Playing at the highest level for some of the biggest clubs in world football is indeed a challenging task. There are a few players who do it with ease and become successful while others blow their opportunities and go into the wilderness. The ones that stay at the top don’t last long.
However, there are a few players who have made a name for themselves by defying this very fact. At the fag end of their careers, some players leave the stage with a bang and with another season having started, there are bound to be some players who will be without a club by June 2017. Let us take a look at five such players whose contracts expire at the end of the 2016-17 season:
#1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic is probably having the time of his life in England, but his contract expires in 10 months. The Malmo graduate has played for some of the top football clubs in the world including FC Barcelona, Juventus, the Milan Clubs and now Manchester United. The towering forward has arguably the best right foot in football and has an eye for the spectacular. Be it the overhead kick against England or the ‘Rabona’ against Lyon, Zlatan has made a mockery of all the difficult shots in the book.
Most famous for his brash persona and outrageous comments off the football pitch, the Swede never fails to make an appearance in the news. With over €160 million spent on his transfer fees, Zlatan has been one of the biggest names in terms of moving to a new club.
He has scored over 300 club goals in 487 appearances which include 113 for PSG in just 122 matches. In 2014, Ibrahimovic was named Sweden’s second greatest sporting Icon after the great Bjorn Borg. After a brilliant start to his career at Old Trafford, Jose Mourinho will be desperate to extend the Swede’s contract by at least another two years.
#2 Arjen Robben
Playing in his seventh season with German giants Bayern Munich, Dutch winger Arjen Robben has enjoyed a wonderful time with the Bavarians. After a promising start to his career in the Netherlands (with PSV), Robben was signed by Premier League giants Chelsea in 2004 for a sum of €18 million. After a wonderful season, injuries and form loss contributed to Robben’s long spells on the bench.
After three successful years at the Bridge, Real Madrid came calling and he joined Los Blancos for €24 million. Although he was one of Madrid’s important players, he was among those whose place was threatened by the arrival of Florentino Perez and the signings of Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2009, Robben was forcibly sold to Bayern Munich, the club which revived his career.
Arguably one of the better wingers of his generation at the time, Robben was a perfect fit at Munich. Cutting inside, making room and blasting shots became the Dutchman’s ritual. He will always be remembered for his breathtaking solo goal against Manchester United in a Champions League match in 2010. At the age of 32, Robben may no longer be the feared winger he was a few years ago, but will still be a key player for the club he signs once his contract expires in July 2017.
#3 Franck Ribery
Another Bayern Munich player in the list and the other half of “Robbery”, French winger Franck Ribery has nine months left in his Bayern Munich playing contract. The scar-faced midfielder had a torrid childhood growing up in the ghettos. However, this experience made him a stronger and tougher player that he is today.
After spending seven years at Boulogne’s youth academy, seventeen-year-old Franck made his senior team debut. But, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Frenchman. In the next five years, he played for four other clubs including a horrendous six months in Turkey with Galatasaray.
He got his big break in 2005 after making a move to Marseille. He scored few and assisted many more en route winning the French Player of the Year in 2007. More good news awaited Ribery. European giants Bayern Munich came calling as he made a €25 million move to the German capital, where he has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success. Alongside Arjen Robben, the wingers formed one of the deadliest duos in the late 2000’s.
With blistering pace, uncanny dribbling abilities and tons of tricks, “Robbery” made a mockery of the best of defences and won every possible trophy. Currently, at 207 appearances for Bayern, only he knows how many more he will make before hanging up his boots.
#4 Pepe
Kepler Lima Ferreira, aka Pepe, has been an ever-present member of the Real Madrid backline since 2007. The Corinthians youth graduate played three years with Portuguese giants Porto before inking a deal worth €30 million with European giants Real Madrid. The hot-headed defender has been subjected to criticism regarding his actions on the pitch but has proved his critics wrong time again with wonderful performances.
Pepe was constantly hampered by injuries in his first few seasons at Madrid, but he found solace in 2011 when he played an entire season without any major injuries. After almost a decade with Madrid, the Portuguese defender has made 216 appearances and has scored eleven times. Pepe is no stranger to winning silverware as he has helped himself to many trophies which include a couple of Champions League trophies, two La Liga trophies and a European Championship Winner’s medal.
Along with Sergio Ramos, Pepe has formed one of the best centre-back partnerships in football and has shut out the best of strikers on many occasions. With his contract expiring in June 2017, many clubs will be interested in the Maritimo graduate despite him being 33 years old.
#5 Fernando Torres
One of the more notable youth team graduates of Atletico Madrid, Fernando Torres has established himself as one of the best strikers in his generation. Making his first team debut at the tender age of seventeen, El Nino became a crucial player for Los Rojiblancos in the coming years. After 214 appearances spanning for six years, Torres went to England where Liverpool signed him in 2007 for around £20 million.
Along with the likes of Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, Torres formed a formidable partnership at Anfield where he scored goals for fun. However, he failed to win a single trophy in his four-year stint with the Merseysiders. And in January 2011, Torres made a £50 million move to rivals Chelsea in the lookout for silverware.
This proved to be one of his biggest mistakes as he failed miserably in Stamford Bridge. He could only muster 20 goals in 110 games with the South London club. However, he won a Champions League, a Europa League and an FA Cup trophy with the Blues. After a fail move to Milan, home club Atletico took him back on a loan in 2015, where he made 49 appearances and scored almost the same number of times he did with Chelsea.
Torres formed a lethal partnership with Antoine Griezmann and has once again started to score with much ease. With less than a year left on his contract, Torres would look to make most of his opportunities before being offloaded to an unknown club for good.
