Not just Salah and Van Dijk. The most famous footballers who could become free agents
As the calendar turns to early March, it's time to take a closer look at which footballers may become free agents this summer.
Dailysports has prepared a list of the most renowned players whose contracts with their clubs expire in June this year. Spoiler: there will be many famous names here.
Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Let's start with the most obvious names on our list. Liverpool is having a fantastic season, as they only need 16 points to mathematically secure the top spot in the Premier League. And things are going well in the Champions League for Arne Slot's team. But come summer, the team might lose three of its leaders.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is almost certain to leave his hometown club, having agreed on all contract details with Real Madrid. The club is negotiating with captain Virgil van Dijk and Premier League top scorer Mohamed Salah, but so far without success.
It's hard to imagine how much Liverpool will be affected by the loss of these three players. But it's certain that nothing good will come out of it for the club.
Jonathan David and Angel Gomes (Lille)
It's rare for clubs to have the opportunity to sign one of Europe's top forwards for free while he's in his prime. But this year, that chance arises.
The Canadian striker Jonathan David has overstayed his time at Lille and is definitely ready for a new challenge. Therefore, a new contract is not even being discussed.
This season, David has already scored 22 goals in 39 matches, and his critical strikes have led Lille to victories over Real Madrid and Atletico in the Champions League. Obviously, a queue of top clubs, including Bayern, Liverpool, Arsenal, Barcelona, Juventus, and Milan, is already forming for such a forward. The only question is where the Canadian striker will end up.
The same can be said for Angel Gomes, who has performed so well for Lille that he earned a call-up to the England national team. It's very likely he will return to the Premier League this summer.
Leroy Sané and Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Leroy Sané's poor form is one of the reasons for Bayern's failure last season. And in the new season, Sané has yet to impress, with 6 goals and 4 assists in 21 Bundesliga matches. It seems that the Munich club will not offer a new contract to the former Manchester City player.
Sané himself would like to return to England, but there are no rumors of interest from any top clubs yet.
As for Joshua Kimmich, just a week ago, he was very close to leaving, but now Fabrizio Romano reports that Bayern has agreed on a new contract with one of its leaders.
Lucas Vázquez and Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
For years, Lucas Vázquez was that Real Madrid player who wasn't considered a starter but always gave his all when on the field. Last season, Vázquez seamlessly replaced Dani Carvajal, but this campaign hasn't been as successful.
In top matches, Carlo Ancelotti now prefers Federico Valverde on the right in defense, and Vázquez plays in La Liga against significantly weaker opponents. Carvajal will return in the summer, and Alexander-Arnold is also coming. All signs point to Real bidding farewell to another legend in June.
"Luka will decide if he wants to stay," said Carlo Ancelotti. At 39, Modric plays so well that he can decide whether to stay with the club next season. And if insiders are to be believed, Real Madrid will offer the legendary Croatian a new contract. Modric himself would like to finish his career at Real and play in the 2026 World Cup.
Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Tah is the captain of Bayer and one of the main heroes of Xabi Alonso's legendary championship season. He wanted to leave the club last summer, but Bayer agreed with the center-back that he would stay for one more season and leave in 2025.
Barcelona is the absolute favorite to sign Tah. The experienced defender would like to play under Hansi Flick, and the club's financial situation forces them to seek free agents. But the 29-year-old center-back also has options with Bayern and Inter.
Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest)
Ola Aina is one of the key players in Nuno Espírito Santo's incredible team, which is genuinely contending for a Champions League spot this season. But it's hard to say if the Nigerian will stay with the "Tricky Trees."
If Nottingham Forest qualifies for European competitions at the end of the season, Aina is unlikely to refuse a contract extension. Otherwise, he has an offer from Galatasaray and other solid clubs that definitely need a right-back of such high caliber.
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
2 goals and 6 assists in 19 Premier League matches... It's sad to admit, but the former Kevin De Bruyne, who could single-handedly pull off wins for Manchester City, is no more.
It's apparent that we can now enjoy not only De Bruyne's last matches for Guardiola's team but also in European football as a whole. Kevin had options to continue his career in Saudi Arabia, but he leans towards moving to the USA. The most probable destination is the new MLS club, San Diego.
Wojciech Szczesny (Barcelona)
Last summer, the Polish goalkeeper, deemed unnecessary by Juventus, announced his retirement. He would have continued to enjoy his break if not for a call from Barcelona, who lost Marc-André ter Stegen for the rest of the season.
Initially, Szczesny lost the competition to Iñaki Peña, but later became Barcelona's main goalkeeper. The 34-year-old keeper played 14 matches, in which the Catalans remained unbeaten.
It's evident that Wojciech is happy in Barcelona, and the club is satisfied with his performance. It seems that during the international break, they will sign a new contract for another season.
Bonus: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar
Neymar returned to Santos, signing a six-month contract, as he wants to move back to a European club in the summer of 2025. His agent Pini Zahavi is actively lobbying for a return to Barcelona, but Hansi Flick is against this idea. So, the question of where Neymar will play remains open.
As for the legendary Messi and Ronaldo, they both plan to extend their contracts with their current clubs. But for now, they remain on the list of potential free agents.
Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert