Roberto Pereyra

In Serie A at San Siro on Saturday, lackluster AC Milan lost 1-0 to lowly Udinese, extending Stefano Pioli's winless streak to four games across all divisions. In the 62nd minute, Udinese's Roberto Pereyra converted the winning penalty for the visitors, but Milan had dominated the first half but failed to give up their hopes. Milan dropped to third position on 22 points from 11 games, six points behind leaders Inter Milan, who beat Atalanta 2-1 away earlier Saturday and a point behind second-placed Juventus, who will visit Fiorentina on Sunday.

For those that are involved in the transfer process, it could be a wild ride, but for those who are not on the track, it may be even more sobering. Not everybody, of course, will be thrust into the spotlight thanks to jaw-dropping, multi-million-pound transfers, with a number of players still free agents and therefore available for absolutely nothing even after the summer window was closed. In fact, there are veteran internationals with hundreds of appearances for club and country as well as household names who have fallen off the radar in recent years, many of whom have been buried in the bargain binge, possibly plotting their routes back to the sport. If you were released by your previous clubs before the end of the season, clubs around the world will be able to sign unattached players after the deadline. This is the case for the majority of the players on the market, offering them a glimmer of hope. And so, Mail Sport looks at ten of the best players looking for a new home as prospective suitors circle and weigh up these cost-effective alternatives.

Sampdoria has been barred from Serie A for the first time in over a decade, after losing 2-0 at Udinese. With four games remaining on the season, Roberto Pereyra and Adam Masina's first-half goals were enough to secure the visitors' destiny. Relegation may be the least of their worries as the club battles a financial crisis that has sparked fears of bankruptcy.