cristiano Lucarelli, 32, Shakhtar Donetsk
The veteran target man worked out a deal whereby Shakhtar will let him go
on loan for the next six months, provided he returns for their 2008-09
Champions League campaign. If you're looking for a big, hulking goal machine
on a short-term basis, he's your man.
40. Roysten Drenthe, 20, Real Madrid
Hyped to high heaven, he's been a bust at the Bernabeu. Too young to write
off, though Real are willing to listen to offers. Given his ability, if he
finds a club that can keep him on the straight and narrow, he could be an
excellent signing.
39. Elano, 26, Manchester City
Everybody has his price and, despite having just arrived, plenty of clubs are
lining up big money bids for the Brazilian maestro. Unless City prove to him
they're ready to challenge for the title next season, he may push for a
move.
38. Javier Saviola, 26, Real Madrid
Started for Argentina in the World Cup, but can't get a game at the
Bernabeu after arriving on a free in the summer. Saviola is young enough to
turn his career around and Real are happy to listen to offers. He's an
expensive guy to have at the end of the bench.
37. Christopher Samba, 23, Blackburn Rovers
Despite a long-term contract, too many scouts are already salivating over the
Rovers defender to believe he'll see it out. Arguably Mark Hughes's best
signing, pound for pound.
36. Ricardo Quaresma, 24, Porto
Screwed up his chance at Barcelona, but has consistently been one of the
best wingers in Europe since then. A mesmerising dribbler who also knows
when to be unselfish, Porto will hold out for a big fee, but it's hard to
see them hanging on to him.
35. Marco Amelia, 25, Livorno
Italy's No 2 goalkeeper is, incredibly, still stuck at a club mired in the
relegation scrap year after year. Has been linked with a move for the past
18 months. Sooner or later it has to happen.
34. Vincent Kompany, 21, SV Hamburg
Injuries have limited his development somewhat, but he's big, strong,
quick and bright: invaluable assets for a central defender. Could be one of
those "below-the-radar" deals that reveals a hidden gem.
33. Luke Moore, 21, Aston Villa
He rejected a new deal last month and is out of contract in 2009, which
suggests he's ripe for a move. Has slipped down the pecking order, but at
his age, is definitely worth a look.
32. Mario Gomez, 22, VfB Stuttgart
Germany’s footballer of the year last season is a big, brawny centre
forward with an eye for goal. Stuttgart would love to hang on to him for
another season but, at the right price, they'll let him go.
31. Tiago, 26, Juventus
Hasn't really made the grade this season and Juventus are quietly
listening to offers. The Portuguese midfielder could be a bargain for a
number of clubs and, at his age, has a lot of good football left in him.
30. Olof Mellberg, 30, Aston Villa
Dependable, durable, physical and intelligent, Mellberg is on the market
because he is out of contract in June. As Bosmans go, this one looks like a
no-brainer for a hugely experienced defender with 79 Sweden caps and ten
years’ experience in La Liga and the Premier League.
29. Joao Moutinho, 21, Sporting Lisbon
An eerily accurate passer and a natural leader who is already captaining
Sporting despite his young age. Has plenty of drive and determination to go
with his excellent technique and work rate.
28. Ever Banega, 19, Boca Juniors
Probably Argentina's brightest domestic starlet right now and arguably the
best player at the Under-20 World Cup. Banega is a deep lying midfielder in
the Andrea Pirlo mould who looks set for a big move to Europe. - SOLD (to
Valencia for £13½ million)
27. Miguel Angel Angulo, 30, Valencia
Like Albelda, he has been shown the door at the Mestalla. Don't let that
put you off, he's an intelligent and unselfish winger who can do a job for
any top side. And, unlike others, he won't cry if he's not in the starting
XI.
26. Mancini, 27, AS Roma
This tricky winger and step-over king has only 18 months left on his
contract, which means he's ripe for someone to swoop in with an offer. One
of the better wide men in Serie A, he has an uncanny ability to beat his
man, which is always a prized asset.
25. Lassana Diarra, 22, Arsenal
A mystery wrapped in an enigma. Since the summer, he has featured as many
times for France (seven) as he has for Arsenal in the Premier League. Given
his age, it seems inevitable that someone will rescue from the Emirates
before he gets too many splinters in his rear end.
24. Afonso Alves, 26, Heerenveen
Alves threw a hissy fit when he wasn't sold last summer and promises to
produce another one if he doesn't get a move. The occasional tantrum,
however, may be outweighed by his scoring record: 45 in 39 games since
moving to Holland and seven in one game in October.
23. Peter Crouch, 26, Liverpool
Rafael Benitez says nice things about Crouch, but he doesn't get much love in
terms of playing time. With a contract expiring in 18 months, he's ripe for
a move, otherwise he'll be the elongated photo-negative version of Defoe: an
England forward who can't start for his club side.
22. Jeremy Menez, 20, AS Monaco
Comparisons to Zinedine Zidane might be a bit blasphemous at this stage, but
he has all the gifts to succeed. A tricky dribbler and natural playmaker,
he's also a regular goalscorer who can feature up front. Oh, and he's on the
record saying he "dreams of Arsenal".
21. Cristian Zapata, 21, Udinese
The best defender you've (probably) never heard of. Quiet, unassuming but a
fearsome athlete with size, strength and pace, he has been a Serie A starter
since he was a teenager. Think a younger Sol Campbell, only less
complicated.
20. Jens Lehmann, 38, Arsenal
OK, so he was born in the 1960s and has lost his starting place at
Arsenal. But it wasn't that long ago that he was superlative in leading
Germany to the World Cup semi-finals, and he'll be available on a free in
June. Does nobody fancy a punt?
19. Jermain Defoe, 25, Tottenham Hotspur
Amazingly, he has started only one Premier League game this season. In the
past three and a half seasons, he has scored 35 league goals, while making
only 71 starts. With his contract expiring in 2009 (and no sign of a deal on
the horizon) he's ready to move on.
18. Deco, 30, Barcelona
Probably should have moved last summer, but remains available at the right
price. A natural playmaker who, in the right context, holds his own
defensively as well, he'd upgrade almost any midfield.
17. Giles Barnes, 19, Derby County
No, we haven't really seen what he can do in the Premier League, but Derby
are likely to go down and he doesn't need a year of slogging it out in the
Championship. He brings technique, creativity and improvisation, all
qualities English youngsters supposedly lack.
16. Amauri, 27, Palermo
The poor man's Adriano (without the boozing and the flab). Amauri is a
big, strong and mobile target man who puts the team first and never stops
running. Now that he has an EU passport, he's a very tradeable commodity.
15. Rafael Van der Vaart, 24, SV Hamburg
After being billed as the second coming as a teenager, he has taken a few
years to settle down, but is now comfortably one of the better attacking
midfielders around. Already has 50 Dutch caps.
14 Nicolas Anelka, 28, Bolton Wanderers
Have boots, will travel. Seven moves in his career will soon become eight,
which makes sense for a consistent centre forward who has reached double
figures in league goals in each of the past six seasons.
13. Alan Hutton, 23, Rangers
A natural attacking full back who is ironing out some of his defensive
kinks, Hutton may be the best British wide defender right now. If he wants a
move, it will be very hard for Rangers to hang on to him.
12. David Albelda, 30, Valencia
His manager has blamed him for Valencia's ills and dropped him, which
effectively means he's up for sale (and for a reasonable price, too). It's
not often a guy his age with 50 Spanish caps goes on the market.
11. Adriano, 25, Sao Paulo (on loan from Inter Milan)
Yes, he's had weight and alcohol problems and Inter have shipped him home
to Brazil so that he can regain his mojo. He's a gamble by any estimation
but, given his age and that he is potentially one of the most feared centre
forwards around, it may be a worthwhile one.
10. Urby Emanuelson 21, Ajax
Classic attacking full back who brings width and trickery to the left
flank. Ajax don't really want to lose both him and Maduro, but they may well
have no choice if the right offer comes in.
9. Didier Drogba, 29, Chelsea
He's under contract until 2010, but makes no secret of the fact that he
wants to keep his options open and see how things go under Avram Grant. If
Chelsea can get the right price, selling him might be the kind of move that
benefits all parties.
8. Diego, 22, Werder Bremen
He flopped as a teenager at Porto but, in the past two years, he has
established himself as one of the best playmaking attacking midfielders in
Europe. Creates tons of chances and scores a fair few, too.
7. Gianluza Zambrotta, 30, Barcelona
The prototypical modern full back who can fill either flank, he's been in
and out at the Nou Camp this season. With the manager's future undecided, he
could be tempted to try his luck elsewhere.
6. Frank Lampard, 29, Chelsea
It all depends on whether he extends his contract at Stamford Bridge, which
expires in June 2009. He said he'll make a decision at the end of the season
and, if no deal is reached, look for him to seek employment elsewhere.
5. Luka Modric, 22, Dinamo Zagreb
Despite his age, he bosses games from his perch in central midfield. Great
personality and leadership and chips in with a fair few goals as well.
Premier League be warned: Dinamo are looking for a big pay day.
4. Hedwiges Maduro, 22, Ajax
A high-energy sparkplug in the middle of the park, Maduro is the kind of
guy managers love. Other clubs love that he has refused a contract extension
and can move on a free in June even more. Don't expect him to last that
long.
3. Karim Benzema, 20, Lyon
The price tag will be high given his age but, if he continues to progress,
it will only get steeper. Quick, accurate and blessed with loads of
personality, he's the next big thing coming out of French football.
2. Dimitar Berbatov, 26, Tottenham Hotspur
Very gifted and prolific, he often leaves you with the sense that there's
more to come. Spurs may want to cash in, especially since they are a year or
two from contending. Plus, if he doesn't want to be there, why keep him
around?
1. Ronaldinho, 27, Barcelona
Of course, he'll cost a mint - both in wages and transfer fee - and you may
have bought into the idea that his career is on the wane. Don't believe the
haters. He's got 46 goals in his past 71 Liga starts . . . and he's not even
a goalscorer!
