EPL Free List Is Shopping List For MLS General Managers

Wednesday a list of EPL players with terminated contracts, or who filled their full terms without an extension was released. The Guardian has the list arranged by team. There are names that  we all expected (Marcus Hahnemann), and some may have already reached tentative agreements with new teams.

There are the occasional US National Team players like Eddie Johnson. He was a fairly potent forward with FC Dallas and the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting Kansas City), but in England, Wales and Greece has both lacked time and touch. Fulham has held his contract, but he's played for Cardiff City, Aris and Preston North End. He may be the type of player who needs to come back to get back on National Team duty.

Jonathan Spector finds himself in West Ham United's latest purge, this time due to falling down the Championship. A right back by nature, he can fill in the center as he did during World Cup Qualifying. He's probably most well known for his performance in the Confederations Cup. He was on the roster at the World Cup but did not play. West Ham in the past had indicated that they wanted to keep him.

It isn't just Americans who find themselves as frees. There are two Canadians and a former DP target as well.

Former Vancouver Whitecaps youth player Marcus Haber finds his time with West Bromwich Albion cut as well.  WBA tried to ignite his career with loans to Exeter, St. Johnsone and even back to the Whitecaps. The 6'3" striker needs to recover from an ACL tear, and now has to find a new club. Canada also has young Adam Street formerly of West Ham, now.

Eidur Gudjohnsen was once directly connected to Sporting KC, but things feel through at literally the last minute. Now he finds himself as a Striker who hasn't scored in a season, and his EPL days done he may re-approach MLS about a DP deal. There's nearly no chance that the Sporks offer him that slot again.

Overall the list outside of those names are generally not huge names, but almost all would require a major salary expenditure, if not a DP slot. Men like John Carew may view MLS as a final contract, especially when not in the plans of an Aston Villa, nor a Stoke City. Every year the Summer Window provides the best opportunity for MLS to pick up big names, but for the most part these names will be players who are using the league to get more money elsewhere. Still adding even a handful raises the overall quality of the League.