Michael Essien on radar of Sydney FC ahead of transfer window, George Samaras attracts Mariners

A-LEAGUE clubs are keeping their powder dry ahead of the transfer window despite being offered the chance to pursue talks with a number of high-profile players.

25/10/2009 WIRE: Chelsea's Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien (R) vies with Blackburn's Spanish defender Michel Salgado (L) ...

A-LEAGUE clubs are keeping their powder dry ahead of the transfer window opening next Tuesday, despite being offered the chance to pursue talks with a number of high-profile players as potential guest signings.

It’s understood that Sydney FC have signalled that they are not interested in signing former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien on a guest stint, while no clubs so far have made a play for former Croatia striker Ivica Olić, despite his management indicating his interest in coming to the A-League.

Former Greece striker George Samaras is believed to have interested the Mariners but dependent on third-party funding, and so far none has been secured, while the name of former Brazilian star Ronaldinho continues to be circulated.

But so far clubs have refused to bite, wary of disrupting dressing rooms mid-season despite the A-League’s desperate need for added starpower. In Essien’s case, he remains contracted to Greek club Panathinaikos and has just re-entered the first team after a lengthy period of injury.

But agents are believed to have been given a mandate to examine various options in Asia including Australia, in case Panathinaikos decide to release him in the January transfer window.

A major stumbling block would be his salary expectations for a move to Australia, with an annual figure of €3m net understood to have been quoted.

However Sydney, one of the clubs with the resources to fund a guest player — particularly on a short-term guest stint — are understood to be cool on the option, though a deal for next season could prove more attractive.

Samaras is unattached and carries an Australian passport, but last played in March, for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, and has been offered to A-League clubs before.

Greece's Georgios Samaras has generated interest from the Central Coast Mariners.

The Mariners discussed him as an option to bolster their freefalling gates, but he has sought $700,000 for a half-year deal — and the Mariners are almost certain to play no role in the finals.

Olic, a veteran of a century of caps for Croatia and an alumni of Bayern Munich and Diano Zagreb, was told days before Christmas by his Bundesliga club Hamburg that he is free to leave if he can find a new club.

His salary demands are thought to be far more realistic and his representatives say he is open to a longer-term stint than just a guest contract.

Meanwhile the Mariners are believed to be weighing up a slightly more prosaic signing, with former Melbourne Victory midfielder Francesco Stella understood to be on the club’s radar.

The 24-year-old, who spent a year with the youth team of Chievo Verona in Italy and a short stint at Rangers in Scotland before signing for Victory in the 2013-14 season, has been at Avondale FC in the Victorian Premier League since June.

Originally published as Michael Essien on radar of Sydney FC ahead of transfer window, George Samaras attracts Mariners