These little-known Aussie names have been fighting for a career abroad and are soon going to be freebies on the open market.

As part of FTBL's winter free-agent bonanza, we're counting down the top 10 Aussie free agents playing overseas that aren't household names. That means less Mile's and more Mebrahtu's.

Don't let the big, fat zero on the price-tag fool you, there are some seriously talented Australians on this list, many of whom have been in or around the Socceroos club at some point without ever quite weaselling past the bouncer.

So without further ado, let's check out what Europe could be missing out on...

12. ANDREW MARVEGGIO

Another former Fortuna Sittard midfielder, Marveggio is getting on a little at 27, but is still an obscure name to most Australian fans as he's done the rounds in the German lower-leagues.

A former Adelaide City product who started off his career promisingly across multiple Dutch clubs, Marveggio's most recent spell was in the Serbian SuperLiga, where he could only fashion three league games for Macva Sabac. 

“It is a very different step compared to where I was playing in the Netherlands and Germany, and going from the west to the east side of Europe,” he told World Football Index last year.

“I am relishing the chance to improve myself and my football here in Serbia. It has been a very good experience.

“Macva Sabac have definitely helped me and my football to go to another level, and the club have been very supportive in getting me ready to play in the Serbian SuperLiga.”

He's a short, agile player who can also play in the backline and while he's generally played in less prestigious competitions, until recently he played regularly wherever he travelled, so it will be interesting to see where Marveggio's future takes him.

11. GAVIN DE NIESE

We can feel a few of you shaking your heads, because De Niese or Niese, whichever he goes by, has entered the realms of Richard Porta or Panos Armenakas in those young guns you hear so much about, before they appear to drift off into the void.

At only 23, Niese still has lofty potential. Whenever you see the club River Plate attached to a young Aussie's resume, ot's easy to go a little weak at the knees.

The former South Melbourne attacking midfielder currently plays in the Portuguese lower-divisions, but he's aiming for bigger and better things.

“(Benfica-based Aussie, Anthony) Carter has shown that it’s possible and you can definitely do it,” he told FTBL last year. “He hasn’t gone to a small club he has gone to the biggest club in Portugal.

“There are definitely eyes out there watching teams like Trofense and it’s just about playing well and getting game time and showing yourself."

He's a clever player with strong technical skills and decent vision, who has the potential to make a very decent player, if he gets consistent football at a high level. 

So far, that's proved difficult however, so for now, he remains one to watch.

10. BRENT MCGRATH

If you catch yourself down at the pub on a Thursday night, this bloke is a trivia question extraordinaire. 

A talented striker with a patchy goalscoring record, who's played everywhere from Adelaide to Thailand to Denmark, McGrath is actually a Socceroo - he helped the Socceroos famously beat Germany, in Germany, in 2011.

Two years later he was playing for Bentleigh Greens in the Victorian NPL. Life's either sweet or a prick, depending on how full your glass is. His story is particularly significant for those wondering about, or looking for, a life as a footballer overseas.

"There's a fine line between being a pro and basically not cutting it," McGrath told Goal Australia in 2015.

"So I think if you can get a team or get a spot in Europe - just keep it for as long as you can because, at the end of the day, football as a career is not very long.

"Now I know that that's what I want and I like to say it's [the past couple of years] been a stepping stone, so I've learnt a lot along the way but I know what it's like in Europe and I'm just going to take things as they come and … this time just try and get my timing right."

Now 28, the dynamic centre-forward is coming off a lean spell at Danish top-flight club Esbjerg, but has been prolific in the Danish first division at FC Fredericia, so while on the surface it seems his level has a cap, he could excel under the right manager.

His former stomping ground in the City of Churches happen to be looking for a striker and he could almost pass for Ben Halloran if you were squinting, so here's hoping he ditches the Danish dreg-leagues and makes a triumphant A-League return.

No fun keeping this gem just to trivia nights.

9. JORDAN HOLMES

Another Aussie goalkeeper who's been biding his time at the highest level, Holmes is a former understudy of Adam Federici, but outlasted the former Socceroo during a four-year spell at AFC Bournemouth.

He was in the first-team and reserve squads on a regular basis from the age of 18, but like a series of Aussies, could never quite craft his way into a first-team spot under the famously consistent Eddie Howes.

Not that there weren't bright moments along the way.

“I was over the moon when I first got the call to say ‘you’re coming back and you could be on the bench for Chelsea’,” Holmes told Fox Sports four years ago.

“Not many people at the age of 18 get the chance to be on the bench against the champions.

“I’ve been to Stamford Bridge once. It was a stadium tour. I’ve never, ever thought I’d be there sitting on the bench in a Premier League game.”

Eventually time ran out for Homes, amplified by the fact he also suffered a lean loan spell at Scottish club St.Mirren, which now leaves him a free agent. 

Like Glover, the former Sydney United goalkeeper made a series of appearances for Australia at youth level, but without a professional debut, his next move needs to be a good one.

8. JOSHUA LAWS

Credit: Fortuna Dusseldorf

If you consider yourself an upcoming Aussie expert but you're not familiar with Joshua Laws yet, you probably should be, as the 21-year-old can boast five years in the German youth system with Bundesliga club Fortuna Dusseldorf. 

He's been slowly earning his stripes in the notoriously tough Regionalliga West, played nearly 700 minutes last season in the heart of midfield. Considering he's dealt with a tough injury run over the course of his short career, it makes for heartwarming (and hopeful) reading.

"The aim...is to play for the Socceroos, but for now after breaking my arm twice in the same spot this year I am just delighted to be fully fit again," Laws told The World Game two years ago.

"It was just sheer bad luck, even the doctor's said they'd never seen a player suffer a break in the same place like that before.

"I missed most of pre-season but I'm now hoping to get into a league game really soon now."

7. JOHN IREDALE

It’s early days yet so don’t get too excited, but Iredale has broken his duck at Eredivisie level and has a few tongues wagging around the Socceroos set-up.

Now that Australia's desperate striking requirements are well-established, Iredale's a 19-year-old who bagged 10 goals in 13 appearances for an Eredivisie youth team last season.

Yep, he broke his foot earlier this year and was out until May. But for the sake of our collective sanity, let’s look past the Socceroos curse and focus on the future, just like Iredale is.

“(My coach) has me in his plans,” he recently told The World Game. “Basically it’s keep working hard and be ready. It’s definitely good to know he’s thinking of how to use me this season.

"It helps me to be able to play, not worrying about whether he’s thinking of going to use me.”

6. GEORGE MELLS

After 33 Adelaide United appearances, Mells took off to the Netherlands - where prodigious young Aussie's careers are made or broken - with Eredivisie club Fortuna Sittard. 

Unfortunately he couldn't make an appearance last season however, restricted to a couple of pre-season runouts and the 22-year-old's one-year contract expires in a couple of weeks.

A former youth player with the highly-esteemed Chelsea and Southhampton academies, and with three appearances for the Australian U20s, he's firmly on the Aussie radar, but his next move will be key to fulfilling his potential.

He’s had a tough run, as have many of the Aussies on this list, especially those who have been overseas since a very young age. It’s a tough life, fraught with obstacles as he told FTBL and Neon Kosmos’s Con Stamocostas last year.

“It was a pleasure to be part of the best team in the world for two-and-a-half years,” Mells said.

“Chelsea’s youth academy has always been renowned as the best academy in terms of results across all age groups. Even at that age, they don’t take it lightly. They take it as serious as they do with the seniors.

“Because for them it’s all about winning. For me it was a fantastic experience. I’ve carried a little bit of it everywhere I’ve been. I learnt that it is not acceptable to lose. It’s not acceptable to come second. It’s all about winning and having a real winner’s mentality. That’s what I learnt from my time at Chelsea.

“It’s hard when you’re 12. You know how big the club is but at the same time you don’t really. Most of us who were there didn’t appreciate it as much as we should have. It sounds sad but that’s the truth. Looking back, I was playing at the best club in the world. It was special.”

He's a technically gifted central midfielder with an A-League Premiership / Championship double on his resume though, so here's betting he still has a decent crack at Europe, maybe at a club that aren't fighting relegation.

5. BRAD INMAN

Another familiar name for those in the know when it comes to Socceroos hopefuls and the English lower leagues, Inman's now 27-years-old, which puts him in his physical prime but casts him as a seasoned veteran compared to most of the names on this list.

The former Newcastle United graduate can boast a very decent career in League One, making bagfuls of appearances for Crewe Alexandra and Rochdale, propelling the former Scotland youth international on an impressive FA Cup run last year.

He can play out-wide, score goals when he's in form and is a fairly tidy, disciplined and hard-tackling versatile option. He'd make a superb A-League signing, but he might have a few overseas options up his sleeve yet.

His Rochdale departure may come as a surprise to some, given how valiantly former coach Keith Hill praised Inman before recruiting him for the Dale. But with a change of coaches, comes a change of priorities…

“There’s an unbelievable player in there,” Hill said of Inman

“I look at the goals and the creative measure that he had when he was playing for Crewe and when he started his career at Newcastle, and I believe in him.”

He's been called up to a Socceroos squad under Ange Postecoglou but never made the grade, leaving him one of the more prominent of the English-based Aussie abyss. What’s in store? Maybe not even Inman knows right now…

4. JESSE CURRAN

Curran takes a unique place on this list because until recently he was playing regularly in the Scottish Premier League, technically putting him level with some of the starting Socceroos.

Electing to choose the mutual-termination route with Dundee's relegation, it's particularly exciting to see where the 22-year-old former Central Coast Mariners prodigy, who took off to the land of heroin and terriers at just 18, ends up next.

Another utility - all the young Aussies based in Europe seem to be these days - Curran's played at fullback, wide midfield and in the number six roles, allowing him to rack up a tidy 29 appearances last season. 

It will likely be shattering for Dens Park fans that Curran’s leaving the club, if the Dark Blues forums are anything to by. One particularly flattering message left about Curran by a club fan gives a little insight into the Aussie’s personality:

“What a great young lad he is,” the post read.

“After yesterday's 100 kids game he came over with my daughter and introduced himself, then asked if we'd like him to take the wee lass round the players to meet them and get some autograph's and pics. He even brought her back afterwards.”

3. TOM GLOVER

Aussies playing in the youth systems of top-notch Premier League clubs – Tottenham Hotspur, no less – are rare and exotic commodities that understandable generate a lot of excitement.

But Aussies will be familiar with Glover after the shotstopper's spell at Central Coast Mariners, where he made four appearances on loan last season. It was too brief an opportunity to tell, but while the keeper looked as inexperienced at top-flight level as he is, he also pulled off a few fantastic reaction saves, so there's clearly reason to get excited.

Less exciting is his inability to keep track with the Spurs youth progression, leaving him a free agent: dangerous territory for a goalkeeper at his age, given the lack of opportunities at A-League level. He does have a wealth of experience though, also spending a time on loan with Swedish giants Helsingborg.

“Everything happened very quickly. I was away with the national team and when I landed in London, I got a call that Helsingborg was interested,” he told Spurs’ website.

“I saw the match on Sunday and told my girlfriend and family that the fans looked amazing.”

2. GOL-GOL MEBRAHTU

The most familiar face on this list to A-league fans, at one stage Mebrahtu was even being bigged up for a World Cup tilt. It possibly says more about the Socceroos dearth of striker options than it does Mebrahtu's skillset, but when fit, Gol-Gol can be a bit of a weapon.

A far burlier, prolific out-and-out striker now than he was during his A-League days, Mebrahtu has had multiple spells at Czech club Mlada Boleslav where he was scoring showreel goals for fun. 

His 19 goals in 47 appearances earned him a move to Fortuna Liga giants Sparta Praha, but one goal in nine matches now sees him a free agent.

The problem, as it has and will be for many on this list, is the injury history. At 28, with an ACL rupture and a muscular hairline fracture in the recent past, it makes for grim reading.

Clearly an emphatic talent, Mebrahtu could still make it in Europe if he stays fit and at his age and with the Socceroos always a scoring streak away, may want to leave a homecoming as the last resort. 

But it all depends on what his body, not his mind, has to say.

1. JORDAN LYDEN

Aston Villa can prove such a promising yet dismal breeding ground for Aussie defensive midfielders, just ask Chris Herd.

One of the more prominent young Aussies in Europe over the past few years, 23-year-old Lyden spent four years with Aston Villa in which he carved out a reputation as a highly skilled, combative, no-nonsense utility midfielder, who was capable of matching it with tough Championship and Premier League opposition.

Frustratingly, he always seemed on the brink of breaking into the first team, making four appearances for the club, garnering rave reviews and playing a decent spell on loan at Oldham before eventually competition and injuries seemed to catch up with him.

During a training ground drill in January this year, the midfielder suffered a freak muscle injury which kept him out for the rest of the season.

This seemingly signalled the end of Lyden’s Villa career, with the club securing promotion to the Premier League to add insult to injury.

Now a free agent, the utilitarian number six appears a prime candidate to return to the A-League for a rejuvenating season, a la Aiden O'Neill. But it should only be a pit-stop, because Lyden has phenomenal potential - just watch the video.

Quick, someone call the Mariners?