GAA Transfer Market: What one big signing would the major counties make and why?

Sky Sports would have a field day with this.

The GAA is certainly becoming ever more professional in its approach and attitude with every passing year, but the day of actual professionalism in the association remains a long way off. Just because the GAA isn't professional doesn't mean we can't have a bit of fun and imagine what it would be like if it was professional, however and such a development would raise a host of exciting possibilities. Probably the most exciting possibility would be the establishment of a transfer market in the GAA. It would mean that the top players in the country would not be bound to play for their county of birth but could instead be offloaded to the highest bidder and have to change colours at the drop of a hat. That sort of talk is probaby anathema to the very ethos of the GAA and is one of the major reasons why professionalism continues to be resisted to this day. Just for the hell of it, however, we decided to take the 10 most prominent counties in Gaelic Football at the moment (the eight counties that occupied Division One this year and the two promoted teams from Divison Two) and establish the player they would go after if they were permitted to make one major signing for this season's Championship. Stephen Cluxton for Kerry, anyone?

Dublin

What they need: A leader at the heart of their defence to provide organisation at the back and stability when Dublin's flying half-backs maraud forward. Who fits the bill? Karl Lacey (Donegal). There's no doubt that Lacey benefits hugely from Donegal's attack-in-numbers and defend-in-numbers policy, but he's not a four-time All-Star and former Footballer of the Year for no reason. A real all-rounder, Lacey is also a brilliant defender, has excellent positional sense and is the rock on which teams are built. That rock is probably the only thing Dublin are missing at the moment.

Kerry

What they need: A full-back who's not just passing through. Kerry have had some magnificent men fill the number three shirt in recent years, but often it's been a case of needs must rather than a man who was born for the job. Seamus Moynihan, Marc Ó Sé, Tommy Griffin and Aidan O'Mahony are all examples of great players to have played full-back, but would you say of any of them that it was their natural or even their best position? The current incumbent, Mark Griffin, could be the man for the job in the long-term but it's too early to tell yet. Who fits the bill? Rory O'Carroll (Dublin). Consistently, along with Neil McGee, the best full-back in the country in the last few years. Appears to love defending and p*ssing off his opposite number without ever going over the line. A defender's defender.

Donegal

What they need: Of all counties, it's particularly hard to identify one player Donegal need because their strength lies in the system that they have down to a fine art at this stage. Plus, and this isn't highlighted enough, they have some outstanding individuals working within that system. With Michael Murphy often out the field and Colm McFadden not the player of old, we reckon they could use another scoring forward in the inside line to give Paddy McBreaty a hand. Who fits the bill? James O'Donoghue (Kerry). Donegal already have an abundance of left-footed shooters, but there is no team in the country that wouldn't be improved with the presence of O'Donoghue in the attack.

Mayo

What they need: A prolific forward to ease some of the burden on Cillian O'Connor in attack. Who fits the bill? Conor McManus (Monaghan). Easily one of the top five forwards in the country. Regularly posts high tallies despite having to operate in the most claustrophobic of conditions in Ulster. Instead of Cillian O'Connor, Mayo would have Cillian and Conor in attack, a duo that would strike fear into any defence in the country.

Cork

What they need: Leaders. Cork have as many talented players as most counties in the country, but what they don't have is players with the character to dig deep when required and who might have prevented some of their more embarrassing defeats in recent years. Who fits the bill? Ciaran McKeever (Armagh). This one is a little out of left-field, but McKeever has consistently shown leadership in the orange jersey over the years, even in the humiliating defeat to Donegal at the weekend. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty either, a trait that wouldn't go amiss in a Cork side that is often accused of being too nice.

Monaghan

What they need: A bit of class on the '40. If both are played in there, Monaghan have two of the best inside forwards around in Kieran Hughes and Conor McManus. What they have never really settled on is a man to conduct the orchestra at centre-forward. Paul Finlay has been a magnificent servant and is still going strong, but how Monaghan could use with a man to provide an accurate supply of ball inside and to land over a few points from out the field while he's at it. Who fits the bill? Diarmuid Connolly (Dublin). On his day, he's the classiest ball player in the country along with the Gooch and consistency doesn't appear to be a problem anymore. Deployed at number 12 for Dublin but he could easily shift inside if required and dictate matters from there. The only question is, could he keep his cool in the white-hot environment of Ulster Championship football?

Tyrone

What they need? A ball-winner around the middle of the park and some physicality to bulk up a side, that, uncharacteristically for Tyrone, is a bit light on big men. Sean Cavanagh is still busy trying to serve two masters at full-forward and midfield, but if they could leave him at 14 in an attack that also includes Mattie Donnelly and Conor McAliskey, then Tyrone would take some beating. Who fits the bill? Aidan O'Shea (Mayo). We don't think anybody can match the sheer physicality that O'Shea is bringing to the party at the moment; when he gets going he's nigh on impossible to stop. Tyrone have had problems winning clean kickouts around the middle of the park in recent times and not only could O'Shea help them on that score, he could provide an option on the edge of the square too.

Derry

What they need? An all-rounder in the forward line who is a hard enough worker to fit into a game plan that's becoming increasingly defensive, but classy enough to tap over some much-needed scores at the other end. Who fits the bill? Paul Flynn (Dublin). Flynn is probably the most complete footballer in the country and is as comfortable winning breaking ball and disrupting opposition attacks as he is swinging over points from distance. He's particularly deadly curling them over with the inside of his right foot from the right wing, which has become something of a trademark. Eoin Bradley and Mark Lynch would certainly appreciate his presence in attack and he could even slot into midfield to give Patsy Bradley and Fergal Doherty a break when required.

Roscommon

What they need? Experience at the back. There's no doubt about it, Roscommon are on their way up and they're in an awful hurry about it. The Rossies pose a serious threat to Mayo's hegemony out west but despite having a hugely exciting squad full of youthful exuberance, the reason they probably won't topple their neighbours just yet is that they are lacking what Mayo have in abundance: experience. Who fits the bill? Keith Higgins (Mayo) If they want experience, Roscommon have only to look a stone's throw over the border to Ballyhaunis, the hometown of Keith Higgins, a three-time All-Star widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation. Higgins is one of the best corner-backs around, but he has showcased his versatility in green and red in the past and would help provide leadership alongside captain Niall Carty, Seanie McDermott and Ian Kilbride in the Rossies' rearguard.

Down

What they need? A target man at full-forward to give them an alternative to the incessant hand-passing that has become a feature of their game of late. Who fits the bill? Michael Murphy (Donegal). The best footballer in the country at the moment would improve any team he lines out in, but Down could do with a man who can win any type of ball sent into him, knows what it's like to play against blanket defences in Ulster and would strike fear into any team in the land.