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Transfers are an integral part of football, being in place right from the founding periods of the game in the late 19th century.
In the early periods, the transfers of players were done in a rather haphazard way, with no clear-cut directive, but over time, it has become refined and fine-tuned with a set of rules governing the purchase or sale of a player.
Football is a professional sport, and as such the players are all professionals who are contracted to a certain club once they put pen to paper agreeing to the terms of their contract.
At the expiration of a contract, a club either has the option to either agree on fresh terms for renewal or let the player in question leave on a free transfer, better known as a Bosman transfer.
The 'Bosman rule' is a relatively new concept governing transfers, and it got its coinage after the player involved in the court case which had a profound effect on the future of players transfer within the European Union.
In previous times, a club had first right of refusal to a player once his contract expired, and they still had the right to maintain him on their roster even if he was no longer under a contract.
Such players usually saw a reduction in their wages (as they were not playing), and could not legally seek a transfer to another club without the consent of their present club (even though they were no longer bound by a contract).
Clubs usually took advantage of this and asked for transfer fees for such players before granting permission for transfers, and a failure to do so usually had adverse effects on player’s careers, as it affected their playing time and earning capacity.
This unfair rule was in place for over a century, with clubs making illegal profits off the racketeering scheme, but all that changed in 1990.
Jean Marc-Bosman was a player for RFC Liege in the Belgium First Division, and on the expiration of his contract in 1990, he sought a transfer to French club Dunkerque. However, Dunkerque failed to meet Liege’s asking price for Bosman, with the result being that he was stuck at the club while his wages were reduced (as he was no longer a first team player).
Bosman took the unusual step of taking his cause to the highest European court in three separate cases (against UEFA, FC Liege and the Belgian FA).
After five long years of hard deliberation, the European Court of Justice ruled in his favour and declared that it was illegal for clubs to hold first rights of refusal to a player who was not contractually bound to them.
The judgment had a profound effect on the future of football, as players now had relatively more control over their professional futures unlike their peers for the last century, with footballers nowadays intentionally running down their contracts at a club in other to get fresh and improved terms elsewhere.
Former Netherlands midfield legend Edgar Davids became the first high profile player to leave on a Bosman when he departed Ajax for AC Milan in 1996, and since then, numerous other world class players have been snapped up on a free including Michael Ballack, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Raul Gonzalez, Gigi Buffon among others.
The transfer window was officially regulated in 2003, making it a must for all transfers to be completed either in the summer or winter windows, unlike the case in past years where transfers were conducted at all points in the season.
The last summer window saw a lot of notable movements across European clubs as major money was spent to bring in marquee talent. However, sometimes players botained for free actually go on to define a club’s season, and as such, managers are usually on the lookout for fantastic talent who are available for nothing.
There are numerous world class players who are into the final year of their contracts at their present clubs and would make a bargain addition for any club that snaps them up. In this piece, we present in no particular order ten fantastic players who could be available on a free come next summer.
Honourable mentions – Javier Pastore (PSG), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Antonio Valencia (Manchester United), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Ander Herrera (Manchester United), Arjen Robben (Bayen Munich), Chris Smalling (Manchester United)
Disclaimer: All contract situations correct as of 2nd December 2018
#10 David Luiz (Chelsea)
Controversial yet highly talented, the 31-year-old Brazilian is always a firm fan favourite wherever he plays due to his knack for always playing his heart out whenever he is on the field as well as his go-happy persona.
Luiz grabbed headlines in Portugal with Benfica, prompting Chelsea to sign him in January of 2011, and he spent three successful seasons at the club before transferring to PSG to team up with international partner Thiago Silva for a then world record fee for a defender.
His spell in Paris lasted just two seasons, and he returned to Chelsea in 2016, immediately helping the club to the EPL title in the first season of his second spell.
He fell out with Conte towards the end of the Italian’s tenure in charge and there were rife rumours that he was on his way out of the club, but he has enjoyed a new lease of life under Maurizio Sarri, making 13 appearances in the Premier League thus far.
Luiz’s contract runs out in the summer, and it is highly likely that he would be offered a renewal, but that is yet to happen which would have Europe’s biggest clubs monitoring his situation closely.
#9 Anthony Martial (Manchester United)
Golden Boy winner in 2015 – Martial arrived Manchester United as a highly rated teenager, and it was expected that he would be one of the players to lead the club into the future post-Fergie.
Jose Mourinho’s arrival, however, halted his progress so much that three years on from his arrival, Martial looks a shadow of the player who scored a stunning goal on his debut never mind the fact that it was in a match against Liverpool.
Constant criticisms of his performances in public by Mourinho have damaged his confidence, and he has found playing opportunities extremely hard to come by, so much so that he was left off the victorious French World Cup squad in the summer, watching on as youngsters like Mbappe, Dembele and Pavard have overtaken him in the pecking order.
There have been improved performances of late, and reports emanated that Martial turned down a contract extension with Manchester United, meaning that he probably has his heart set on a departure from Old Trafford, and the 22-year-old would definitely have no shortage of suitors.
#8 Mousa Dembele (Tottenham)
A member of the fantastic generation of talented Belgian players to have burst onto world consciousness in the last decade, Dembele has made a name for himself with his displays from midfield in the colors of Tottenham.
Strong, technical and blessed with immense balance, few can match Dembele’s strength on the ball, and Spurs have benefited immensely from his services for the last six seasons since his arrival from Fulham.
Injuries have however always been unkind to the 31-year-old, and he has found playing time hard to come by over the last season, finding himself behind the likes of Eric Dier, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli under Pochetino.
Dembele’s contract expires at the end of the season, and it is highly unlikely that he would be offered a renewal, with reports indicating that his next move could be to China, while Inter Milan is also a potential destination for the powerhouse midfielder.
#7 Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea)
The 31-year-old is undoubtedly one of the greatest midfielders in history and among the most decorated players of his generation.
Fabregas has won almost everything there is to win across his spells with the Spain national team as well as his club sojourns with Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea.
Cesc made a name for himself when he arrived at Arsenal as a fresh-faced 16-year-old, breaking straight into their first team and winning admirers the world over for his calm and assured displays in midfield. He spent eight distinguished seasons under the guidance of Wenger and captained the side in his later years.
A product of the famed La Masia academy, Fabregas possessed that innate ability to dictate play from the middle which all Barcelona graduates seemed to possess, and he was constantly linked with a return home, with Barcelona resigning him in 2011.
He, however, found playing time difficult to come by, and he returned to London after only three years at Nou Camp, this time at Chelsea.
His time at Stamford Bridge has been immensely rewarding, winning two Premier League titles among others, and while he was an undisputed starter in his early days with The Blues, Fabregas has become a bit part player in recent years and has rarely featured under Maurizio Sarri.
His contract expires at the end of the season, and with feelers indicating that the club is not ready to offer him a renewal, Fabregas could be on his way out.
At 31, he still has some years of top level football left in him, hence he would undoubtedly be a great addition for any club which signs him, with rumors indicating that Simeone and Atletico are interested.
#6 Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)
An absolute stalwart in defence, Diego Godin has been one of the most consistent performers and backbone in the Atletico side which has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the last seven years.
Having made his name with Villareal, Godin arrived Atletico in 2010, and in Simeone, he found the coach who helped him take his game to the next level, forging a reputation of being a hard tackling no-holds-barred defender.
Atletico’s successes under Simeone have been built on a solid defence, and Diego Godin is the perfect embodiment of everything the Argentine manager wants in a defender – there could hardly be a more perfect match.
He was named club captain at the start of the season following the departure of Gabi and skippered the club to success in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup over bitter city rivals Real Madrid.
Strong in the air and adept in both boxes, Diego Godin is an extremely reliable defender who rarely makes mistakes, and would undoubtedly be a suitable addition to any team that gets him.
The 32-year-old revealed that he turned down a late offer from Manchester United as he has his heart set on a stay at the Wanda Metropolitano, but as of yet, Atleti are yet to agree fresh terms with him which would be a major blow to Los Rojiblancos and a gain for another club if he is to depart from the current Europa League champions.
#5 Juan Mata (Manchester United)
A World Cup winner, Mata was a prominent member of the Valencia team at the end of the last decade and was always touted to make a move to a bigger club with Chelsea proving to be the next chapter of his career.
He arrived Stamford Bridge in 2011 and won the Champions League in his debut season, going on to be named the club’s player of the year on two consecutive occasions, so it understandably drew the ire of many Chelsea fans when Mourinho sold him to Manchester United less than six months into his second spell as manager.
Both men’s paths crossed once more when Mou was named United manager, and despite initially struggling for game time, the Spaniard has seen increased participation in recent months.
Mata’s contract expires at the end of the season, and his situation is really still touch-and-go at the club, as he is yet to fully establish himself as an integral member of Mou’s squad (has anybody done so other than De Gea?). Hence, clubs would be on the lookout for developments in his case.
#4 Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham)
Highly sought after by Manchester United during most of the last transfer window, Jose Mourinho earmarked the Belgian as one of his primary defensive targets, but The Red Devils were rebuffed in their attempts to land their man by Daniel Levy.
Alderweireld remained at Spurs, but it is highly likely that he would depart the club on a Bosman come the end of the season (unless a club swoops in for him during the winter window).
The 29-year-old Belgian international has been a colossus in defence for club and country and has firmly established himself as arguably the finest centre-back in the Premier League since his 2014 transfer from Atletico Madrid (which explains the desperation to get him by Manchester United).
United might not have gotten him at the conclusion of the last window, but come May next year, they could well get an even better opportunity to sign him for nothing.
#3 Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal)
After ten seasons in the Premier League with Arsenal, Aaron Ramsey looks all but set to embark on a new adventure with another club.
Ramsey arrived London as an 18-year-old from Cardiff (with whom he has the record of being the youngest first-team player aged 16), and despite initially struggling to make a mark on the squad, he went on to firmly cement himself as a regular under Arsene Wenger.
Not the most naturally blessed player, what Ramsey lacks in talent and technique he more than makes up for with his passion and never-say-die attitude, with his tenacity and aggressiveness seeing him deployed as a box-to-box midfielder.
Since Emery’s arrival, however, the Welshman has struggled for playing time, with reports suggesting Emery was against the club hierarchy offering him a contract extension meaning that Ramsey is set to depart on a free come the end of the summer.
He is just 28, and would likely have a lot of suitors, with reports earlier emanating that he had agreed on terms with Bayern Munich, which the club came out to debunk.
Whether at the Allianz Arena or somewhere else, what is undeniable is that Ramsey would most likely be wearing different colours to that of Arsenal come next season, and he would be departing The Emirates as a modern day great of the club.
#2 Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham)
The 31-year-old Belgian international is arguably the best center-back in the Premier League at the moment, and has been at the heart of the miserly Tottenham defense which has earned rave reviews in recent seasons.
His value to the club is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that he is one of only three players (along with Kane and Lloris) who earn six-figure wages at the financially stringent Tottenham.
Alongside Toby Alderweireld 9who happens to be his defensive partner for club and country), Vertonghen has earned rave reviews for the calm and assured way he marshals the defense, and he would be an undoubtedly valuable addition to any club which adds him to their ranks.
Vertonghen’s value is very well known to the financially savvy Daniel Levy, and it is expected that the Belgian would be offered a new contract.
However, in the event that that does not happen, Europe’s biggest teams would be licking their lips at the prospect of getting both Vertonghen and his long-term defensive partner for absolutely nothing come next summer.
#1 Mario Balotelli (OGC Nice)
Football’s very own enfant terrible, Mario Balotelli has made as much headlines on the field as he has off it, with the latter being very much more frequent.
Bursting onto the scene as a prodigiously talented youngster at Inter Milan under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, Super Mario showed signs of controversial nature from very early on.
His rap sheet of misdemeanors is long enough to write a book on, from setting his house on fire with fire crackers to driving to an all female prison just to see what it looks like and numerous bust ups with coaches and teammates, Balotelli was considered a ticking time bomb always waiting to explode.
Some of the biggest clubs in the world have taken chances on him with Manchester City, Liverpool and AC Milan among the clubs to have tried their luck in taming the devil inside of the Italian international to no avail.
He arrived French side Nice in 2016 after a disastrous loan spell at Milan, and it seems that being far away from the spotlight has done Balotelli a world of good (or maybe at 28 it’s just him coming into maturity).
He has settled down well in Ligue 1, and has gotten into the most consistent goalscoring form of his career, scoring 33 league goals in 51 appearances for the Allianz Riveira team.
Currently managed by Patrick Vieira (who himself had his own fair share of drama in his playing days), Balotelli has enjoyed a new lease of life so much so that he was recalled to the Italian national team for the first time in four years in May 2018.
Balotelli’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign, and even though he has shown improvements in his off-field demeanors, it remains to be seen whether an elite club would still be willing to take a chance on Balotelli once again.
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