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Football across Europe and the rest of the world has come to a complete standstill following the novel coronavirus outbreak . And now, with the way things are going, it is likely that 2019/2020 football season will be scrapped.
With the two major sporting events of the summer, the Euros 2020 and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics being postponed, it is highly unlikely the current season will be completed. Governments around the world have rightly prioritized the well-being of the global population and fans will most likely have to wait till August at least, to see football resume.
Despite all that going on, football clubs will still be working in the background over the next few months to sign new players as they prepare for next season. Every year, clubs spend millions and millions on trying to get new players to join them but several clubs also dip into the free-agent market to save some money.
Clubs will have several free agents to choose from this summer with players like Thomas Meunier, Ryan Fraser, Jan Vertonghen, Layvin Kurzawa, David Silva and many more, set to become free agents. One could also say this will be the first time we will have so many top players from top clubs who will be out of a contract this summer.
Here is a look at 5 top players across Europe who will be free agents this summer.
#1. Edinson Cavani
Throughout his career, Edinson Cavani has been one of the most underrated strikers in world football. At 33, the Uruguayan is edging closer to the end of his career and his next club will probably be his last top club before he retires or moves to the MLS or back to his home country.
Cavani has hardly been used at Paris Saint-Germain this season with the striker just making 22 appearances so far, but he was a central figure to the PSG front line before the season commenced. The Uruguayan was excellent in front of goal all through his PSG career, managing to average a minimum of 20 goals every season.
Several top clubs around Europe have been reportedly interested in signing Cavani and it will be interesting to see where the Uruguayan ends up this summer as he looks to end his career on a high.
#2. Dries Mertens
Despite being 32, Dries Mertens still has a lot to offer to any club that signs him this summer. The Belgian has had a dip in form for Napoli this season compared to his previous three seasons, but Napoli as a team, in general, weren't performing well this time around.
After spending seven years with Napoli, Mertens will be eager for a new challenge with a new club and possibly in a new country as well. His age might be a bit of a problem for some clubs but his ability in front of goal cannot be overstated.
While his height and his physical presence are not the best, he certainly makes up for that with his other contributions which include holding up the ball, passing, finishing and most importantly, his defensive contributions. Mertens knows this is his last chance to sign for a top club which can challenge for trophies and he will be determined to end his career with a trophy or two.
#3. Olivier Giroud
Olivier Giroud is another very underrated striker in world football, and while his 2-and-a-half year stint at Chelsea did not go as expected, he still has a few good seasons left in him. Recent reports say that Chelsea are trying to get him to sign a one-year deal, but with the way he was treated the season, it is highly unlikely he will sign an extension with the Blues.
At 33, Giroud has one, maybe two, years of football left in him until he is forced to retire or play for smaller clubs. Thus, he will not want to spend them warming the bench at Chelsea. The Frenchman has proven himself in the best league in the world, has won trophies with Arsenal and Chelsea and is also a World Cup winner, so he will not be short of suitors this summer.
There is a very small chance that Giroud could re-sign with Chelsea, but he will need assurance from Frank Lampard that he will get a lot more playing time considering his age. Also, Giroud will be eager to add more trophies to his name before he retires and Chelsea can certainly offer him that. However, a number of clubs who can guarantee him playing time can offer him that as well.
#4. Willian
Another Chelsea player on this list is Willian, and just like Giroud, Chelsea is trying to sign the Brazilian down to a new deal. Chelsea did offer him a new deal in February but he rejected it because he was offered only a two-year extension while he wanted three.
The Blues are still optimistic Willian will extend his seven-year-long stay at Chelsea but with clubs like Arsenal, PSG, and Barcelona all reportedly showing an interest in signing him, Willian might decide to move on.
With Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi most likely set to be Lampard's first-choice wingers next season, William might not get as much playing time as before. At 31, he will want to be playing every match possible and after winning almost everything at Chelsea, he could be looking for a new challenge in his final few years as a footballer.
#5. Mario Gotze
Mario Gotze was one of the most talented and sought-after footballers in the world once, but things haven't gone his way since he signed for Bayern Munich and then returned to Borussia Dortmund. The German struggled in his final year at Bayern and he has never been able to get back to his best since returning to the Signal Iduna Park.
Now, Gotze has come out and said that he will be leaving Dortmund this summer and this could be the perfect move for him as he looks to revive his career. The German international has had a great career, both at the club and international level till recently, including scoring the winning goal in the final of the 2014 World Cup. However, Super Mario seems to have got stuck in a rut.
At 27, Gotze is still in the best playing years of his life and could still reach his full potential, but he will need to work really hard and will also need a manager who can get the best out of him. It might be a bit of a risk signing him in his current form, but given how his career started, he might just need the right club to get his career back on track.
