Udinese: Great season, perhaps almost too good as their squad looks set to be dismantled

It was a fantastic season for Udinese. The Northern side, who lets remember lost their first four games of the season, came back into contention and went virtually four months without losing a game to take fourth place, thanks to a better head to head with Lazio when all was said and done. But having achieved so much it now looks as if their squad, certain key members of it, are linked with a move away to pastures new.

In many respects this is not a surprise. When a team with limited financial means excels then their players become a hot commodity. Thats the same for big clubs too, but the difference here is that Udinese firstly cannot match the wage demands that the big clubs will comparably offer and secondly the lure of big money for their stars is in many respects just a lucrative as the prospect of Champions League football.

This is nothing new for Udinese though. Top players have come annd gone before. Oliver Bierhoff and Marcio Amoroso to name a couple. Top players however look set to go again. Alexis Sanchez is in the middle of a bidding war between some of Europes top clubs, while Gokhan Inler again looks set to leave with Napoli and Juve prime contenders. This is not to mention highly talented midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah who may fill the void in the Milan midfield left by Andrea Pirlo.

All ifs and buts of course but after making the Champions League Udinese's fans could be set for something of a come down this summer, and that would be a shame.