As the clock ticks ever faster on the Eastern European deadlines which Chelsea, QPR, Manchester City, Arsenal and Stoke players could move abroad in order to gain first team football?
While the drama of deadline day seems behind us there may well be a sting in the tale as Premier League players move to Eastern Europe as the Russian deadline comes to its end on Thursday whilst the Turkish clock is ticking fast toward its end tonight.
We have already highlighted the potential for Tom Huddlestone and Andrei Arshavin to move away from the Premier League but which other EPL stars should jump ship either on loan or permanently in order to obtain first team football.
Florent Malouda
The French international has been left out of Chelsea’s Champions League squad and announced quite angrily via Twitter that he will be spending the season training with the youth team as his contract runs out this summer. He could easily attract an Eastern European buyer with the prestige he has so far achieved. He was in the form of his life under Guus Hiddink at Chelsea and may fancy linking up with him and fellow friendly faces Yuriy Zhirkov and Lassana Diarra at mega rich Anzhi Makhachkala.
Marouane Chamakh
He has been linked with a loan move to Besiktas all summer and now with the clock ticking down a decision has to be made pretty quick over his future before the deadline slams shut. The Istanbul side are now reportedly chasing PSG striker Nene so the deal may be dead. Russia remains an option with many Morocco team-mates plying their trade in the league at teams such as Anzhi.
Kolo Toure
Another one left out of his clubs squad for the Champions League; Ivory Coast centre half Kolo Toure may consider a move, perhaps on loan. A deal to join former Arsenal team-mate Emmanuel Eboue at Galatasaray may have fallen through but Russia is still viable. He could join up with Seydou Doumbia at CSKA or the growing West African contingent at ambitious Kuban Krasnodar.
Kenwyne Jones
After seeing Michael Owen arrive at the Britannia Kenwyne may now find himself Stoke’s 5th choice striker for the upcoming season. A move to Turkey could materialise at short notice but a deal to Anzhi was reported earlier in the summer. Since then they have signed Ivorian man mountain Lacina Traore however and Kenwyne may find he is unwanted at this time. If he is really desperate for first team action he could join international team-mate Darryl Roberts at Samsunspor, in Turkey’s second division.
DJ Campbell
Not named in the QPR squad for the upcoming season a loan move to Turkey could suit the striker. A year playing football in the beautiful city of Antalya with Antalyaspor would suit me just fine and I am sure DJ would enjoy such a perk to the day job to be surrounded by stunning beaches and beautiful weather. But I’m not his agent so he may have to wait till January and a loan move to Blackpool has been mooted, where they also have beaches. I’ll say no more.
Should these players hurry along and find a new club fast? Or wait till January on the sidelines?
images: © Ronnie Macdonald
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