Five strikers with a Ken Bates friendly price tag! TSS July 26, 2010 Leeds United 61 Comments With Ken Bates keeping the purse strings tightly held together, and Leeds United still in need of a new striker I thought it was time to take a look at who is currently available that meets Ken Bates’ favourite price-tag. (Free) Jérémie Aliadière Cost: FREE Age: 27 Former clubs: Arsenal, Middlesbrough Jérémie Aliadière Former Arsenal and Middlesbrough winger/striker, Jérémie Aliadière has never quite managed to make it in the Premier League despite showing some great potential in his youth which won him a place in the French U21 team. Now 27 years young, Jérémie finds himself unattached and in need of a new club. At his last club Middlesbrough, he only managed 11 goals in 78 appearances during his three year stint, but it should be noted that Jérémie wasn’t commonly played as a centre-forward, so it’s not a bad return all things considered. Marlon Harewood Cost: FREE Age: 30 Former clubs: Nottingham Forest, West Ham United, Aston Villa One of those players that seems to have been around forever, Harewood comes with plenty of experience and plenty of goals to his name too. More of a one in three striker, than the one in two we were perhaps hoping for, but Harewood is a big presence in the opposition area capable of mixing it up with the best of them. At 30 years old, he’s no spring chicken, but there’s definitely a couple of seasons left in him yet. Francis Jeffers Cost: FREE Age: 29 Former clubs: Everton, Arsenal, Charlton Athletic, Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield Wednesday Whatever did happen to England’s next top striker? Well, after leaving Everton for an unsuccessful spell at Arsenal, Francis Jeffers’ career spiralled downwards. Five clubs to his name so far, alongside a host of loan placements shows just how brutal football can be sometimes. From the next big thing, to a dispensable acquisition clubs sign to fill a void. Can he plug the hole at Elland Road next season? Benjani Mwaruwari Cost: FREE Age: 31 Former clubs: Jomo Cosmos, Auxerre, Portsmouth, Man City Benjani before the Citeh exodus A victim of Man City’s megabucks, Benjani spent last season on loan to Sunderland before being released as another unneeded asset by Citeh. At club level, Benjani has often found himself a bit-part player in England but his international career shows the kind of goal-scoring exploits he can achieve. In 43 appearances for Zimbabwe, Benjani has managed 29 goals and now plays as captain of his country. Darius Vassell Cost: FREE Age: 30 Former clubs: Aston Villa, Man City, Ankaragücü 6 goals and 22 caps for England’s forgotten striker. Another one of those ex-Man City players that was cast aside in the mass exodus which followed the takeover, Vassell then made the mistake of heading to Turkey to join Ankaragücü. He’s now looking for a way home though after his time in Turkey proved unsuccessful. Vassell – although never the most prolific goalscorer – has managed goals at all levels of football. Out of all the players listed (and there’s many more I haven’t mentioned) Vassell stands out as a steal with a price-tag of absolutely nothing.