The 10 best Scottish Premiership stars from last season still available on a free contract
The veteran centre-back spent the second half of last season at Kilmarnock where he filled in admirably down the stretch; playing against Celtic, Hearts and Hibs, a three-game run where the Rugby Park side conceded only once. At 34 there won't be a queue of clubs lining up, but he'd be a good option for a club outside of Glasgow's big two who want a veteran presence and dependable back-up in their defensive ranks.
9. Gael Bigirimana
Though he became the invisible man at Easter Road, 'Bigi' was a fairly popular figure around Fir Park during his 18 months at Motherwell despite never progressing beyond the role of squad player. He's undersized, sometimes wants a little too much time in possession and can often switch off defensively, but he's effective at getting his foot on the ball and getting his team on the front foot. A decent squad player for a bottom six team, if nothing else.
8. Elliott Frear
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Hide AdOne of the most eager and effective crossers of the ball in Scottish football, Frear often attracted criticism from the Fir Park support for his lack of intensity, which regularly found him accused of being timid in and out of possession. It didn't help that he was regularly asked to play at wing-back, which didn't suit his strengths, and may well have flourished following Motherwell's change in approach midway through last season were it not for the arrival of Gboly Ariyibi on loan from Nottingham Forest. If a manager is looking for competition at the left-wing position then they could certainly do worse.
7. Matthew Kilgallon
Kilgallon and right-back Aaron McGowan were two of the few consistent players Accies could claim to have in their ranks last season. And unlike other players at his position in the league, Kilgallon was hindered by having the likes of Alex Penny and Delphin Tshiembe playing alongside him at centre-back for the first half of the campaign. Again, like Bruce, his age (35) will put many off but he showed last season that there's enough left in the tank to suggest another solid year is not beyond him.
6. Nathan Ralph
The former Dundee left-back looked like he was going to be a complete dud after struggling in the Betfred Cup games and barely featuring in the opening league matches of the season. But unlike the majority of the other summer signings (who were definitely duds) Ralph eventually came good. He was deceptively strong in the air for an undersized full-back and could get himself forward to contribute to the attack. Good enough to command a start for two or three teams in the league, at least, though he's been linked with a switch to English Championship side Hull City.
5. Emilio Izaguirre
It's highly unlikely the Honduran would consider signing for another club in Scotland given that he turned down a new deal at Celtic to be closer to his family, but it would be disingenuous to leave him off this list. Though the fire that once made him Player of the Year is no longer burning quite so brightly, he showed last term that he was still a capable back-up at the left-back position for the 'treble treble' winners.
4. Joe Shaughnessy
Shaughnessy's form took a nosedive after it was revealed he was planning to leave St Johnstone at the end of the season to rejoin Aberdeen - only for that move to fall through and the Irish defender to find himself without a club. Coming off the back of a so-so 2017/18, his career prospects aren't looking as bright as their once were and he revealed that he'd put finding a new club on hold to concentrate on his studies at the beginning of June. But if the 26-year-old centre-back can regain his best form then he'll be a worthy addition for any team in this league outwith the Old Firm.
3. Arnaud Djoum
Djoum spent almost four years at Tynecastle and yet it was never completely decided what his best role was. He had good performances and bad in each of the following: right-midfield, left-midfield, as a No.10, as a No.8, as a defensive midfielder. He was at times a mercurial creator, others a deep-lying playmaker. He even had a spell as a midfield enforcer last term. The talent was there but it was never fully unlocked at Hearts. Aberdeen expressed an interest in coaxing the best out of him, though he now seems set to earn a big-money move to Asia.
2. Chris Cadden
Cadden was the subject of six-figure bid from Hearts in the 2017 summer transfer window, so the fact that he remains a "free" agent at this point in the calendar illustrates the manner in which his career has stalled somewhat. A utility midfielder with a powerful engine and incredible stamina, at 22 years old there's still plenty of time for him to realise his potential and become a Scottish international. What probably put other Scottish clubs off was the development fee that is due to Motherwell when he moves - typically around £200,000. MLS side Colombus Crew and Oxford United lead the battle for his signature.
1. Youssouf Mulumbu
Mulumbu's Celtic career was bizarre. He looked decent enough in the two games in which he started, away to Kilmarnock and RB Salzburg (for most fans he was the best of a bad bunch in both defeats) and then disappeared for weeks. When he re-emerged he was thrown into a match against RB Leipzig with Celtic defending a lead with seven minutes remaining. He had a shocker, of that there is no doubt, but it was understandable in the circumstances and Celtic held on to win. And that was that. He never played for Celtic again. During his loan at Kilmarnock he proved he was still one of the better midfielders in the division outside of Parkhead, playing a significant role in helping the Rugby Park side to finish third.