2주 앞으로 다가온 잉글랜드 프리미어리그, 올 시즌도 신문의 헤드라인을 장식할 선수는 루니·호날두·램퍼드·제라드·파브레가스 등 스타들이 즐비하다.

하지만 이들 외에도 우리가 주목해야 할 수준급 선수들은 많다. 오늘은 한국 팬들에게 프리미어리그를 뒤엎을 가능성 많은 네 선수를 소개할까 한다. 이들의 활약을추적해본다면 올 시즌 프리미어리그의 흥미가 배가할 것이다.

우선 필자가 가장 눈여겨 보는 선수는 웨스트햄의 딘 애슈턴이다. 지난 해 그리스전을 앞두고 생애 처음으로 대표팀에 발탁된 애슈턴은 훈련 도중 발목골절로 지난 시즌 경기에 나서지 못 했다.

그러다 출전한 FA컵 결승전에서 애슈턴은 수준급 수비수들을 괴롭힐 수 있는 능력을 증명했다. 몸 상태가 최고조로 오르려면 시간이 더 필요하나 프리시즌 매치에서 가능성을 보여주고 있다.

한 시즌 15골은 충분한 그는 제공권과 볼 소유능력이 좋고 양발을 자유자재로 사용하는데다 강슛이 일품이다. 한 마디로 센터포워드로서 필요한 자질은 모두 갖춘 선수다.
　
올시즌 프리미어리그로 승격한 선더랜드의 로이 킨 감독은 꾸준히 선수를 끌어모으고 있다. 그 중 가장 헐값에 영입한 러셀 앤더슨도 주목할 만하다.

애버딘에서 100만 파운드(약 18억원)에 이적한 앤더슨은 경험이 많아 막 승격한 팀에 적합한 선수다.

태클과 제공권 능력이 좋다. 세기는 부족하나 그라운드에서 보여주는 리더십과 수비라인 조율 능력은 선더랜드가 잔류하기 위해 가장 필요한 재능이다.
　
스벤 예란 에릭손 감독이 새롭게 부임한 맨체스터시티에도 속속 새로운 선수의 영입이 이어지고 있다. 이 중 내 눈을 사로잡은 계약은 아틀레티코 마드리드에서 온 불가리아 출신의 마르틴 페트로프다.

470만 파운드(약 87억원)란 영입비용은 결코 적은 돈이 아니지만 마이클 초프라(500만 파운드·선더랜드)·데이비드 누전트(600만 파운드·포츠머스) 같이 검증받지 못 한 선수들에 비한다면 훌륭한 계약이다.
　
애슈턴과 마찬가지로 지난 해 부상으로 오랫동안 쉰 페트로프는 자신의 가치를 증명해야 하겠지만 대표팀에서 보여준 스피드와 정확한 크로스는 프리미어리그에서 5~10골은 충분해 보이며 무엇보다 도움 능력도 기대되는 선수다.

스트라이커 롤란도 비안키의 영입은 사실 모험에 가깝지만 페트로프의 도움 능력이 살아난다면 비안키의 역할도 긍정적으로 변할 것이다.
　
마지막으로 풀햄에 안착한 데이비드 힐리도 눈여겨볼 만하다. 맨체스터 유나이티드에서 화려한 프로생활을 시작했으나 알렉스 퍼거슨 감독으로부터 주전으로 낙점받지 못 하다 프레스톤과 리즈를 전전한 힐리는 최근 북아일랜드 대표로 이름을 날리기 시작했다.

유로 2008 예선에서 2경기당 1골을 기록, 득점선두에 오른 힐리는 풀햄이 찬스만 많이 만든다면 두자릿수 득점도 가능한 선수다.

글을 마치기 전에 개인적인 바람을 추가한다면 올시즌에도 가장 기대하는 선수는 디미타르 베르바토프다. 그는 올시즌 프리미어리그에서 최고의 선수가 될 것이라 믿어 의심치 않는다.

SKy sports 부편집장

<칼럼 원문>

Mark

With less than two weeks to go before the start of the new Premier League season, it is worth taking a little look at the players who could have a big impact over the coming months.

There is the obvious list containing the likes of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Cesc Fabregas, among others, who will be expected to be key figures for their respective clubs.

But there are many other players who are not quite so much in the spotlight who could be worth keeping an eye out for.

One player I am really looking forward to seeing in the coming season is West Ham United striker Dean Ashton.

Last season Ashton suffered terrible luck with injury which prevented him making an appearance for the Hammers.

Called up to the England squad for the first time for the friendly against Greece, Ashton broke his ankle in training and then missed the entire season.

His physical presence was certainly missed by West Ham and he had shown in the 2006 FA Cup final against Liverpool that he is capable of causing problems to top defenders.

He is nearing full fitness again and has been playing in the pre-season friendlies, although it may take some time for him to be at his peak.

But if Ashton is able to find his best form again, then he could easily score 15 goals in the Premier League this season.

Ashton is strong in the air, has a powerful shot, can use both feet and holds the ball up well all the top qualities a good centre-forward needs to have.

Roy Keane is still trying to add players to his Sunderland squad, but of those he has already signed I think one to take note of is the cheapest Russell Anderson.

For million, Sunderland could have a bargain as Anderson is a solid, experienced defender and just the type of player the promoted club need.

Anderson has been a reliable part of the Aberdeen team in recent seasons and he is probably coming to the Premier League at the right time in his career.

Due to his transfer fee, I doubt too much will be expected of him, unlike big-money signings Michael Chopra and Kieran Richardson, and he will go about his job without too much fuss.

He is strong in the tackle and powerful in the air, but it is probably his non-technical skills which are going to be required the most.

Anderson is a good talker on the pitch and shows great leadership, and his ability to organise the defence is what the Sunderland team will require to stay up.

Like Sunderland, Manchester City are expected to sign more players before the start of the season, with Sven Goran Eriksson having brought in four
players to date.

At the money Italian striker Rolando Bianchi is a big gamble, although he has looked good in pre-season, while Swiss midfielder Gelson Fernandes is another who is a bit of an unknown quantity.

Geovanni could prove to be an astute signing for nothing as the Brazilian midfielder has experience of playing at bigger clubs, such as Barcelona and Benfica.

But the one that catches my eye at the moment is Martin Petrov the Bulgarian winger who has been signed from Atletico Madrid.

At almost million, he is obviously not cheap, but when you look at what has been spent on unproven players like Chopra and David Nugent, it could turn out to be a bargain.

In a similar way to Ashton, Petrov does have to prove he still has all his ability after missing most of last season due to a knee injury.

But a Petrov in good form will be a major threat to opposition defences and he should certainly help to solve some of City's problems in terms of scoring goals.

Petrov is capable of providing five to 10 goals himself in the Premier League, but it is his assists which will be welcome.

A quick winger on the left-hand side, Petrov has great experience at international level and puts in plenty of accurate crosses.

With Bianchi looking like the type of player who comes alive inside the penalty area, the crosses and passes provided by Petrov could see City do far better than last season.

A player who is finally getting a chance to play in the Premier League on a regular basis is David Healy, who has joined Fulham from Leeds United in a deal worth around 5million.

Healy started his career with Manchester United, but was never given a chance in the first team by Sir Alex Ferguson. I was at Old Trafford for the only time he played in the Premier League and he looked lively when he came on as a substitute against Ipswich and hit the bar with a header.

He joined Preston and then Leeds, where he was played out of position on the right wing by Dennis Wise for most of last season.

Though he did not score loads of goals for Leeds, you have to be impressed with his record at international level, where he averages a goal every two games in an average Northern Ireland side.

He is currently top scorer in qualifying for Euro 2008 and, given the fact Fulham also paid million for Diomansy Kamara, Healy could be a snip.

In two previous seasons in the Premier League, Kamara scored three goals in just over 50 appearances, while Healy has been scoring against top international defenders, including a hat-trick against Spain last September.

If Fulham create enough chances, then Healy is easily capable of getting into double figures the key is having a team that plays to his strengths.

So there are four players who I feel are worth keeping an eye on this season as I said before there are many more famous names who are likely to do better and get more headlines.

But for four players who people do not know quite so much about, I think they are worth following.
To finish, though, the one player I am really looking forward to seeing once again is Dimitar Berbatov, who I believe can become the best striker in the Premier League with Tottenham this season.