Generally, major free transfers take place over the course of the summer – today, however, we’ll be looking at five footballing phenoms who will be out of contract at the end of this month.
We’ll be looking at players who have previously turned out for clubs such as Real Madrid, Manchester United and Bayern Munich – could any of them pull off a move to the Premier League?
Thomas Muller
Thomas Muller’s time at Bayern Munich was legendary. He is a true icon of the club, but he currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS.
Having scored eight goals in 11 league games, it’s safe to say that he has made the MLS his oyster since his arrival in Vancouver. Many assumed he was finished at the top level – but with numbers like this, a big European club may be tempted to take a gamble on him.
Jesse Lingard
Once upon a time, Jesse Lingard was a Premier League mainstay and was a regular fixture in the England team. Now aged 32, he is a key player for FC Seoul in the K-League. So far, he has scored 10 goals in 34 K-League games this season.
Best known for his time at Manchester United, Lingard was let go by the Red Devils in 2022. A brief stint at Nottingham Forest did little to maintain his profile – he seems to have found a home in South Korea, but his contract is due to expire before the January transfer window opens.
James Rodriguez
The first of two Premier League alumni in our list, James Rodriguez enjoyed a fruitful – if short – run at Everton during the 2020/21 season. His technical ability was routinely streets ahead of his peers, scoring six goals in 23 Premier League games.
Outside of this, the Columbian all-star is perhaps best known for his breakout performance at the 2014 World Cup – he has also played for clubs such as Monaco, Porto and Real Madrid. Currently, he is signed with Leon in Liga MX.
Christian Benteke
Christian Benteke was an absolute battering ram of a striker during his time at Aston Villa, Crystal Palace Liverpool. He was prone to barren spells, but his physicality always made him a nightmare to deal with.
Currently, Benteke plays for DC United in the MLS, having been at the club since 2022. Aged 34, he still could have a role to play at a bigger club.
Neymar
Neymar is one of the most famous footballers of all time. A true legend of the game, he was part of Barcelona’s elite ‘MSN’ attacking trio, alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. After a tumultuous few years, the Brazilian superstar now finds himself back where his journey began – Santos.
He hasn’t been quite as effective as some may have thought, scoring five goals and notching up a single assist over the course of 18 league games. At the age of 33, he has slowed down considerably in the past few years – it might be time for him to call it a day, especially with his current deal due to expire on December 31.
Neymar has been linked with Manchester United bizarrely but ex United Louis Saha thinks it would be a big mistake for United to nap the Brazilian as he names his signings of the season.