AZ Alkmaar have confirmed Australian Brett Holman and Danish defender Simon Poulsen have turned down new contract offers.
The Dutch outfit, who currently lead the Eredivisie by three points with a game in hand from PSV Eindhoven, were understood to be keen to hang on to Holman.
The 27-year-old Australia international, whose contract at AZ expires at the end of this season, has been in fine form this term with five goals in all competitions.
However, Holman is understood to be keen to move to a bigger league having joined AZ in 2008 after previous stints at Dutch clubs NEC Nijmegen, Excelsior and Feyenoord.
AZ have also made two contract offers to Denmark international Poulsen which the left-back chose to ignore, having been linked with Premier League club Aston Villa.
However, AZ technical director Earnest Stewart said the club were not overly optimistic they would receive a reasonable offer during the January transfer window for either player, meaning both could leave on free transfers.
I doubt next month there will be an offer on the table we find reasonable, Stewart told Voetbal International.
In October, Holman s national team coach Holger Osieck said he would love to see the Socceroo try his luck in Germany or England.
He s the complete player and that is what I like, Osieck said on Fox Sports. I think Brett Holman should be in the Bundesliga or Premier League.
He has potential and he has become more and more important for my team. I have to admit I liked him from the first minute I saw him that was the World Cup game in Rustenberg when Australia played Ghana, I liked him.
