SYDNEY FC remain set on finding replacement marquees for both Alessandro Del Piero and Brett Emerton — and they’ve got $2 million to play with.

After Del Piero and Sydney confirmed he would not continue playing for them into a third year, possible new signings have already been put forward, but the club will not talk to any candidates until it has decided who will become the Sky Blues’ eighth coach in nine years following the sacking of Frank Farina.

Having spent $10m on marquees in the past two seasons — $8m on Del Piero and the residue on Emerton — Sydney’s budget for next season will be around $2m, with the expectation currently that both the foreign and Australian marquee spots will be filled.

That figure would also still make Sydney the highest-paying club in the competition, but it’s being emphasised that the new coach will have a central role to play in identifying an appropriate overseas marquee.

Names to have emerged so far include Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and the Uruguay striker Diego Forlan.

Though Forlan signed for Cerezo Osaka in the J-League at the start of the year, he is believed to have taken time to settle in Japan and could be available after the World Cup. Forlan was offered to Western Sydney in December but the club baulked at the US$2m asking price, and he is believed to have been given a deal substantially bigger than that in Japan.

Sydney will have four visa spots to fill once the new coach is appointed, including the marquee. Only Nikola Petkovic has filled a foreign position for next season with the club determined to allow Farina’s replacement as much discretion as possible in moulding a squad for next season.

To that end all the players out of contract have been told no decisions on possible new deals will be made until a head coach is installed.

Several have opted to join state league clubs for now, with Blake Powell and Marc Warren signing for Apia and Matt Thompson joining Marconi.

Asked about the futures of the out-of-contract players, Sydney CEO Tony Pignata said he had made clear that they were free to seek new deals if they wanted.

“Before the players went on holiday last week, I sat down with them all and explained that we wanted to leave the question of signings up to the new coach,” Pignata said.

“Given that, I told them we completely understand that if something better comes up for them, they have every right to take it.

“It doesn’t make sense for us to contemplate new deals until we know who the coach will be, and what kind of players he wants, but that’s not to say that some might not be offered contracts by him.”

IN THE MARKET

Nicolas Anelka

Didier Drogba

Frank Lampard

Diego Forlan