MLS Transfers: 10 Possible Designated Players for the 2012 Season

With the January transfer window looming, Major League Soccer's clubs are in the hunt for potential new designated players to bolster their chances of dethroning the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2012, while LA look to defend their MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield.

Alessandro Del Piero leads the list of players that are set to make MLS their swan song, but there are other notable faces willing to help raise the profile of the competition, which now prepares for its 17seventeenth season.

Bleacher Report takes a look at 10 players that could be making a move to MLS as DPs. 

1. Alessandro Del Piero

A legend for Juventus, Alessandro Del Piero is looking to consider a move to the States to finish off his career. 

"I think he can go there," said his agent Enzo Bronzetti in the Daily Star, according to Sky Sports. "American football is said to have been on the rise for years, but now it is. In the last few days the leaders of Seattle [and] Chicago came to Italy and now come those of the Galaxy. Del Piero

 is highly respected in the United States."

Del Piero's contract with Juventus ends at the conclusion of the 2011-12 Serie A season.

2. Didier Drogba

Chelsea's Didier Drogba is considered to be a replacement for the Los Angeles Galaxy's David Beckham should he make the move to Paris-St. Germain, according to InsideFutbol.

The bid by Los Angeles is being challenged by offers from Russian Premier League side Anzhi Makhachkala and AC Milan.

In 210 league appearances for the Blues, Drogba scored 96 goals. Drogba's career has also included stops in Le Mans, Guingamp and Marseille.

3. Michael Ballack

Bayer Leverkusen standout Michael Ballack has been linked with a move to the New York Red Bulls, according to The Denim Kit.

Ballack is currently in his second stint with Bayer, and in 105 appearances with the club, he has scored 29 goals. However, his career reached its high points at Bayern Munich and Chelsea. Ballack has said that he has about two years left in him as a player, so a move to New York to finish his career would seem appropriate.

4. Marco Materazzi

Jesse Marsch's Montreal Impact, aside from Ching-gate, are quietly building their team together. According to 25Stanley.com, a possible addition to the team as a DP is defender Marco Materazzi, who is out of contract after a long spell at Inter Milan.

In 184 appearances for Inter, Materazzi has scored 18 goals. With his experience and proven track record, Materazzi could become the anchor behind the Impact's back line in 2012.

5. Stefan Ishizaki

A Swedish-Japanese footballer whose career includes stops at AIK and IK Elfsborg, attacking midfielders Stefan Ishizaki has scored 52 goals in 224 appearances for both of those clubs in the Allsvenskan.

Currently, he is under contract to Elfsborg for the next five years, but both the Impact and Toronto FC have been rumored to buy his contract out and sign him to a deal to jump across the pond, according to MLS Rumors.

6. Carlos Hernandez

The unlikeliest of Hyundai A-League players is being monitored by the top team in MLS right now.

Melbourne Victory's Carlos Hernandez is being scouted on by the Los Angeles Galaxy ahead of their Dec. 6 friendly at Etihad Stadium, Australian FourFourTwo says. Prior to Sunday's match with Gold Coast United, Hernandez has made 104 appearances for the Victory, scoring 28 goals and earning a Premiership-Championship double in 2009.

MLS has signed players from the A-League before, with current Melbourne Heart player Fred and Victory forward Danny Allsopp earning stints with D.C. United.

7. Michael Thurk

Forward Michael Thurk, who plays for FC Augsburg of the Bundesliga, has fallen out of favor with his manager and is linked to a possible move to MLS.

The LA Galaxy, Philadelphia Union and Vancouver Whitecaps have all been reported to indicate interest in his scoring ability, according to fussballatransfers.com.

Thurk has made 104 appearances for Augsburg, scoring 51 goals. His career also included two stints at 1. FSV Mainz 05, scoring 60 goals in 184 appearances.

8. Michael Gspurning

With Kasey Keller retiring from the game of soccer, Sigi Schmid's Seattle Sounders are in need of a keeper. So they are looking to Austria for some help between the posts.

Michael Gspurning, a goalkeeper for Skoda Xanthi in the Greek Super League, has received interest from the Sounders as a replacement for Keller, according to Tiroler Tageszeitung Online. Gspurning has made 89 league appearances for Skoda.

“I was in Seattle this summer for four days to have a look at everything and was convinced by the ambiance, from the coach (the German-American, Siegfried Schmid, note) and by the president,” said Gspurning, according to the Tiroler Tageszeitung Online. “It was great. Seattle has an average attendance of 30,000. I would not be unhappy if a contract comes into existence.”

9. Carlos Lobaton

The South American pipeline to MLS continues to grow, and a hot commodity from Peru could be seeing time in North America.

Sporting Cristal midfielder Carlos Lobaton has attracted interest from Sporting Kansas City and Chivas USA, says Libero. In 220 league appearances for Sporting Cristal, Lobaton has scored 36 goals and at the age of 31, could be a steal if he decided to make the jump for MLS.

10. Guti

Speaking of Sporting Kansas City, is this player the next Mista, or the next great footballer to don the light blue? Whatever the case may be, both Sporting and the Los Angeles Galaxy have interest in José María Gutiérrez Hernández, a.k.a. Guti, MLS Rumors says.

Besiktas have canceled the contract of the former Real Madrid star, according to reports by Cumhuriyet Portal. Guti scored 46 goals in 387 appearances for Los Blancos.