Men most likely to move on in summer

05 May 2010 15:02
TEAMtalk's Simon Wilkes looks at the players most likely to be sold by relegated Burnley, Hull and Portsmouth in this summer's transfer window.[LNB] Burnley, Hull and Portsmouth are facing life in the Fizzy Pop league next season, and although the summer transfer window doesn't open until July 1, there is already plenty of chatter about players' futures.[LNB]Newcastle and West Brom won automatic promotion from the Championship, and will be joined by one of Nottingham Forest, Blackpool, Leicester or Cardiff City, whose fans face the nerve-shredding lottery of the play-offs.[LNB]Magpies chief Chris Hughton and Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo will have seen their transfer warchests significantly bolstered by their return to the big time - but are there any bargain buys to be snapped up from the relegated trio?[LNB]A lot of players who have a very high opinion of themselves - despite their involvement in an ultimately-disastrous season - believe so, saying they're hoping to stay in the Premier League.[LNB]But I thought I'd give Hughton, Di Matteo and any other top-tier gaffers a hand by trying to sort the wheat from the chaff.[LNB]Burnley[LNB]Clarets skipper Steven Caldwell has been one of their best players over the season (although even I'd look good playing alongside the shambling Countdown specialist Clarke Carlisle).[LNB]Sadly for Brian Laws and the Turf Moor hierarchy, the 29-year-old is out of contract this summer and admits he is 'open' to leaving Lancashire. Albion need an experienced centre-half to support the likes of Jonas Olsson and Gabriel Tamas, and Caldwell could be a shrewd addition to their playing staff.[LNB]David Nugent claims his 'future is in the Premier League' and has been linked with a move to Bolton. He was on loan at Turf Moor from Portsmouth but doesn't seem to have a future at Fratton Park, so might be worth a punt considering you could probably offer penniless Pompey a tenner and a bag of pork scratchings and still get him.[LNB]Wade Elliott is the one player Burnley will want to hang on to most - but on the flip side he is also probably their most valuable asset. The 31-year-old was a near ever-present, playing 33 games in the league and also chipping in with three goals.[LNB]I can't see him kicking off next season at Turf Moor, and although he'd be a great signing for any of the Premier League new boys, I reckon he could land a move to a more established club.[LNB]Daniel Fox, Robbie Blake, Steven Fletcher and Chris Eagles are the other names that jump off their squad page, but although Fletcher netted eight league goals, I reckon this quartet will be playing Championship football when August rolls around.[LNB]Hull City[LNB]This one is 'simples' as Iain Dowie has pretty much summed things up for me.[LNB]He admits the Tigers, around £35million in debt, won't get much dosh for the likes of George Boateng, Kevin Kilbane and Andy Dawson, and I've got to agree as both Albion and the Toon have already got better players on board.[LNB]The former MOTD2 pundit admits Jimmy Bullard and Stephen Hunt are the two players likely to command decent transfer fees this summer, but Hull have shot themselves in the foot by not inserting relegation clauses in their lucrative, long-term contracts, as suitors now know they have no choice but to sell their top men, meaning they can leave it until the last minute and put some cheeky bargain bids on the table at the KC Stadium.[LNB]The fact that Hunt is currently crocked - a major reason for their fall from grace - and Bullard suffered a disastrous end-of-season dip in form will not help matters either.[LNB]I think Bullard would be a great signing for Newcastle, who probably wouldn't match his £50,000-a-week contract but would get a lot closer to it than Albion could ever dream of. But his injury-plagued history may put a lot of summer suitors off the shaggy-haired former Fulham dynamo, who would be sorely missed if he plays outside the top tier next season.[LNB]Geovanni is a big-name player under contract until June 2011, and at 30 he could still thrive under a manager who gives him the freedom to roam and endlessly go for 30-yard 'Hollywood' piledrivers. But he has only played 16 times this season, suggesting that his best days are behind him and the legs are 'starting to go'.[LNB]Steven Mouyokolo, Paul McShane, Kamil Zayatte and Boaz Myhill could attract some interest, but the chances are the latter three at least will stay put at the KC Stadium as they've not really done enough this season to get high on anyone's shopping list.[LNB]Portsmouth[LNB]Pompey's fairytale run to the FA Cup final has given fans a glimmer of hope in a season of heartbreak and turmoil off the pitch.[LNB]It's hard to see how Avram Grant can be a party pooper for his former employers Chelsea, who should have far too much firepower at Wembley.[LNB]And it'll be a miracle if the Israeli coach is still in the hot-seat come next season, as there is likely to be a summer of selling at Fratton Park.[LNB]Aruna Dindane and Jamie O'Hara have been Pompey's shining lights in a poor campaign - the problem is they're both on loan, meaning any transfer fees will go into the pockets of Lens and Spurs.[LNB]O'Hara says he is open to staying at Fratton Park in the Championship, but I can't see that happening as Harry Redknapp wouldn't be happy with that arrangement, and the left-sided playmaker has many admirers, meaning he's a dead-cert to be pulling on a new team shirt next season.[LNB]The Baggies have got left-footed winger Chris Brunt in their ranks, but I'd love to see O'Hara at The Hawthorns as he can play in a more central role - and would also be perfectly suited to playing alongside Kevin Nolan up at St James' Park.[LNB]David James has already been linked with a summer move to Albion, but his wage demands are likely to scupper any chance of that happening, especially as they've got Scott Carson on the books. [LNB]Aaron Mokoena admits his future is unclear but Pompey's administrator Andrew Andronikou will be hoping both he and Nadir Belhadj have blinding World Cups with South Africa and Algeria respectively, bumping up their transfer values ahead of the summer window of opportunity.[LNB]John Utaka and Steve Finnan have expressed a willingness to play in the Championship and will probably be doing just that come the 'Big Kick-off'.[LNB]But it's likely the FA Cup final will be Kevin-Prince Boateng's last game for the beleaguered club, as he has developed into a fine Premier League player under the tutelage of Grant and will no doubt be used to keep the financial vultures at bay.

Source: Team_Talk