Keep or ditch: Premier League guide to expiring contracts

Matt Stead

ARSENAL

Per Mertesacker
He’s going, whether Didi Hamann likes it or not  – DITCH

Santi Cazorla
“We have to assess that until the end of the season – if Santi is fit and available to play, then, yes,” said Arsene Wenger of a possible new contract for the Spaniard in January. If there is a football god… KEEP

Jack Wilshere
Arsenal are unlikely to increase their offer of £110,000 a week; Jack Wilshere is unlikely to settle for that having seen players join on twice as much in the winter. A clean break benefits both parties – DITCH

 

BOURNEMOUTH

Artur Boruc
A total of 35 Premier League appearances last season helped trigger an automatic one-year extension clause in his contract, but Artur Boruc has played just six games this campaign – DITCH

Rhoys Wiggins
The 30-year-old defender has been sidelined with a serious knee injury since October 2016, and has not featured for Bournemouth since May 2011. It’s not looking great – DITCH

Marc Pugh
Signed in summer 2010, March Pugh joined during Eddie Howe’s first reign in charge and is currently Bournemouth’s longest-serving player. He’s not going anywhere – KEEP

 

BRIGHTON

Tim Krul
Tim Krul, to be kind, is unlikely to play again this season after Brighton’s FA Cup exit. He has still surely done enough to earn another 12 months – KEEP(ER)

Niki Maenpaa
Step forward Jonson Clarke-Harris, Coventry City striker and the only player to score against Niki Maenpaa this season. He has only played 134 minutes of first-team football, mind. There are better third-choice goalkeepers out there. Nab Stuart Taylor from Southampton – DITCH

Uwe Hunemeier
Whowe Whonemeier, more like – DITCH

Steve Sidwell
A back injury has restricted Steve Sidwell to just two matchday squads this season; his last Premier League appearance was on the opening day of the 2015/16 campaign for Stoke. And as tempting as it might be to keep him for his Arsenal analysisDITCH

Liam Rosenior
Speaking of Brighton players more than happy to offer a critique of Arsenal. Liam Rosenior has at least played some football this season: 162 minutes in the Premier League – DITCH

Bruno
The second-oldest outfielder to feature in the Premier League this season is not slowing down anytime soon – KEEP

 

BURNLEY

Anders Lindegaard
Should Burnley keep a guy whose middle name is Rozenkrantz? Does Nick Pope sh*t in the woods? – DITCH

Dean Marney
Sadio’s brother has made Burnley’s last three Premier League matchday squads, so perhaps he has a chance after recovering from a long-term injury. Remember that goal against Manchester City in November 2016? – KEEP

Scott Arfield
“We’ve had talks with him. He’s sat tight on an offer so we’ll keep open minds, as will he I hope, to what comes next.” Sean Dyche has put the ball firmly in the player’s court – KEEP

 

CHELSEA

Willy Caballero
Be it Antonio Conte or his eventual replacement, the Chelsea manager would be a fool to toss his Willy off in the summer – KEEP

Matej Delac
For three more months, he is Chelsea’s longest-serving playerDITCH

Eduardo
Why do Chelsea hate all their back-up goalkeepers? Eduardo joined the Blues in summer 2016 and is yet to concede a single goal for the club. He’s also never played for them, but still – KEEP

 

CRYSTAL PALACE

Julian Speroni
No current Premier League player has been with their club for longer than Julian Speroni has at Crystal Palace. He pips Mark Noble by six months. Don’t let a knee injury ruin this beautiful relationship abruptly – KEEP

Diego Cavalieri
No current Premier League player has been with their club for shorter than Diego Cavalieri has at Crystal Palace. He joined in March, and will surely be the answer to a wonderful quiz question one day – DITCH

Wayne Hennessey
If he stays, he cannot be first-choice keeper. The fans have suffered enough – DITCH

Damien Delaney
As popular as the centre-half is at Selhurst Park, it might be time to cut ties. He has only made nine of 31 Premier League matchday squads this season – DITCH

Yohan Cabaye
“If you say to me would I like Yohan Cabaye to keep working here with me, then of course the answer is ‘yes’,” said uncle Roy in December. Make it so – KEEP

Joel Ward
Has just about kept his reputation intact despite being torn to shreds by Frank de BoerKEEP

Martin Kelly
Same as above – KEEP

James McArthur
James McArthur has scored in 11 games for Crystal Palace since joining in summer 2014; they have lost only two of those matches (v Liverpool, October 2016, v Manchester United, December 2016) – KEEP

Bakary Sako
The 29-year-old might have only started four Premier League games this season, but only two players have scored more goals – KEEP

Lee Chung-yong
“I have a contract with Crystal Palace until 2018 but I don’t have any reason to stay here next season. I think I should try to talk to other clubs,” said Lee Chung-yong in April. April 2016. Almost two years ago. He has started ten Premier League games for the club since joining in February 2015 – DITCH

 

EVERTON

Joel Robles
David de Gea
might love him, but that won’t be enough to spare ol’ Joel, who stated as far back as September that he “made the decision not to renew” – DITCH

 

HUDDERSFIELD

Robert Green
Rob Green has been relegated in each of his last three seasons in the Premier League (QPR 2014/15 and 2012/13, West Ham 2010/11). Huddersfield have placed a curse upon themselves. Huddersfield are silly – DITCH

Dean Whitehead
I mean, it’s Dean Whitehead. Dean Whitehead – DITCH

 

LEICESTER

Ben Hamer
Ever played in the Champions League? Ben Hamer has. He conceded five goals. Even so – KEEP

Robert Huth
A succession of injuries has sidelined Robert Huth for the entirety of this Premier League season. But who among us can honestly say we’ve prompted Louis van Gaal to publicly discuss sex masochism? – KEEP

 

LIVERPOOL

Emre Can
A difficult one. There is a reason Juventus want Emre Can, but the summer arrival of Naby Keita alleviates the potential loss of any central midfielder. Mind, Jurgen Klopp does like to rotate, and would like as many options as possible to do so. For now… KEEP

 

MANCHESTER CITY

Yaya Toure
It’s not looking good. Starting in Champions League defeats to Shakhtar Donetsk and Basel do not help his case, nor does failing to start a Premier League game all season. It might be time to say goodbye – DITCH

 

MANCHESTER UNITED

Marouane Fellaini
Going.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Going.

Michael Carrick
Gone.

Daley Blind
Is likely to have an automatic one-year contract extension triggered, if only so United can get a bit of money for him – KEEP

Ander Herrera
Equally likely to have an automatic one-year contract extension triggered, if only so Jose Mourinho has someone to call sh*t when he fancies it one day – KEEP

Luke Shaw
“I’m really happy so I think the natural consequence of it is that he will have his contract and he will be a Manchester United player for years,” said Mourinho in February, after declaring in January that “in this moment I don’t see many left-backs better than this Luke Shaw.” Thank the lord that there have been no updates whatsoever since – KEEP

 

NEWCASTLE

Jesus Gamez
The long-awaited sequel to Kanye West’s seminal 2004 classic ‘Jesus Walks’ won’t be sticking around on Tyneside for much longer – DITCH

Massadio Haidara
He’s still there. Why is he still there? – DITCH

Curtis Good
Maradona great, Pele better, George Best, Curtis Good – DITCH

 

SOUTHAMPTON

Stuart Taylor
The greatest third-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League – KEEP

Jack Rose
Titanic fan – DITCH

Florin Gardos
If you join Romanian side CS Universitatea Craiova in February, you probably aren’t expecting a new deal in the summer – DITCH

Jeremy Pied
Has started two Premier League games this season. Won’t start many more – DITCH

 

STOKE

Glen Johnson
‘Former Liverpool and England defender Glen Johnson is in talks with Stoke City about settling up his contract six months before it’s due to run out in the summer,’ read the Daily Mail headline in December. Bit weird that he played the full 90 minutes against Everton at the weekend. It was his first start since October – DITCH

Charlie Adam
Completed a hat-trick of inauspicious appearances on Saturday. Should not be permitted to make any more appearances, inauspicious or otherwise, beyond this summer – DITCH

Jakob Haugaard
Makes an absolutely delicious blancmange – KEEP

 

SWANSEA

Angel Rangel
He did start Carlos Carvalhal’s second match in charge, but a calf strain has kept him sidelined since. Swansea without Angel Rangel feels too weird – KEEP

Ki Sung-yueng
Ki Sung-yueng has featured in 14 of Carvalhal’s 17 games as manager; just two of those matches have ended in defeat  KEEP

Oliver McBurnie
Has scored six goals in nine Championship games for Barnsley since joining on loan in the winter. Worth a shot – KEEP

Kenji Gorre
Signed a one-year deal with Swansea in May 2013, a two-year deal in July 2014 and a three-year deal in July 2015. Kenji Gorre has had both more contract renewals (3) and more loan clubs (2) than he has made career appearances for the Welsh club (1) – DITCH

Leon Britton
A coaching role means this will be a gentler transition for club legend Britton. A soft Brexit, if you will – DITCH

 

TOTTENHAM

Michel Vorm
Everyone else excited for the return of the Mauricio Pochettino contract pose? – KEEP

 

WATFORD

Miguel Britos
Unless he voluntarily retires due to Mohamed Salah-induced nightmares, he might be useful to keep around – KEEP

 

WEST BROM

Boaz Myhill
He was born in California, his real name is Glyn, he allegedly partakes in the hijacking of taxis, and has plenty of Championship experience – KEEP

Gareth McAuley
The oldest outfielder to feature in the Premier League this season. Giorgio Chiellini has posters of Gareth McAuley on his bedroom wall – KEEP

Gareth Barry
West Brom can and should do better but, as weird as it is, Gareth Barry will likely sideways pass himself into another middling Premier League side. He needs to boost those appearance numbers somehow – DITCH

James Morrison
‘This is a player Roy Hodgson should now be taking a keen interest in,’ said Garth Crooks of James Morrison in 2012, alerting the then-England manager to the midfielder’s form. James Morrison is still Scottish, still at West Brom, and with an automatic one-year extension clause so will probably stay for some second-flight fun – KEEP

Claudio Yacob
West Brom earn 0.625 points per game when Claudio Yacob starts this season, compared to 0.652 when he does not. West Brom are bad – DITCH

Chris Brunt
‘Chris Brunt is two games away from triggering a contract extension at Premier League strugglers West Bromwich Albion,’ wrote John Percy for the Daily Telegraph on March 7, since which Chris Brunt has played two games. All aboard the ‘Chris Brunt to replace Alan Pardew as manager’ bus – KEEP

 

WEST HAM

James Collins
You try telling James Collins he isn’t getting a new contract – KEEP

Patrice Evra
Maybe not, eh? – DITCH

Matt Stead