West Ham United and Crystal Palace were both busy on transfer deadline day.placeholder image
West Ham United and Crystal Palace were both busy on transfer deadline day. | Getty Images
Which free agents are still available to be signed after the January transfer deadline?
Crystal Palace and West Ham United were two of the busier clubs in the Premier League on transfer deadline day as the winter window approached the final hours before its closure.
Both clubs find themselves in varying degrees of trouble towards the bottom of the table and amidst ongoing issues off the pitch, saw deadline day as a final opportunity to add some much-needed reinforcements for the latter stages of the season.
Palace smashed their transfer record to sign Jorgen Strand Larsen for £48million, while a £20m move for Dwight McNeil collapsed and an exit to AC Milan for wantaway Jean-Philippe Mateta also fell through after the Eagles striker failed his medical with the Serie A giants.
Meanwhile over in east London, Axel Disasi arrived on loan from Chelsea to offer some vital cover in defence amidst the suspension set to be served by Jean-Clair Todibo. Both clubs could yet look to the free agent market now the regular transfer window has closed.
Free agent signings currently available to Premier League clubs
Free agents can be signed at any point during the season, with several big-name players currently unattached and available for a Premier League move.
Raheem Sterling: Arguably the most high-profile of those currently available is Sterling. Recently released by Chelsea after failing to secure an exit from the club, the 31-year-old undoubtedly still has a career at the top level ahead of him.
Palace have a gap in attacking areas caused by the collapse of their late move for McNeil and have been linked with the former England winger previously, while the Hammers would benefit from his experience and goalscoring pedigree as they look to beat the drop, having previously seen a loan move rejected before he left Chelsea. Sterling is said to prioritise staying in London and a move to either of Palace of West Ham could be ideal for all parties, if an agreement can be reached for the player’s wages. Tottenham have also been linked, and there might be competition.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: Another former Premier League champion currently without a club, ‘the Ox’ has recently spent time training with Arsenal since his release by Besiktas. Making 235 league appearances for the Gunners and Liverpool, the midfielder has been plagued by injury issues and could be a risky move. But on a free transfer and if a reasonable wage packet can be agreed, the 32-year-old might be worth a punt.
Two more free agents who can be signed this month
Jesse Lingard: Another former England star who departed the country and now finds himself looking for a new challenge, Lingard departed FC Seoul in South Korea in December after nearly two years at the club. Most recently in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest, Lingard enjoyed a successful loan spell at West Ham in January 2021 where he scored nine goals in 16 appearances. He reportedly had the chance to return to the London Stadium before joining Forest, but could the opportunity to come back to London arise again with the 33-year-old now a free agent?
Kurt Zouma: Another experienced former West Ham star, Zouma recently departed Romanian club CFR Cluj. The 31-year-old won the Conference League with the Hammers and was even club captain in his final season in east London. He has seen recent links with Newcastle played down and it is not known whether a return to the London Stadium is in the offing. Both West Ham and particularly Crystal Palace are in need of options at the back, though, and a return to the Premier League for the former Chelsea star may not be out of the question.
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