They Want the Ball: The Top 20 Strikers on the Transfer Market

With the World Cup just days away from crowning a new Champion, many strikers around the world are looking to cash in and make a move to a new club. So many of these strikers have proven themselves time in and time out at the club and the international levels.

Some of them have just come off their breakthrough performances at the 2010 World Cup. Others have been doing what they were born to do, score goals!

This transfer market looks as if it is filled with tons high-level talent along with some low profile names that can produce just as big numbers if put to the challenge. With one of the best strikers for club and Spain already signed with Barcelona, it looks to be an interesting transfer market for strikers.

Here is my list of top 20 strikers available to clubs around the world. Most of them have produced at one time or another in their careers with some looking to reproduce what they did in the past.

No. 20: Aristide Bance

Current Club: Mainz

Rumored Clubs: Blackburn and Stoke.

Netting just 10 goals last season for Mainz, Bance is looking to move on and join a new club. He is a low profile striker and not much is known about him. It seems to be that Bance will be joining Blackburn in a season-long loan deal. Although this still has yet to get done.

No. 19: Craig Bellamy

Current Club: Manchester City

Club Rumored: Everton

Bellamy is a talented striker who is very passionate about the game. Sometimes too passionate. He tends to get too into the game, which gets hims in trouble a lot. That's one reason why he may be transferred again!

No. 18: Karim Benzema

Current Club: Real Madrid

Rumored Clubs: AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Manchester United.

After a subpar first year with Real Madrid, in conjunction with missing out on the French National Team, Benzema could be on his way out.

Benzema is a powerful young striker who can move on and off the ball. Just three years ago he scored 31 goals in 51 matches. After moving on from the Lyon to Real Madrid his performance struggled. Netting just eight goals in 27 appearances.

A move to a new club that doesn't have such high expectations as that of Real Madrid could be the prescription to his non-goal-scoring sickness.

No. 17: Asamoah Gyan

Current Club: Rennes

Rumored Clubs: West Ham and Udinese.

After scoring the game-winning goal against the USMNT in the round of 16, Gyan has exploded as a must-have striker for some clubs.

Coming of one of the most heartbreaking exits at the World Cup in recent years, Gyan is looking to make a move out of Rennes and join a new club.

Leading the scoring table for National team Ghana, this 24-year-old looks to be a powerful striker that likes to take on defenders when he gets the chance. He is also not afraid to take a shot no matter where he is.

No. 16: Mohamed Zidan

Current Club: Borussia Dortmund

Rumored Clubs: Barcelona, Arsenal, and Manchester United.

With the biggest clubs looking to get his striking services, there is one question to ask: Is he worth the money?

He isn't considered a physical striker or a prolific goal scorer. He has only scored 15 goals since 2008 for his club.

There are many questions that need to be answered about Zidan before he would make a jump to a big-time club. Although he has produced for Egypt recently, helping them win the African Cup of Nations, assisting on the game winning goal.

No. 15: Carlton Cole

Current Club: West Ham

Rumored Clubs: Liverpool, Aston Villa, Everton, and Arsenal

After a fantastic season with West Ham in which he scored 10 goals and improved the production of fellow teammates. Cole is a striker that seems to still be looking for the place he would like to call home. After many different stints in the last eight years, maybe this is the year he finds that so called home.

No. 14: Mario Balotelli

Current Club: Inter Milan

Rumored Clubs: Man City, Arsenal, and Manchester United.

Balotelli has had his share of racial abuse in his stint with Inter Milan. With the summer transfer window fully blown open, Balotelli may look to leave the country of Italy all together to get away from the racism.

Scoring just nine goals in 26 appearances last season it is still to be seen if he can become a top-notch striker. Although he did win the Champions League with Inter Milan last season. Maybe a change of scenery will help him flourish as a striker.

No. 13: Giuseppe Rossi

Current Club: Villarreal

Rumored Clubs: Arsenal, Napoli, Roma, and Tottenham.

A young 23-year-old striker, Rossi has netted 33 goals in 91 games in his up-and-coming career. A native of New Jersey, Rossi is the striker who got away from the USMNT.

After an early exit from the World Cup, Rossi is the one who is linked to carry Italy in Brazil 2014.

A move out of Villarreal could spark his career and land him as one of the best in the years to come.

No. 12: Giampaolo Pazzini

Current Club: Sampdoria

Rumored Clubs: Arsenal and Juventus

Pazzini is coming off one of his biggest seasons, scoring 19 goals for his club and obtaining his first cap for Italy. He also led Sampdoria to the biggest qualifications they have had in years, Champions League.

He is a striker who can produce in the heat of the moment.

He would, however, command top dollar if he were to be transferred as he is in the prime of his career at 25-years-old.

No. 11: Sergio Agüero

Current Club: Athletico Madrid

Rumored Clubs: Manchester United, Inter Milan, and Chelsea.

Recently ousted 4-1 by the Germans in the World Cup, Aguero is looking to leave Athletico and join a more powerful club. Although he did help Athletico win the Europa League title.

Scoring 20 goals last season will help him land with a powerful club.

The main reason for his move is the lack of Champions League at Athletico last year. He is looking to move to a club where this would be an option this year.

No. 10: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

Current Club: AC Milan

Rumored Clubs: Arsenal, Manchester United, and Everton.

Playing for the Dutch in the World Cup Finals looking to win it's first Championship and AC Milan in club, Huntelaar has had a sub par year with both teams.

He only scoring seven goals last season for his club which was considered lack luster by fans and supporters alike.

Huntelaar will be looking to move out of AC Milan and maybe go to a less hyped club in order to revamp his career.

No. 9: Radamel Falcao

Current Club: FC Porto

Rumored Clubs: Everton, Aston Villa, and Tottenham.

Hailing from Columbia and just 24-years-old, Falcao is being rumored to join up with an EPL team. Scoring 25 goals in 26 games for FC Porto Falcao looks poised to become the next big star in the EPL.

Falcao is a striker that loves to roam around the field from side to side and take on defenders when needed.

No. 8: Luís Fabiano

Current Club: Sevilla

Rumored Clubs: Tottenham, Manchester United, and Manchester City.

Fabiano is just off a disappointing exit to Holland at the World Cup. He is one of the stars on the Brazilan squad and is linked to leave Sevilla and join an EPL team.

He is a physical striker who can score when it is needed, scoring 15 last season.

He was linked last season with a move to the EPL also, but nothing materialized. Let's see if something can come around this time.

No. 7: Edin Džeko

Current Club: VL Wolfsburg

Rumored Clubs: Manchester City, Chelsea, and Manchester United.

Dzeko is a physically strong striker who would fit in perfectly in the EPL. He tracks back and fights for ball when it is needed. He is a prolific goal scorer, scoring 29 goals in 45 games last season.

Dzeko is that striker a team can look to when they are in need of a goal. he is a workhorse and works very hard to create opportunities not only for himself but for his teammates.

Dzeko will be commanding top dollar as he is in the prime of his career.

No. 6: Luis Suárez

Current Club: Ajax

Rumored Clubs: Barcelona, Chelsea, and Juventus.

Luis Suarez has proved himself as one of the World's biggest goal scorers, netting 49 goals last season while captaining Ajax at the same time.

Suarez is also the star player alongside Forlan for Uruguay.

It seems as though Suarez is looking to exit Ajax and make a move with a bigger club. It seems as though the time is right after coming off a great World Cup run and a huge season with his club.

No. 5: Zlatan Ibrahimović

Current Club: Barcelona

Rumored Club: Manchester City

Linked with a move to Manchester City in a swap with Robinho and cash, Ibrahimovic doesn't seem to be ready to make the move.

Although the EPL may be that spark he needs to get going in scoring where he left off when he left Italy. Scoring just 16 goals last season compared to 25 in '08-'09. Look for this transfer to heat up once the World Cup is over.

No. 4: Lukas Podolski

Current Club: FC Koln

Rumored Club: Sampdoria

With Podolski failing to make the World Cup Finals for the second time in two tournaments, this may be the time where he may want to move.

A lack luster goal scoring record at the club level, his international goal scoring level is what is keeping him afloat. With just two goals last season for FC Klon all Podolski has to rely on is his 44 goals in 70 matches for Germany.

If he is going to move this top International Striker may want to do it now before his options are numbered!

No. 3: Alexandre Pato

Current Club: AC Milan

Rumored Clubs: Real Madrid and Chelsea

Considered on of the best young players in the game today, Pato may be making an early move to another Gigantic Club. Only just missing out on Brazil's national team Pato is considered the best player on AC Milan.

An extremely talented striker with ability to make something out of nothing. Pato scored 12 goals in 20 matches last season for AC Milan. A move to either team would help him improve his game to a high level.

No. 2: Robinho

Current Club: Manchester City

Club Rumored: Barcelona

Coming off an early knockout at the World Cup, it looks as though Robinho may be on the move to Barcelona. Manchester City are looking to offer Robinho and 15million pounds in exchange for Ibrahimovic.

Robinho has landed himself in a bit of trouble during his spell at Manchester City with late nights out partying and lack of a strict training regiment. This has made City think it is time to move on.

Although when needed, he can perform and carry a team.

No. 1: Fernando Torres

Current Club: Liverpool

Rumored Club: Chelsea

One of the best strikers in the World. Torres just made the World Cup final and is looking to raise his stock in case Liverpool look to move him out.

With Liverpool in a huge financial crisis, looking to move Torres especially after the World Cup may give them enough money to stay afloat for a while.

Although Torres is still looking to regain his form, when regained he will again be one of the most dominant goal scorers in the World. Chelsea may be a stretch but they are a club who can afford to pay a steep asking price from Liverpool.