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Every summer a lot of top-class players move on a free transfer after they run down their contract. For instance, in 2018, the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Emre Can, Leon Goretzka and Andres Iniesta joined a new club on a free transfer.
A player moving on a free transfer has a lot to gain financially. Since the club which he joins doesn’t have to pay a transfer fee, the players are in a position to negotiate a huge signing bonus. This is probably why many players nearing their 30s or in their 30s move on a free transfer as this helps pocket one huge paycheck before they hang up their boots.
Some of the players who are potentially available on a free transfer next summer have the capability to go down amongst the best free transfers of all-time which includes the transfers of Andrea Pirlo to Juventus, Sol Campbell to Arsenal and Roberto Lewandowski to Bayern Munich.
This XI comprises of only players from Top European clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, PSG, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.
Goalkeeper - David De Gea (Manchester United)
David De Gea is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world right now and he has been constantly linked with a move away from Manchester United. He was on the verge of joining Real Madrid in 2015 but the deal collapsed as the paperwork wasn’t submitted before the transfer window closed.
However, the Spaniard could leave England after eight years with Man Utd on a free transfer next summer and there won’t be a shortage of suitors for him.
A few days ago, Jose Mourinho said that he isn’t confident that De Gea will sign a new contract. The player has called the speculations a distraction and said he is only focused on winning games.
“What matters is the team and all of us being focused on what we need to focus on, which is winning games, rather than contracts or any topics that can be a distraction. What matters is focusing on football,” De Gea told Sky Sports.
The 27-year-old has been linked with a move to Juventus and he would one of many top players to join the Old Lady on a free transfer in recent years. That being said, there is an option for an additional year in his contract but it remains to be seen if it will be used.
Honourable mention - Alphonse Areola (PSG)
Full-backs - Antonio Valencia (Manchester United) and Nacho Monreal (Arsenal)
Antonio Valencia is the current Manchester United captain and the also the longest-serving player in the current squad. At the end of the current season, he will complete ten seasons with the club and will be a couple of months away from his 34th birthday.
The winger turned full-back has served his club well but considering his age, United will be tempted to look for a long-term option unless Diogo Dalot steps up this season. In which case, Valencia can serve as the backup option.
He’s currently making a return from an injury and his performance, once he’s back, will determine if United will use the option for an additional year in his contract.
Nacho Monreal is another veteran Premier League full-back in the final year of his current contract. The Spaniard has been Arsenal’s first-choice left-back since joining them in 2013 and has kept the likes of Sead Kolasinac and Kieran Gibbs out of the starting XI.
Monreal will be 33-years-old when his current contract expires but Arsenal manager Unai Emery is keen on keeping his compatriot beyond the ongoing season.
“I am very happy with him because he is 32 years old but I think physically, with his performances with us in matches, he is playing with a very good level. The rest of that, for me, is very important. I think we need to find a new contract with him to stay with the Arsenal team," the Arsenal manager said.
Honourable mentions - Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid), Leighton Baines (Everton), Ashley Young (Manchester United) and Alberto Moreno (Liverpool)
Centre-backs - Toby Alderweireld (Spurs) and Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)
We were spoilt for choices in the centre-back department and had to leave out the likes of Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen and David Luiz among many others. Given the number of quality centre-backs available for free next summer, a team can go as far as overhauling their entire defence next season if the need be.
Toby Alderweireld was linked with a move to Manchester United ahead of the current season but he was denied the move and that could come at a cost for Spurs.
The Belgian refused to extend his current contract because of which he was left out of the squad several times last season. However, due to injuries and a lack of summer transfer activity, he’s now a regular for Spurs once again.
He has less than a year left on his current contract but Spurs has the option to trigger a one-year extension but if they use this option, then another clause is activated which allows him to leave the club for only £25m next summer. How this scenario plays out will interest many clubs.
Diego Godin has proved to be one of the best centre-backs in the world in recent years and the 32-year-old has been linked with a move away from Atletico Madrid.
The Uruguayan is in his ninth season with Atletico Madrid and will turn 33-years-old before the season ends. There is no official announcement about his contract situation at the moment but certain reports suggest that he will sign an extension whereas other reports suggest that he is on his way out of the club and will join Juventus next season as a potential replacement for Andrea Barzagli.
Honourable mentions - Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), David Luiz (Chelsea), Jan Vertonghen (Spurs), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United)
Midfielders - Adrien Rabiot (PSG), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal) and Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea)
There are six Premier League midfielders from one of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs available on a free transfer as things stand. Some of them are most likely to leave on a free transfer while the others may be given an extension depending on how the season pans out.
Adrien Rabiot is one of PSG’s key players but the Frenchman has rebuffed the club’s rumoured offer of €138,000 per week. If Rabiot opts against signing a new contract with the French champions, then it will be a major blow for the club as they will lose out on a significant fee they could have otherwise pocketed plus they will need to splurge once again to replace the player.
Rabiot is only 23 and a player with more potential than what he has already shown. If he’s available for free, then there will be a queue of clubs seeking his signature. He has already been linked with Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal among other clubs.
Aaron Ramsey is the only player on this list who is sure to be a free agent next summer as it has already been announced that the player won’t be offered a new contract at Arsenal. This comes as a huge shock as Ramsey has been with Arsenal for over ten years now and has been a key player for them in recent years.
The reasons behind his departure are not clear at the moment but more details will surely emerge once the Welshman has found a new club. He has been linked with a move to Arsenal’s rivals Liverpool and Chelsea among other foreign clubs like Juventus.
Joining one Arsenal midfielder on this list is a former Arsenal midfielder, Cesc Fabregas.
Fabregas is into his fifth season with Chelsea but he has been used sparingly by Maurizio Sarri. In fact, Fabregas finds himself behind Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and Ross Barkley in the current pecking order.
The Spaniard is one of Chelsea’s highest paid players but he’s 31-years-old now and the club is reluctant to pay a hefty wage to a player who’s no longer a starter. It is rumoured that the only way he’ll be offered a new contract is if he takes a wage cut which is unlikely as the player is nearing the final years of his playing career and he would certainly like to earn as much as he can.
There is a good chance that the World Cup winning midfielder will move outside of Europe at the end of the season.
Honourable mentions - Mousa Dembele (Spurs), Andre Herrera (Manchester United), Andreas Pereira (Manchester United) and Juan Mata (Manchester United)
Forwards - Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool) and Anthony Martial (Manchester United)
The exciting XI is capped off by an attack comprising of three players in different stages of their career.
In January 2019, Arjen Robben will be 35-years-old and it is unlikely that he will stay with Bayern Munich beyond this season. His influence in the team has come down over the years and he will definitely not want to stay at the club as a backup player.
He has the option of signing a one or two-year contract with one of Europe’s major clubs like Manchester United as a stop-gap solution for their right-wing problems. This would be similar to United signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2016. The Dutchman’s other option is to move out of Europe and play in a high-paying league like the MLS or the Chinese Super League.
While Arjen Robben is in the twilight years of his career, Daniel Sturridge is in the peak years of his career although those years have been hampered with injuries. However, the Liverpool forward has managed his fitness quite well this season and has scored four goals and assisted one more in only 313 minutes for the Reds.
Sturridge earns £120,000 per week at Liverpool and this makes him one of the highest paid players in the club at the moment. Although he’s a top player and an excellent option to use off the bench, there will be doubts about paying him that much money given his injury history and his role in the squad.
If the 29-year-old can prove his worth over the course of the season, then he may get a new contract from the Reds. If not, there will be other clubs in the Premier League itself that can use a striker of his quality although that club may not be one of the big six.
The last player in this XI is arguably the most exciting in this XI.
Anthony Martial is arguably Manchester United’s best player this season and with five goals in 11 games, he has firmly put his goalscoring boots back on.
The 22-year-old’s current contract ends next summer but there is an option for an additional year. The club and the player have been negotiation a new long-term contract but no agreement has been reached yet. Ahead of the current season, the player’s agent revealed that the player was open to leaving the club as Martial missed out on France’s World Cup squad due to irregular playing time.
The club is doing everything in their power to keep a player who has a lot more to offer and one they signed for a fee that could rise to £58m.
If Martial doesn’t sign a new contract and opts to leave, then the question is if he’ll risk the wrath of Man Utd fans and join a rival club.
Honourable mentions - Yacine Brahimi (Porto), Iker Muniain (Athletic Bilbao), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Mario Balotelli (Nice), Munir El Haddadi (Barcelona) and Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)
