Share and Follow
As January approaches, several prominent football stars will become eligible to negotiate with international clubs as they enter the last six months of their current contracts.
This opportunity arises from the landmark Bosman ruling of 1995, which permits players aged 24 and older to exit their clubs without a transfer fee once their contracts conclude.
Among the players who might take advantage of this rule are Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi and Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate, who have both been the focus of transfer rumors in the past.
However, for many players, these negotiations appear likely to extend until their contracts officially end in the summer months.
In light of this, Daily Mail Sport takes a closer look at a formidable lineup of players who are anticipated to be free agents when their contracts expire this summer.
Marc Guehi is expected to attract interest from leading European clubs with his deal expiring
Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan
The 30-year-old is heading into a crucial summer as France’s first choice goalkeeper going into the World Cup and having a decision to make over his future.
Reports in recent days suggested AC Milan have made a renewed contract offer to Maignan in a bid to convince their club captain to stay.
The Frenchman has been with the club since 2021 and was a key part of their title winning side in his first season.
AC Milan remain firmly in the Serie A title hunt this season and could be in the position to offer Champions League football.
Given that he turns 31 in July, Maignan may view the summer as a final chance to move to another elite club in Europe and add to the league titles he has won in France with Lille and Italy with AC Milan.
Maignan was the subject of an approach from Chelsea last summer, but the Blues declined to pay AC Milan’s £20m asking price. Could Chelsea be tempted to return for Maignan this summer if he is available on a free?
Chelsea were interested in a deal for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan last summer
Right back: John Stones
A limited pool of right back options has led to us deploying Stones in the position, as Pep Guardiola has done at times in the past.
The six-time Premier League champion has been a key part of Guardiola’s side for much of the last decade, but his time at Man City could be coming to an end.
Stones has started just four Premier League matches so far this season, but only one since the opening three weeks of the campaign.
He has started the same number in the Champions League and demonstrated why he is likely to be a major part of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad come the summer – if fit.
Stones has been out injured since the start of December and admitted earlier this year his fitness issues had led to him considering retirement last season.
Will Man City look to keep the 31-year-old around or could Stones move on in the summer?
John Stones injury record could leave Man City with a hard decision to make over his future
Centre Back: Ibrahima Konate
Konate’s partnership with Virgil van Dijk was a crucial part of Liverpool’s title winning team last season, leading to the Frenchman being heavily linked to Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants were reported to have been considering an attempt to lure another Liverpool defender to the Spanish capital, after signing Trent Alexander-Arnold in the summer.
Real Madrid’s interest is understood to have cooled in recent weeks, with the club understood to be happy with Dean Huijsen and Eder Militao as their defensive duo.
Konate’s patch form for Liverpool this season may have been a contributing factor in Real Madrid’s decision to move on.
Daily Mail Sport’s Liverpool Confidential reported earlier this month that the Reds remain committed to offering Konate a new deal, but other clubs remain in active talks with his camp.
Real Madrid’s interest in Ibrahima Konate cooled amid the Liverpool’s defender’s dip in form
Centre Back: Marc Guehi
While Konate could be on his way out of Liverpool, could Guehi be moving to Anfield?
The Crystal Palace and England defender saw a £35m transfer to the Premier League champions collapse on deadline day in the summer.
Guehi has continued to perform well for Palace this season, with manager Oliver Glasner praising how his captain handled missing out on a move to Liverpool at the last moment.
Links to the Reds have persisted, although Crystal Palace are expected to try to resist offers in January.
Liverpool could face more competition for Guehi in the summer when he is available on a free.
The likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid could steal a march given they are able to begin speaking to Guehi from January 1.
Marc Guehi saw a move to Liverpool collapse in the summer and will have more interest as a free agent
Left Back: Andrew Robertson
Roberston was a stalwart of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side, with the full back flying forwards as part of their Premier League and Champions League winning side.
The Scotland star remained key for Arne Slot last season, but has already seen his successor signed in Milos Kerkez.
Robertson has been restricted to just three starts in the Premier League this season and nine in all competitions.
Speaking last month, Robertson admitted it could be his final year at Liverpool but insisted he remained relaxed about the situation and stated that he had a ‘wonderful’ relationship with the club.
‘Whatever happens will happen behind closed doors and I’m relaxed about the whole situation,’ Robertson said. ‘If it is my last year, then it’s my last year. If it’s not, then so be it.’
Robertson has demonstrated this season that he could be a valuable understudy to Kerkez at Liverpool if the Reds proceed with having the Hungarian as their first choice for the position.
Andrew Robertson insists he is relaxed about his situation with his Liverpool deal expiring
Right wing – Bernardo Silva
Will this finally be the summer that Bernardo Silva leaves Man City?
The Portuguese star has frequently been linked with moves away from the club in recent summers, but a transfer has yet to materialise.
Silva has been linked with a move to LaLiga in the past, while he has also fielded interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia. Benfica have also expressed an interest in welcoming their academy product back.
Speaking in the summer, Silva admitted that he knew his future plans but was unwilling to share them beyond staying at Man City this season.
‘When the time is due I will talk about it. I have one year on my contract so obviously I can leave next season. This season for sure will be at City, I’m going to stay,’ Silva said in June.
‘I’ve had options in the past and this year, like last year, my option is to stay at Man City.’
A Silva exit would follow a trend at Man City, with captains Fernandinho, Ilkay Gundogan, Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne all departing in recent seasons.
Bernardo Silva has been linked with a move away from Man City in the past and will be free to decide his own future
Central midfield – Ruben Neves
The former Wolves captain left the Premier League in a £47m move to Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023.
A return to England has been mooted for the Portugal international, whether in January or the summer.
The 28-year-old has emerged as a possible target for Man United in the January transfer window with a £20m fee mooted.
Newcastle have been touted as another club in the mix for Neves as Al-Hilal aim to recoup a fee before losing Neves on a free in the summer.
Ruben Neves is reportedly weighing up a return to the Premier League from Saudi Arabia
Central midfield – Yves Bissouma
Bissouma has gone from being a starter in the Europa League final to a forgotten man at Tottenham over the past seven months.
The midfielder looked a steal when Tottenham signed him from Brighton for £25m in 2022, but has had an up and down time at the club.
Bissouma was largely overlooked during Antonio Conte’s time at the club before starring in the heady early days of Ange Postecoglou’s reign as manager.
The Mali international was dropped by Postecoglou at the start of last season after being filmed inhaling laughing gas, with the head coach stating the the midfielder needed to regain his trust.
A late season resurgence saw Bissouma play a key role in Tottenham’s Europa League success, but he has not featured this season after being dropped for the Super Cup after persistent lateness.
Fitness issues and another video of him inhaling laughing gas have not helped his cause and a move away looks certain.
Bissouma, who has recent spoken of his struggles after suffering multiple burglaries at his home, could move in January despite currently playing for Mali at AFCON.
If he fails to secure a transfer, Tottenham could still activate an option to extend his deal for a further year in an attempt to earn a fee in the summer.
Yves Bissouma has become a forgotten man at Tottenham and looks set to move on
Left wing – Serge Gnabry
The Bayern Munich attacker, now 30, recently passed the 300 match milestone for the German champions.
Gnabry remains an important and versatile option for Vincent Kompany’s side, starting 14 of their 21 matches so far this season.
The German international has 13 goal involvements so far this season and is just two away from reaching a century of goals for Bayern.
The former Arsenal player is currently expected to renew his Bayern Munich contract, with reports that a deal could be agreed in the next month.
Serge Gnabry is expected to renew his contract at Bayern Munich in the near future
Striker – Dusan Vlahovic
The Serbian international, 25, was signed by Juventus for £66.6m in 2022 following a stunning spell at Serie A rivals Fiorentina.
Vlahovic’s time with the Old Lady might not have met the heights expected of him, but the striker has still scored 64 times in 162 appearances.
He has scored six times in 17 games this season, with his goals split evenly between Serie A and the Champions League.
Juventus general manager Damien Comolli recently declared that there will not be any contract talks with Vlahovic until the end of the season.
‘We have reached an agreement with Dusan Vlahovic to let this season pass and talk about it at the end of the season,’ he said last month. ‘There is a tight agreement from last summer.’
Vlahovic has long been linked with a move to Premier League clubs and with the forward available as a free agent in the summer, one of the leading clubs could be tempted to make an offer.
Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic is still only 25 and will be available for free in the summer
Striker – Robert Lewandowski
The legendary forward remains a potent force despite heading towards the end of his career.
Lewandowski has scored eight goals in 13 matches in LaLiga this season for reigning champions Barcelona.
The expectation, however, appears to be that Barcelona will opt against offering the forward an extension to his lucrative contract.
‘I still have time to make a decision,’ Lewandowski said this week.
‘Right now, I don’t know where I want to play. There’s no need to think about it yet. I don’t know which direction to take, but I don’t have any pressure.’
With Lewandowski turning 38 in August, the Polish superstar could well be making the final move of his agree should his time at Barcelona come to an end.
Robert Lewandowski looks set to depart Barcelona when his contract expires in the summer
Notable mentions
Several other big-name stars have contacts expiring at the end of the season, including three well-known centre backs.
Harry Maguire is heading into the final six months of his Manchester United contract after six years at the club. Dayot Upamecano and Antonio Rudiger are in the same situation at Bayern Munich at Real Madrid.
Casemiro is also approaching the end of his £375,000-per-week Man United deal, with the Red Devils unlikely to offer an extension on those terms.
Another interesting situation could involve Fulham’s Harry Wilson. The 28-year-old has enjoyed a superb campaign to date for the Cottagers, having had eight goal involvements in 16 Premier League matches.
