The summer transfer window is a stressful time for those involved with football and it is especially frantic for those players whose contracts expire as they look for free transfers.
In a month’s time, players throughout the world of football will leave their clubs officially, with the June 30 contract expiry date leaving thousands of free agents behind.
Some will retire and the rest will look to find new clubs to play for in the 2023/24 season, with a free transfer an appealing option in an increasingly competitive market. Premier League clubs will be able to offer large sums of money in the upcoming window, but the chance to sign a bargain out of contract player will also be an attractive prospect.
There will be some big names available, with World Cup and Champions League winners all in the market for a new club ahead of what will be an exciting summer of transfer activity.
Here, we take a look at some of the likely big names who could be arriving at your club this summer.
1. Wilfried Zaha
The Crystal Palace winger has been a mainstay in the Premier League for Palace, with his loyalty to the South London outfit admirable in an era of big money transfer business.
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With 458 Palace appearances to his name, Zaha will go down as one of the best players in the club’s history. However, he now looks set to move on, with a shorter list of suitors than perhaps previously, with just seven goals in the league this season as he enters his thirties.
2. Lionel Messi
Messi will leave PSG this summer, with their two-year partnership turning sour in recent months for the star and his former Barcelona teammate Neymar. Messi’s contract expires next month, leaving the World Cup winning legend of the game with plenty of choices for where he chooses to take his next move.
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Saudi Arabia looks like his most likely destination at present, with a move to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal providing the opportunity of a potential £320 million payday for the Argentine.
3. Youri Tielemans
Relegated with Leicester, Tielemans could provide a cheap option for the Premier League clubs who are looking to strengthen their midfields this summer.
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Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal have all been been linked in the past, but it could also be another one of the Premier League’s clubs who go for the Belgian, with West Ham expected to need to find a replacement for Declan Rice as well as Wolves facing the likelihood of losing Ruben Neves.
4. Marco Asensio
A winger with huge pedigree, having won three Champions League titles. The 27-year-old is set to leave Madrid this summer following a reported breakdown in contract negotiations and could find himself playing in the Premier League.
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Newcastle United could be in the hunt for the left-footed winger, who can also play a creative role in midfield. However, he may seek a move to a bigger Champions League club, with Madrid’s arch rivals Barcelona having even been linked to the star while PSG will also seek to find a Messi replacement.
5. Roberto Firmino
Firmino leaves Liverpool following a trophy-laden eight years at Anfield, with the Brazilian receiving a warm reception earlier this month as he played his last match for the club.
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He has been linked to a move to the MLS, but the 31-year-old has shown class this season which could mean that some of Europe’s biggest clubs become interested in the star. Chelsea could make a move to ease their problems in front of goal, with the need to spend wisely this summer following this season’s £600m spree.
6. Raphael Guerreiro
The Borussia Dortmund wing-back is expected to leave the club following his exertions in trying to win the Bundesliga for the German giants. The Portuguese left-back is one of the best attacking full-backs in the world and will have no shortage of suitors.
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Newcastle are believed to be in the hunt for a left-back, with the 29-year-old a potential option having extensive Champions League and international experience following 62 caps for Portugal.
7. Ngolo Kante
Kante is yet to announce a new deal at Chelsea, with the 32-year-old having endured an injury hit season in which the Blues have struggled to perform. Contract talks have not progressed and this summer could be the end of a distinguished career at Stamford Bridge for the Champions League winner.
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There will be no shortage of interest, with PSG having the potential to make an appealing offer to the Parisian 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 midfielder amid their change in transfer strategy to recruit more home-grown talent.
8. Marcus Thuram
The French forward has a growing profile, with his World Cup performances for France raising the possibility of a big move upon the expiry of his contract with Borussia Monchengladbach this summer.
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Man United and Liverpool have both been linked to the versatile forward, but an admission that a transfer to Barcelona would be his ‘dream’ could scupper a move for both clubs.
9. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain
Unfortunately injuries have played a significant role in Oxlade-Chamberlain’s career, with an ACL injury in 2018 derailing what was a promising Reds career.
The 29-year-old is still a Champions League and Premier League winner with international experience and could be a wildcard signing for Premier League clubs.
10. Adrien Rabiot
The French midfielder was extensively linked to Man United last summer and is set to leave the crisis-hit Serie A club amid a failure to yet agree a new contract.
A return to home-town club PSG could be on the cards, but he may also look towards the Premier League with Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal all likely to seek midfield reinforcements this summer.
Soucre: mirror.co.uk
