EPL Transfer Rumours: 10 Small-Club Players Who Will Be Big Time in 2011-12
With the 2010-11 season about to come to a close, the focus now shifts onto the transfer market. The summer transfer window represents one of the most frantic periods in football as each team looks to strengthen and solidify their position.
Each season there are always some big name signings, signings that attract huge media attention. But teams also sign players from some of the smaller clubs and we have seen these small clubs eventually lose out their star players when some of the big names comes calling.
With some teams bound to be relegated, these teams will struggle to hold onto their star players and they could be on the receiving end of massive exodus of their best players.
This transfer window is bound to feature much of the same as teams look to contest for these players from small clubs who are bound by limited exposure and financial constraints.
Moving to a big club rarely guarantees success for these players as many of them struggle to adapt to playing under more difficult conditions and the pressure of the top clubs. But they have performed well for their respective clubs and a move to a top club looks on the card for these players.
In this article I will be looking into certain players from small clubs who will be looking to move to bigger clubs.
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Adel Taarabt
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Queens Park Rangers are back in the Premier League after a 15 year hiatus and Moroccan, Adel Taarabt has been at the heart of things as he has proved to be instrumental in their run to the top flight.
After signing from Tottenham Hotspur in a permanent deal earlier in the season, he has set the Championship alight with some dazzling performance and has already found the net an impressive 19 times this season.
He is currently the leading scorers for Queens Park Rangers and has the maximum assists in the league with 16 of them. The Spurs reject has established himself as the Championship’s best player and he will be a great addition to the Premier League.
But next season he might not be playing for QPR with a number of giants interested in acquiring the midfield starlet. He was initially linked with Manchester United but the deal reportedly fell through due to his temperament issues.
But recent reports suggest that Liverpool are keen to acquire his services and even Jose Mourinho looks interested in bringing him to Madrid.
Spurs failed to take their chances with him and now they might end up regretting their decision especially if he ends up facing them next season.
Scott Parker
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With West Ham’s departure into the realms of the Coca Cola Championship looking more and more likely with each passing game, Scott Parker's departure of the club is looking like a foregone conclusion.
If the entire West Ham team showed the kind of spirit and dedication that he showed then they would be staying in the Premier League extremely comfortably. But sadly that is not the case.
Scott Parker has been one of the league’s best players this season and this was shown by his winning of the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award. He has been instrumental for West Ham as he has lead them admirably during these difficult times but at the end of the year it is difficult to envisage the player remaining with them.
He has been the midfield dynamo that has kept West Ham running as he produces a captain’s performance every match. He has scored seven goals this season, the highest he has ever managed in his professional career.
With teams like Arsenal and Tottenham reportedly interested, Scott Parker could well be heading elsewhere this summer. With Arsenal short on experience and with them lacking a real leader, there has been numerous calls for Arsene Wenger to sign Scott Parker but it is unsure if a move will materialize.
Tottenham reportedly made bids for the West Ham captain last summer but their offers were turned down and they look set to renew their interest in him.
Scott Parker has the dedication and commitment that would make him a welcome addition to any side and there are many top sides out there who would love to have him in their sides.
Matt Jarvis
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While it would be a real shame if Wolverhampton Wanderers were to go down, it looks more and more likely with every passing day that they will be relegated into the Championships after they once again failed to pick up all three points against 10 man Birmingham City.
Matt Jarvis has been one of the league’s most consistent wingers and has established himself as a real force down the left flank. This season he has notched up four goals and seven assists. Jarvis has been one of the few bright spots for Wolves this season and he has been extremely influential for them with him putting in accurate crosses for the likes of Kevin Doyle and Steven Fletcher to attack.
Whenever a club gets relegated it is tough for them to hold onto their best assets and the same can be said about Wolves and Jarvis. Matt Jarvis has shown that he has the attributes of being top winger and this season he even earned his first England call-up.
With Liverpool’s much publicized wing problems looking for a solution this summer, Jarvis is a winger that has been heavily linked with Liverpool and if the Merseyside club does indeed come knocking, Wolves may struggle to keep him at the Molineux.
Charles N'Zogbia
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Another player from a club heading towards relegation, Wigan’s Charles N’Zogbia has been the best player from Wigan this season. N’Zogbia was presented with a chance to move away from Wigan during the summer of 2010, but the deals fell off; however, this time he looks like he may finally leave.
N’Zogbia has plenty of creativity and talent in him and it has become extremely evident as the season has progressed. He has scored six goals and has notched up seven assists for the Latics. This season he has put in several dazzling displays and despite his heroics, Wigan find themselves 18th. With a mere three games to go, it looks it will be a massive struggle to survive the drop this year. There have been several times when he has single-handedly won the games for Wigan.
Liverpool has been once again linked with him and a move to either the Merseyside giants or a move back to his home country of France is looking more and more guaranteed for Charles N’Zogbia. There are several other clubs vying for his signature including Tottenham Hotspurs. With Wigan already having rejected several bids it will be tough for them to stay hold onto him, as N’Zogbia reportedly wants his way out.
Charlie Adam
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Blackpool’s Premiership dream has come to a screeching halt as they find themselves 17th and just hovering above the relegation window. While they might be still relegated, they fared much better than anyone ever imagined. At the start of the season many were quick to name them the next Derby County but Ian Hollaway and his spirited side have shocked and surprised many with Charlie Adam being their best player.
Adam has been massive for the Tangerines and his fantastic form even earned him a place in the nominees for the PFA Player of the Year award. He has notched up eight goals and nine assists this season and has received plaudits from all sides this season including from Sir Alex Ferguson who went on to state that his corner kicks alone were worth 10 million and he may just have a case.
Ian Holloway and Charlie Adam are the two most prized assets of Blackpool right now and it looks like the latter will move away from Blackpool after leading them to the Premier League.
While Liverpool might have made a "disgraceful attempt" to sign him in the January transfer window their interest in the player still persists and they might go ahead with a better bid in the summer with a massive changes planned at Liverpool.
There have been other clubs reportedly interested in him and with his blistering form he may move to greener pastures even if Blackpool do stay up.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
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Many clubs including Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool have been linked with Southampton’s highly talented youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Initial reports back in January suggested that Arsenal were the front runners for capturing the youngster. But it was reported that both Arsenal and Liverpool had a $5 million bid rejected by Southampton and now the race for the youngster will continue this summer.
The demand of Oxlade-Chamberlain has been heating up in recent weeks and it looks extremely likely that he will follow in the footsteps of previous graduates from Southampton’s academy, Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott, two wingers who have had great seasons this year.
He is one of the most heavily linked youngsters with several clubs desperately vying for his signature.
Arsenal are the team that has been most extensively linked with the youngster and he has all the making of another Wengeresque signings. A young, extremely talented player from a lower division with vast potential, he would be a perfect fit into the Arsenal set up.
Connor Wickham
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Another youngster from a lower division, Connor Wickham has been widely touted as the next big thing in English football and he does look promising indeed. He has been heavily linked with several top clubs including Arsenal and Tottenham. Then there is of course, Liverpool and Manchester United who are looking to make a bid for the English forward.
His stats might not be the most impressive, having scored just eight goals this season but he has shown lots of promise and that could tempt some of the big clubs in signing this talented starlet from the Tractor Boys.
Wickham looks like he has an extremely promising future ahead of him and a move to one of the Premier League giants will do his career a world of good.
Raphael Varane
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A towering centre back, Raphael Varane of Lens has shot to prominence this season with a number of teams, mainly Arsenal and Manchester United, vying for his signature with Sir Alex’s side reportedly in pole position right now. There were some rumors that a deal was done between Lens and Manchester United but those rumours have not been confirmed and there still remains a question mark about his transfer.
Having made 17 appearances for Lens in the French Ligue 2 this season, he has impressed scouts with some solid displays and is hot on the radar right now. He has made a meteoric rise through the ranks at Lens and has played for the French side at the U-18 and U-21 levels.
His coach at the youth level has showered praise on him for his talent naming a “truly first class player” and praised his understanding of the game. With him already showing plenty of promise, he looks headed to England.
Youssef El-Arabi
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Youssef El-Arabi’s excellent form this season has caught the eye of several top clubs including Tottenham who are desperate to bolster their weak attack and have identified him as one of the options for next season.
He has improved tremendously this season and has emerged as the third highest scorer in the French Ligue 1 with 17 goals. He enjoys taking on defenders and can play anywhere along the front line and is equally adept in the wings predominantly the right.
His goal scoring exploits have caught the eye of other teams as well and he may be heading away from Caen as he continues to impress this season with some scintillating displays.
Papiss Cissé
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Playing for Bundesliga side SC Freiburg, Papiss Cisse has reportedly caught the eye of Arsene Wenger and Arsenal. He is currently the second highest scorer in the German Bundesliga, having notched up 22 goals this season.
With Robin van Persie’s constant injury problems and with Marouane Chamakh’s and Nicklas Bendtner’s futures at doubt, Wenger may turn to the Senegalese striker as solution to his striking problems. He is also a prolific goalscorer for his country having notched up seven goals from just eight games.
While there are other clubs interested in signing the talented striker, none of them are of the stature of Arsenal and Wenger who can use the lure of Champions League football next season to draw the striker to the Emirates.
