Willian celebrates scoring for Fulham against Nottingham Forest
Willian, aged 36, is leaving Fulham. after a brief second spell at Craven Cottage.
There are eye-catching names as Premier League clubs submit their released lists for the summer, including some who are highly unattainable for Championship clubs who keep checking the catalogue.
Kevin de Bruyne won't be pitching up in the EFL next season and you would get long odds on departing Manchester United duo Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof, Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure or striker Neal Maupay. Aston Villa keeper Robin Olsen is on his way to Malmo and Jorginho is leaving Arsenal for Flamengo.
But there are plenty, and plenty of their agents, who will be hoping the phone rings from a second tier club as they look for their next home. There are dozens of youngsters hoping to carve out careers and a few wise old heads, or at least old heads, who will feel they have something left to give if not quite at the highest level anymore.
Former Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic is a free agent as he leaves Everton and ex-Stoke loan centre-back Kurt Zouma is on his way out of West Ham, although he is currently topping up his bank balance on loan at Al-Orobah in the Saudi Pro League.
Daniel Iversen has already joined Preston North End after being released by relegated Leicester while left-backs Harry Toffolo and Jamal Lewis, departing Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United respectively, have both been linked with the Potters in recent years, as has Nathan Redmond, who is being let go by Burnley.
Who jumps out at you as someone who should be a realistic target for Mark Robins and the Stoke recruitment department? Join the debate down in the comments section.
Arsenal
Released: Jorginho (midfielder), Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand (midfielder), Ismail Oulad M’Hand (midfielder), Nathan Butler-Oyedeji (striker), Khayon Edwards (striker), Romari Forde (winger), Jimi Gower (midfielder), Jack Henry-Francis (midfielder), Neto (goalkeeper), Kieran Tierney (left back), Reece Clairmont (defender), Khayon Edwards (striker), Jakai Fisher (forward), Max Kuczynski (left-back), Ismail Oulad M’Hand (midfielder), Brian Okonkwo (goalkeeper), Elian Quesada-Thorn (defender), Zacariah Shuaib (midfielder)
In talks: Thomas Partey (midfielder)
Aston Villa
Released: Robin Olsen (goalkeeper), Todd Alcock (midfielder), Mikell Barnes (midfielder), Ajani Burchall (winger), Kortney Hause (defender), Charlie Lutz (forward), Kobei Moore (forward), Kyrie Pierre (midfielder), Rico Richards (midfielder)
Bournemouth
Released: Lewis Brown (midfielder), Coby Small (centre-back), Kian Tydeman (attacking midfielder), Toure Williams (midfielder), Teodor Minchev (defender), Josh Hamilton-Olise (midfielder)
Brentford
Released: Ben Mee (centre-back), Ben Winterbottom (goalkeeper), Beaux Booth(midfielder), Max Dickov (forward), Kerron Samuels(centre-back), Max Wilcox (midfielder),
Vonte Williams (defender), Adrian Janusz (goalkeeper), Yaw Agyei (midfielder), Evan Anderson (goalkeeper), Joshua Djoro (attacking midfielder), Mikel Francis (midfielder), Kaya Halil (attacking midfielder), Konstantin Ivanov (left-back), Trae Payet (right-back), Freddie Taylor (right-back). Josh Dasilva (midfielder) will continue his recovery from knee injury at the club with ‘further update in due course’
Brighton and Hove Albion
Released: Luca Barrington (winger), Sahil Bashir (winger), Killian Cahill (goalkeeper), Samy Chouchane (defensive midfielder), Hugo Fisher (goalkeeper), Louis Flower (striker), Benjamin Jackson (defender), Remiero Moulton (winger)
Contract extended: Tariq Lamptey (defender)
Burnley
Released: Nathan Redmond (winger), Jonjo Shelvey (midfielder)
In talks: Josh Brownhill (midfielder), CJ Egan-Riley (centre back), Ashley Barnes (striker)
Chelsea
Released: Lucas Bergstrom (goalkeeper), Eddie Beach (goalkeeper), Luke Campbell (goalkeeper), Dylan Willimas (defender)
Crystal Palace
Released: Joel Ward (full-back), Jeffrey Schlupp (winger), Cormac Austin (midfielder), Chimaechi Eze (forward), Christopher Francis (defender), Roshaun Mathurin (winger), Louie Moulden (goalkeeper), Kurainashe Musanhi (defender), David Obou (winger), Killian Phillips (midfielder), Luke Plange (striker), Jadan Raymond (midfielder), Joe Sheridan (centre-back), Jack Wells-Morrison (midfielder)
Everton
Released: Ashley Young (full-back), Asmir Begovic (goalkeeper), Joao Virginia (goalkeeper), Abdoulaye Doucoure (midfielder), Mason Holgate (defender), Neal Maupay (striker), Owen Barker (midfielder), Jack Butler (left-back), Luke Butterfield (midfielder), Billy Crellin (goalkeeper), Matthew Apter (midfielder), Zan-Luk Leban (goalkeeper), Jack Tierney (centre-back)
Option triggered: Carlos Alcaraz (midfielder)
Contracts offered: Seamus Coleman (defender), Idrissa Gueye (midfielder)
In talks: Michael Keane (defender), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (striker)
Fulham
Released: Carlos Vinicius (striker), Willian (forward), Luca Ashby-Hammond (goalkeeper), Chris Donnell (midfielder), Imani Lanquedoc (winger), Connor McAvoy (defender), Delano McCoy-Splatt (midfielder), Callum McFarlane (forward), Damon Park (centre-half), Stefan Parkes (left-back), Luca Picotto (left-back), Oscar Varney (goalkeeper)
Offered contracts: Tom Cairney (midfielder), Kenny Tete (right-back), Callum Osmand (striker), Lemar Gordon (winger), Luc de Fougerolles (defender)
Ipswich Town
Released: Massimo Luongo (midfielder), Marcus Harness (midfielder), Edwin Agbaje (defender), Jesse Ayoola (defender), Harry Barbrook (left-back), Charlie Binns (goalkeeper), Henry Curtis (left-back), Oliver Davis (striker), Ayyuba Jambang (defender), Daniel O'Connor (centre-back), Emmanuel Okunowo (midfielder), Mathaeus Roberts (attacking midfielder), Chukwuka Uzor-Greey (striker)
Option exercised: Elkan Baggott (defender)
Contracts offered: Axel Tuanzebe (defender), Cameron Burgess (defender)
Leeds United
Released: Josuha Guilavogui (midfielder)
In talks: Sam Byram (right back), Junior Firpo (left back)
Leicester City
Released: Daniel Iversen (goalkeeper), Danny Ward (goalkeeper), Jamie Vardy (striker), Oliver Ewing (midfielder), Harvey Godsmark-Ford (centre-back), Benjamin Grist (defender), Deniche Hill (forward), Liam McAlinney (centre-back), Arjan Raikhy (midfielder), Joe Wormleighton (right-back), Bradley Young (goalkeeper)
Liverpool
Released: Dominic Corness (midfielder), Lee Jonas (centre back), Jakub Ojrzynski (goalkeeper), Jacob Poytress (goalkeeper), Reece Trueman (goalkeeper), Louis Enahoro-Marcus (centre back), Harry Evers (defender)
Manchester City
Released: Kevin de Bruyne (midfielder), Scott Carson (goalkeeper), Tai Sodje (forward)
Manchester United
Released: Jonny Evans (defender, retired), Victor Lindelof (defender), Christian Eriksen (midfielder), Hubert Graczyk (goalkeeper), Tom Heaton (goalkeeper), Jack Kingdon (defender), Sam Murray (left-back), Tom Myles (goalkeeper), James Nolan (defender), Tom Wooster (goalkeeper)
Newcastle United
Released: Jamal Lewis (defender), Jay Turner-Cooke (midfielder), Ellis Stanton (midfielder), James Huntley (midfielder), Josh Donaldson (forward), Harry Powell (centre-back), Rory Powell (right-back)
In talks: Callum Wilson (striker), John Ruddy (goalkeeper)
Options activated: Mark Gillespie (goalkeeper)
Nottingham Forest
Released: Harry Toffolo (left-back), Wil Brook (goalkeeper), Connor Brown (centre-forward), Sam Collins (attacking midfielder), Harry Griffiths (goalkeeper), Jack Nadin (attacking midfielder), Manni Norkett (forward), Jack Perkins (midfielder)
Contracts offered: Willy Boly (centre-back)
In talks: Wayne Hennessey (goalkeeper)
Southampton
Released: Derrick Abu (right-back), Adam Lallana (midfielder), Josh Lett (left-back), Joe Lumley (goalkeeper), Josh McNamara (goalkeeper), Lewis Payne (right-back), Kyle Walker-Peters (right-back)
Sunderland
Released: Ben Crompton (right-back), Cuba Mitchel (midfielder), Caden Kelly (midfielder), Kelechi Chibueze (goalkeeper)
Tottenham Hotspur
Released: Fraser Forster (goalkeeper), Sergio Reguilon (left back), Alfie Whiteman (goalkeeper), William Andiyapan (centre-back),Jahziah Linton (left-back), Maxwell McKnight (right-back), Max Robson (right-back), Jaden Williams (striker)
West Ham
Released: Aaron Cresswell (defender), Lukasz Fabianski (goalkeeper), Vladimir Coufal (defender), Danny Ings (forward), Kurt Zouma (centre-back), Brad Dolaghan (striker), Kamarai Swyer (winger), Dondre Abraham (goalkeeper), Mehmet Halim (forward)
Wolves
Released: Pablo Sarabia (midfielder), Craig Dawson (centre back), Stan Amos (goalkeeper), Justin Hubner (defender/midfielder), Testimony Igbinoghene (full back), Aaron Keto Diyawa (left back), Lucas Kibrya (goalkeeper), Filozofe Mabete (defender), Josh Nyakudya (midfielder), Matty Whittingham (midfielder).
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