Six suitors who meet Nicklas Bendtner's transfer checklist

Nicklas Bendtner has publically announced the three stipulations to any transfer he will consider for the upcoming season. Any potential suitor will need to offer him (1) Champions League football, (2) Regular football and  (3) The opportunity to go see his child in London without issue.

So with Galatasaray out of the question seemingly due to the distance between him and his son and the potential moves to Bayern and AC Milan dead in the water, assumptively due to a lack of first team promise, where realistically can Nicklas go next season...

FC Nordsjaelland

This one is a real howitzer but the Danish champions seemingly tick all the boxes. A player of Bendtner’s ability should waltz into the first team and the club would surely let him away for parental visits.

Champions League: YES

Regular football: DEFINITELY

See his son: YES

If Bendtner wanted to take a huge paycut and play in a substandard league then perhaps, but with his lifestyle at risk, can’t see him returning home just yet.

Likelihood factor: 1/5

Celtic

If Celtic make it past Helsingborgs they will provide Champions League football and being in Glasgow would be handy with his parental issues.

Champions League: MAYBE

Regular football: YES

See his son: YES

All the factors could be right with first team football all but guaranteed at Celtic Park, if they could afford the Dane he would be a great asset but is he willing to sacrifice week in week out quality football for the SPL? Unlikely.

Likelihood factor: 1/5

Montpellier

It’s hard to forget Montpellier are the French champions with all the spending going on up north in the French capital but rather then battle for a start with Zlatan, Lavezzi, Nene and co Bendtner could replace the departing Olivier Giroud at the south coast club. It isn’t a long flight to London to see his child so ticks all the boxes.

Champions League: YES

Regular football: YES

See his son: YES

Montpellier however will not want to spend big on wages so this one seems unlikely.

Likelihood factor: 2/5

Zenit St Petersburg

The Russian champions would have no issue affording the Dane and he should be able to force his way into the first team. However Russia is a long way from seeing his son in London, a potentially dealbreaking factor. However they have the cash to smooth over the issues and could afford to fly him back regularly.

Champions League: YES

Regular football: YES

See his son: MAYBE

Too far away? Perhaps; however Zenit is a good side with money to spend and would be hard to turn down.

Likelihood factor: 2/5

Valencia

Would find a challenge getting first team football but definitely possible if playing at his full potential and the dream of playing in La Liga would be a real draw for the Dane.

Champions League: YES

Regular football: MAYBE

See his son: YES

This could happen, depending on formations at Valencia who have competition in Soldado, Alcacer, Valdez, Jonas and Canales in the forward positions.

Likelihood factor: 2/5

Schalke 04

The Gelsenkirchen side are becoming European regulars and are not a long flight away from the capital. Bendtner’s main challenge would be a regular start in a side consisting of Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Chinedu Obasi, Teemu Pukki and Julian Draxler.

Champions League: YES

Regular football: MAYBE

See his son: YES

If he is up for a challenge at first team positions; or if Huntelaar departs, this could happen.

Likelihood factor: 4/5

As much admiration you have to have for Nicklas’s desire to be ‘happy at work’ as he put it the overwhelming factor is he may have to consider sacrificing one of his 3 golden rules or the quality of football he plays at.

Other teams such as Olympiakos, Benfica, Ajax, Juventus, Lille, Copenhagen or Borussia Monchengladbach may fancy a go, while AC Milan have been most recently linked, but if I were a betting man, a punt on Bendtner at Schalke 04 next season wouldn’t be a bad bet.

Where do you think Bendtner will end up?

image: © Ronnie Macdonald