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The 2020-21 summer transfer window is in full swing right now, with many clubs having already made a raft of new signings. Amidst all the high-profile transfer and mega-money moves, there are a bevvy of players who're available on free transfers too.
While the likes of Thiago Silva, Willian, Jan Vertonghen, David Silva etc. have all found pastures anew, let us have a look at the ten most valuable players still available in the market for free:
Ten most valuable free agents in Europe's top-5 leagues
#10 Oumar Niasse - €3.2 million
Oumar Niasse's time at Everton was not only marred by poor form and recurring injuries but also a few run-ins with manager Ronald Koeman who apparently mistreated the striker and even demoted him to the Under-23 side while also having the player's personal locker revoked.
Subsequent loan spells with Hull City and Cardiff City in the next few years couldn't help spark his best form. After returning to the Merseyside with the Toffees last year, Niasse failed to break into the first-team, making just three appearances from the bench.
Niasse has never been a prolific scorer, but his committment and determination to prove himself on the field won him the admiration of many at Goodison Park. He's only 30, so he has a few more years at the top. He has also shown in the past that with good service, he can bag a few goals.
The player is reportedly heading back to Turkey where he first shot to fame with Akhisar Belediyespor in 2013. A local Turkish newspaper Kayseri Haber claims that an agreement has been reached between Niasse and Antalya-based outfit Kayserispor.
#9 Aleix Garcia - €3.2 million
Despite making a dream move to Manchester City in 2015, Aleix Garcia was an estranged figure at the club. He found opportunities extremely limited, making just a single appearance in his first season in Manchester before garnering only four top-flight appearances, albeit off the bench, in the 2016-17 season.
After subsequent spells with Girona and Belgian outfit Royal Excel Mouscron, the Spaniard is now without a club. Reports seem to suggest that Turkish side Galatasaray are preparing to offer a three-year contract to Garcia as they look to reinforce their midfield.
Garcia, who is a set-piece specialist with a penchant to shoot from distance, is useful in link-up plays too as he tends to move the ball quickly after receiving possession and also regularly drops back to help out in defence.
#8 Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting - €4 million
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, a largely peripheral figure at PSG, became an instant hero after firing his side to the 2019-20 Champions League semi-finals with a stoppage-time goal against Atalanta last month. But it seems that the player didn't do enough to convince the Parisiens to extend his stay in the French capital.
The middling journeyman, who is comfortable playing as a striker or as a left-winger, possesses a powerful dribbling ability. Though he has never been a prolific scorer, his work-rate, passing range and speed on the break are key attributes that can endear him to any club with European aspirations.
Choupo-Moting reportedly has interest from Germany and Italy, with Serie A side Torino rumoured to be targeting the 31-year old, but the speculations have since died out, and the player is yet to receive serious intrigue from any other club yet.
#7 Fabio Borini - €4 million
Fabio Borini may have failed to live up to expectations at Liverpool, but in his subsequent spells with Milan and Hellas Verona, he has shown that he still has plenty to offer.
The Italian winger scored some key goals for Verona during the tail-end of the 2019-20 campaign that included the equaliser against champions Juventus in a 2-1 comeback victory which helped the side finish inside the top-half of the table.
Given his versatility in the attack coupled with his vast experience of playing for elite teams, the 29-year-old can be a valuable addition to any side looking to beat the drop.
#6 Hatem Ben Arfa - €4 million
Ben Arfa, once hailed as one of the best-rated talents in France, has had a career that has been a mixed bag. But he'll be most fondly remembered for his 17-goal salvo with Ligue 1 side Nice in the 2015-16 season, in a testament to how deadly he can be on his day.
The Frenchman is an accurate passer of the ball and has prolific dribbling skills. He can tear any defence apart when in form while his ability to get into half-spaces inside the penalty box can create scoring opportunities for teammates as well. However, he has often been criticised for a lack of work-rate and his poor disciplinary record.
#5 Ezequiel Garay - €4.8 million
Real Madrid fans remember Ezequiel Garay for being amongst those that got away. Limited opportunities at the Santiago Bernabeu prompted the player to seek pastures elsewhere where he managed to establish himself as a bonafide defending maestro in successful spells at Benfica, Zenit St. Petersburg and Valencia.
He couldn't add to his 114 appearances for Los Che as a cruciate ligament injury in February this year ruled him out for the remainder of the 2019-20 season. The centre-back was later released by Valencia after the expiration of his contract.
Garay is now rumoured to rejoin Benfica where he won four titles and made 135 appearances in just three seasons.
#4 Jose Callejon - €7.35 million
Signed for just €10 million from Real Madrid in 2013, Jose Callejon proved to be an absolute bargain for Napoli. He scored 82 goals and made 78 assists in 349 appearances for the club as the Spaniard became one of the most fearsome forwards in Serie A.
For a key player who helped his side challenge for the Scudetto as well as in the Champions League, it's really perplexing that the Partenopei decided against extending his contract, especially since Dries Mertens, who's of the same age and posted similar stats as Callejon, was offered a new three-year deal.
Valencia are reported to be his likely next destination, even though Premier League sides Everton and Aston Villa are also rumoured to be interested in the player who's capable of playing anywhere across the frontline and create scoring opportunities at a phenomenal rate.
#3 Nathaniel Clyne - €8 million
Another player whose career has tragically hit the crossroads due to a series of injury problems is Nathaniel Clyne who left Liverpool at the end of the 2019-20 season without making a single appearance all campaign due to a cruciate ligament injury sustained during pre-season.
Clyne, a highly rated full-back in his prime, joined the Reds in 2015 after three successful years at Southampton and became a key figure during Jurgen Klopp's initial years at Anfield. He even played the full 90 minutes of Liverpool's Europa League final loss to Sevilla in 2016.
Known for his crunch tackles and physicality, Clyne, more than made up for his lack of attacking output with positional awareness and accurate passes. The fact that he ranks so high on this list without having kicked a ball in over a year is a testament to his qualities.
With 185 appearances in the Premier League since 2012, Clyne comes with bags of experience and could slot straight into any middling side. He's currently training with Crystal Palace and could reportedly be offered a deal if is able to prove his fitness.
#2 Mario Gotze - €10.5 million
Mario Gotze had the world at his feet after netting the World Cup-clinching goal for Germany in the 2014 final against Argentina, but his decline since then has been rather dramatic.
After struggling to exert his influence at Bayern Munich, he returned to his boyhood club Borussia Dortmund where he spent most of the time on the sidelines through injury or on the bench by virtue of falling behind in the pecking order.
He left Die Borussen at the end of the 2019-20 season and is yet to announce his next move. However, his wife teased the fans in an Instagram Q&A hinting that a decision has been made, which means that Gotze's next destination could be official in the next few days.
AS Roma and AS Monaco are rumoured to be leading the race for the services of the player, with the latter's new manager Niko Kovac, the former Bayern Munich manager, reportedly interested in signing Gotze. Sevilla and Fiorentina are also touted to be possible destinations for the 28-year-old.
#1 Edinson Cavani - €20 million
The fact that Edinson Cavani is still a free agent continues to be a mystery, considering that he was prolific throughout his time at PSG and even left the club as its highest scorer of all-time with 200 goals.
Cavani is a peerless finisher with great first-touch, athleticism and strength. The striker's predatory instincts to find the net makes him so dangerous even at 33, and he could be a valuable addition to any elite outfit.
He hasn't had any real offers yet. But there are rumours linking the Uruguayan star with Real Madrid who're reportedly weighing up options to sign him. Atletico Madrid are also said to be in pursuit of Cavani, having met the player's representatives in Paris this week.
