Over 100 Premier League free agents
The likes of Jonathan Woodgate, Matthew Upson, Owen Hargreaves and Patrick Vieira head a three-figure list of Premier League players soon to become free agents.
The likes of Jonathan Woodgate, Matthew Upson, Owen Hargreaves and Patrick Vieira head a three-figure list of Premier League players soon to become free agents.
Some 123 names have been submitted to the Premier League with their status noted as either soon-to-be released or out-of-contract.
Woodgate turned down a loan move to Wolves in the January transfer window and will only be offered a pay-as-you-play deal when his contract expires at Tottenham at the end of the month.
Upson will start a transfer scramble as a free agent as, after relegation from the Premier League, West Ham are unlikely to be able to offer him a contract renewal that even matches his £60,000-a-week wages.
But the Hammers are set offer new deals to fellow defenders Danny Gabbidon and Jonathan Spector, who are both out of-contract, although Lars Jacobsen has been released.
Hargreaves faces a battle to save his career after two appearances in two seasons of an injury-riddled four-year stint at Old Trafford.
Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Edwin van der Sar have also been released by United but have retired.
Vieira could move into a coaching role at Eastlands after his playing contract ended, while Javier Garrido has also been let go by City.
Blackburn have moved on the likes of Zurab Khizanishvili and Benjani Mwaruwari, while Bolton have released former Villa defender Jlloyd Samuel and Tamir Cohen.
Albion are already chasing David Vaughan after his contract expired at relegated Blackpool while the Tangerines have also let go ex-Wolves defender Rob Edwards, former Walsall winger Ishmel Demontagnac and one-time Villa striker Marlon Harewood.
The Baggies are also looking to bring in Zoltan Gera after he left Fulham while another Hawthorns old boy, Diomansy Kamara, has also been released by the Cottagers, along with reported Albion target John Pantsil.
The likes of Newcastle's Sol Campbell, Sunderland's Boudewijn Zenden and Stoke loanee Eidur Gudjohnsen, now out-of-contract at French club Monaco, are the other stand-out names on the list.
Of the West Midlands teams in the Premier League, the list displays players who have already left their respective clubs last month.
Wolves had five players out-of-contract and have only signed Jody Craddock to a new deal while David Jones and goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann have been released, along with youngsters Johnny Dunleavy and Nathan Rooney.
Albion released four players including defenders Gianni Zuiverloon and Abdoulaye Meite, as well as midfielder Giles Barnes and young striker Marcus Haber.
Villa revealed they were letting 10 players go on a list which included Nigel Reo-Coker, John Carew and Robert Pires.
Birmingham told Marcus Bent, Lee Bowyer, Sebastian Larsson, Kevin Phillips and goalkeeper Maik Taylor they would not be getting new deals at St Andrew's after relegation from the Premier League.
