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Summer Transfer Window Roundup – Best Released XI

By on July 10, 2014

During transfer windows, players are always shipped out of clubs, whether the decision popular or unpopular with fans. For instance, the exit of Mesut Ozil was made a tragedy at Real Madrid, while the sale of flop Marouane Chamakh at Arsenal a few years back was practically celebrated after the bright young forward failed to convert at the Emirates. Sometimes, these sales are for the money – Southampton would have loved to keep Luke Shaw this summer but £30 million from Manchester United won them over. Sometimes, it is because they don’t fit into the team. And in the worst cases, it is just releasing dead weight.

But releases are not always popular. This summer, Chelsea’s highest ever goalscorer and fan favorite Frank Lampard was released by The Blues, who also let go of their star forward Samuel Eto’o after their signing of Diego Costa. Eventually, if one team was to latch onto all these players released into free agents, they could form a pretty good eleven.

Goalkeepers:
Chelsea are the culprit of releasing two class goalkeepers in their wiping of deadweights this year. Mark Schwarzer, whom they signed last year from Fulham, among them. The 41-year-old veteran has appeared at two World Cups for Australia, and has been the Fulham player of the year, an award not often given to goalkeepers, as well as Premier League Player of the Month in February 2010, and a UEFA Europa League runner-up.

Henrique Hilario was also released by Chelsea, after serving the club for eight years, granted it was mostly as backup or third choice, a period in which they won multiple Champions League and Premier League titles.

Defenders:
It goes without saying, some class defenders have also been released his summer. Namely Rio Ferdinand, a center-back who joined Manchester United in 2002 and has been a rock in their defense, through multiple Premier League and Champions League successes alongside Nemanja Vidic. On the other side of Manchester Julian Lescott was released by Manchester City, after being a starter in their side that won the 2011/2012 Premier League campaign, making for a rock solid center-back pairing in the released XI.

Alongside them, in a 3-4-3 formation, fits Diego Lugano, who was among, and a starter, in the Uruguay team which reached the World Cup Semifinals in 2010.

Other notable mentions: Danny Gabbidon and Carlos Cuellar

Midfielders:
Lampard is not the only memorable midfielder in the best eleven men released this summer. Alou Diarra, David Vaughan, Stephane Mbia, Matthew Etherington, class midfielders and a few at international level, were also released.

Forwards:
Eto’o, former Barcelona and Cameroon star, is perhaps the most puzzling release this summer, yet not the only forward any Premier League team would be happy to have in their side to become a free-agent. Nicklas Bendtner, the Arsenal forward and Denmark international only slightly past his prime, was released by Arsenal. Shola Ameobi, released by Newcastle United, represented Nigeria at World Cup 2014 this summer, and has scored fifty-three goals in a fourteen year career at Newcastle, in which he made over 300 appearances.

Other notable mentions: David N’Gog, Leroy Lita, Jonathan Forte.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.