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The competition amongst football clubs for transfer bargains is a perennial competition. However, nothing trumps the price of free. With many footballers in contractual negotiations as their contract winds down, it’s not just cash-strapped clubs who are looking to sign free agents in the summer.The quality of footballers who are being allowed to wind down their contracts is surprisingly good, with legitimate quality on offer this summer. Given the specter of the Chinese Premier League, Qatar and the MLS, the players hands at the negotiating table are stronger, as agents can legitimately claim big money interest.Here is a XI of free-agents in the summer:
#1 Goalkeepers
Wojciech Szczesny – Arsenal’s Polish shot-stopper was farmed out on loan to Roma after Arsene Wenger signed Petr Cech in the summer. Szczesny had already lost his first-team place to David Ospina after a horror show against Southampton in the 2014/15 season, which meant that his chances of regaining the spot back all but evaporated when Wenger spent £10 million to bring in Cech.
Szczesny has been pretty much a regular for Roma this season, as the Pole has performed fairly well for the Giallorossi this season, although his distribution still causes heart-stopping moments for many in the Stadio Olimpico. Szczesny was Rudi Garcia’s first choice, and seems to have retained the 1st team spot after Luciano Spalletti’s arrival, although reports in the Italian press note that the Italian does not want to retain Szczesny after his loan spell.
Sky Sports recently reported that the Pole is out of contract in the summer, which is at odds with previous information that Szczesny had signed a four-year deal in 2013. While it is unlikely that Arsenal would have allowed the Pole’s contract to expire, the fact that Szczesny is the goalkeeper who has conceded the most goals in this season’s Champions League will mean that he cannot command a significant fee.
#2 Defenders
Gregory Van der Wiel – The Paris St. Germain right-back is out of contract in the summer after signing with the French champions in 2012. The Dutchman is one of the few footballers in the world to have won the league he has performed in for the last 5 seasons, with a 6th consecutive title all but sewn up.
The Dutchman had gone down the pecking order after the emergence of Serge Aurier, with Laurent Blanc preferring to play the Ivorian for most of the season. As such Van der Wiel’s bargaining power when he negotiated a contract extension with PSG was greatly reduced. However, with Aurier's latest social media gaffe paving his route out of the club, Van der Wiel is suddenly first-choic again, but might still choose to sign lucrative contracts with other teams.
John Terry - John Terry dropped a bombshell after Chelsea’s 5-1 win over MK Dons in the FA Cup earlier this season. The Blues legend revealed that Chelsea had not offered him a contract extension, which will bring an end to his 18-year spell with the club.
Terry revealed that there is not much chance of a deal, saying “I made it very clear I wanted to stay It's a difficult one The club is the most important thing. There is no communication between me and the club at the moment.” Terry comes with sterling pedigree, and with Qatar, the MLS and maybe even China on the horizon, looks set to increase his wages substantially next summer.
Martin Caceres – The Uruguayan defender is highly rated by Juventus coach Massimo Allegri, but looks set to leave the Bianconeri at the end of the season. Caceres joined Juventus in the summer of 2012, but has failed to nail down a 1st team, spot with injuries and inconsistency hindering his career at the Old Lady.
Caceres suffered a season-ending injury to his achilles earlier, and reports say contract extension talks with Juventus have resumed, with the club loathe to lost him to rivals Inter Milan or AC Milan for free. However with Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini setting records for Juventus’ defence, Caceres might opt to leave the club, as his versatility and age will make him an attractive proposition for other clubs.
Patrice Evra – The Juventus left-back is first-choice for the moment, but with Alex Sandro waiting in the wings might be reluctant to sign a contract extension with Juventus, as first-team opportunities next season might reduce. Evra is reportedly fielding offers from France and England, although the Bianconeri are keen to retain the Frenchman.
Having signed on a free transfer from Manchester United in 2014, Evra has become one of the most influential figures in the Juventus dressing room, as his leadership skills have come to the fore. Evra will turn 35 this summer, and might be keen for one last payday in the moneyed leagues, but with his competitive fires still burning, might opt to duke it out with Alex Sandro next season.
#3 Midfielders
Sofiane Feghouli – Valencia’s Algerian right-winger has been largely ignored by new boss Gary Neville, on account of his contractual issues. However, the 26-year-old has played in 2 out of the last 3 games that Valencia have won, as Neville might be keen on retaining him as part of Los Che’s resurgence.
Having been with the Spanish club since 2010, Feghouli’s performances have garnered interest from big clubs, with Manchester United set to offer him high wages in a bid to lure him to Old Trafford. However, with United legend Neville standing in the Red Devil’s way, Feghouli might possibly end his 6-year spell at the Mestalla for the hallowed environs of Old Trafford.
Ever Banega – The Argentinian midfielder followed Unai Emery from Valencia to Sevilla in the summer of 2014, and has quickly become vital to the Andalusian club in the two years he has spent there. Banega adeptness at both attack and defence make him a highly coveted midfielder, and Sevilla will struggle to keep the Argentine at the club next season.
With clubs of the stature of Manchester United and Inter Milan already in the mix, Sevilla are sure to lose out on the 27-year-ol Argentina international on a free transfer. The Italian press have already reported that Banega has signed a pre-contract with the Nerazzurri having undergone a secret medical with Argentine legend and Inter VP Javier Zanetti playing a major part in luring the midfielder to Italy.
Michael Carrick – Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick might join manager Louis van Gaal on his way out of Old Trafford this summer, with rumours about the duo’s departure continuing apace. Carrick has endured an injury-hit season this year, and has looked a shadow of his former self when afforded the chance this season.
The Englishman has not yet been offered a new contract by United, although assistant manager Ryan Giggs is keen that Carrick joins the coaching staff at Old Trafford next season. With Newcastle United and the MLS reportedly interested, Carrick might opt to see out his playing days as he still has some gas left in the tank, as he continues to retain his positional and passing ability.
Hatem Ben Arfa – French midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa comes with a great deal of baggage, as Newcastle United found out to their detriment. The winger, who will soon turn 29, had his contract cancelled by the Toons last year, as Alan Pardew described him as ‘unmanageable’. Ben Arfa, for his part, described his English sojourn as ‘hell’, with Ligue 1 club Nice coming to his rescue this season.
Ben Arfa has been in stunning form this season, scoring 11 goals as Nice have risen to 3rd in the table in Ligue 1. However, the Frenchman’s contract is up this season, although having reportedly turned down offers from the Chinese Premier League, it seems that Ben Arfa will move to an established league in order to rebuild his reputation in the summer.
#4 Forwards
Francesco Totti – The AS Roma veteran stunned Curva Sud regulars with his comments earlier in the month, as he noted that he ‘could not stay’ at Roma if his current playing situation did not change. The 39-year-old is out of contract with Roma in the summer, and still considers himself able to play at the top level for two more years.
Totti was never reliant on his physical prowess to weave his magic on the pitch, and with Roma dithering on a contract as manager Luciano Spalletti refuses to play Totti, it seems likely that the ‘King of Rome’ will end his 27-year-old association with the capital club this summer. Were that to happen, Totti is sure to have a number of potential suitors, with New York in the MLS a likely destination, as Totti has a number of Italian-American fans over there.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic – The 34-year-old is one of the best strikers in the world, and if reports are to be believed, will not sign a contract extension with Ligue 1 giants Paris St-Germain in the summer. Ibrahimovic has won everything there is to win with PSG, bar the Champions League, but the Swede is keen on taking on a new challenge as he nears the end of his career.
Line a fine wine, however, Ibrahimovic has gotten better with age, as he has plundered 30 goals and 13 assists in 34 appearances for the French champions this season. If reports are to be believed, Ibrahimovic already has his mind elsewhere, as the Swede as allegedly offered his services to Zinedine Zidane and fulfill his dream of playing for Real Madrid. Wherever Zlatan does end up, the prospect of signing one of the best strikers in the world seems mouth-watering.
Here is the final XI:
