One of the first players confirmed to be a free agent in the summer is Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva.
City assistant manager Pep Ljinders confirmed the long-serving midfielder will be leaving the Etihad at the end of the season when his contract comes to an end, with his wife, Ines, thought to struggle with English culture.
It comes after nine years of service to Pep Guardiola, but the Spaniard is now faced with the task of replacing one of his star men.
The announcement of Silva’s departure is one of the first that can be expected over the coming months. Though the World Cup is a big area of focus for the summer, club football does not rest and the futures of many are still to be decided.
But who is out of contract and up for grabs? Who do we know for sure will be looking for a new team? And who is praying that someone, anyone, will take a chance on them?
Here, Daily Mail Sport puts together a free agent XI of players who are on the hunt for a new deal of some kind.
GK: Manuel Neuer
Now 40, legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer only really deals in one-year contract extensions. Last February, he penned a deal until the end of this season, but we are long past that time this year with no agreement met.
In January, he hinted at another extension, saying: ‘I’m feeling positive about the situation. I want to try and produce good performances over the next few months. I think it will be decided towards the end of March or at the beginning of April.’
Tick tock, Manuel.
RWB: Dani Carvajal
Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal has been a loyal servant to his club, being contracted to Madrid since he was a child with well over 400 first team appearances to his name.
He’s 34 now, though, and Trent Alexander-Arnold is the new shiny toy at right back. He has been limited to just 18 appearances this season – 12 in the league – due to a combination of injuries and selection, and it could be time for him to move on.
Still, he is seen as a stalwart of Madrid’s side, and, if he can prove his fitness, an extension to his reported £175,000-a-week deal is not off the cards.
CB: Ibrahima Konate
It’s been a year of debate around Ibrahima Konate’s future. The France centre back, 26, is in his prime and arguably the most valuable player on this list in terms of market price, but Liverpool just cannot get a new deal over the line.
Word is that a number of top European sides are interested in his services, though Real Madrid pulled out of any potential deal earlier this season.
It has been reported that he is earning as little at £70,000-a-week – way down on what some of Europe’s top players take home – so may be looking for a hike on that front. Whether Liverpool can offer that is another matter.
He won’t be short of suitors if he does leave, but it feels it would be a shame if he did, with Liverpool arguably the best place for him to continue from a footballing point of view.
CB: John Stones
Another who has been at his club for a number of years, John Stones is arguably a Manchester City legend – but will almost certainly leave this summer.
The 31-year-old, thought to be on around £250,000 a week, can’t string two games together and has been limited to just 15 appearances this season. A world class centre back at his best, that seems to be in the past now, and it’s a doubt whether he will make the England squad for the World Cup in the summer.
He will likely wave goodbye to City after 10 years – but may not be done with football yet.
CB: Harry Maguire
Talks have been ongoing for a while around a new contract for Harry Maguire at Manchester United, but any new deal is yet to be confirmed.
A former United captain and former £80million defender, Maguire is on a reported £190,000-a-week. Though he still very much has a role to play with the Red Devils – and maybe England – that is too much for that very role.
If he does sign a new deal, it’s expected he will take a hefty pay cut. But after rise in form under Michael Carrick and resilience to stay at the club and fight for his place, he has probably earned himself a new deal.
Daily Mail Sport reported two weeks ago that Maguire is close to agreeing a contract that will keep him at Manchester United next season – but wants to know he is still valued by the club.
LWB: Andy Robertson
Scotland captain Andy Robertson is another Liverpool player on this list, but one feels that his potential departure would hit a little harder for Reds fans than Konate’s.
Robertson joined Liverpool for a measly £8.5million in the summer of 2017, and went onto become a main character in the Jurgen Klopp era, winning the Champions League and two Premier League titles at the club.
Now, though, he is behind Milos Kerkez in the pecking order and it remains to be seen whether he will sign a new deal at Anfield. He seemed set to join Tottenham in January, but rejected that approach in favour of staying. The fact the club were willing to let him go, though, may mean the writing is on the wall.
One feels that the Reds could do a lot worse than have Robertson as their back-up left back next season – and probably beyond.
CM: Bernardo Silva
The latest name to be confirmed to be on his way in the summer is Silva. The Portugal international made it clear to reporters at the Club World Cup last June that this would be his final campaign but had stopped short of making an official announcement.
Silva is gunning to secure a seventh Premier League title before his departure, with City nine points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.
The 31-year-old, who believes it is too early for a return to Benfica, has options in the MLS while Juventus have hoped to persuade him into signing.
CM: Casemiro
It was on January 22 that Manchester United confirmed Casemiro would be leaving the club at the end of the season. After a tough three two years in red, the Brazil midfielder has found form this year, and United could be reconsidering their decision.
He is, though, earning £350,000-a-weel. No chance he would earn that in any new deal.
‘I will carry Manchester United with me throughout my entire life,’ Casemiro said in a statement. ‘From the first day that I walked out at this beautiful stadium, I felt the passion of Old Trafford and the love that I now share with our supporters for this special club.’
Inter Miami are the front-runners to sign him. But don’t rule out another year at United just yet.
RW: Mohamed Salah
Arguably the biggest name in this team, Mohamed Salah is a bit of an anomaly.
The Liverpool icon will depart Anfield at the end of the season, but he isn’t actually out of contract. After a long-running summer saga last year, he penned a two-year deal to stay at the club, but this year hasn’t gone to plan.
Whether it’s confidence or ability, the Egyptian King looks a shadow of his former self in Liverpool red. Despite that, he has still picked up 19 goal involvements – 10 goal and nine assists – in 35 games.
But the time has come for him to say goodbye and it was announced at the end of last month that the 33-year-old will be looking for a new club in the summer.
Whether that is a top European side or a team elsewhere, Salah is well and truly now on his farewell tour as a Liverpool player.
LW: Jadon Sancho
The nightmare that has been Jadon Sancho’s Manchester United career will finally come to an end in the summer when his £250,000-a-week deal expires.
Things haven’t been the same for the former England winner since a public fall out with former manager Erik ten Hag in 2023. That, plus a pretty sensational dip in form since, may well leave him scrambling around for clubs.
That said, he has had loan spells with Chelsea and Aston Villa in the last two years, but the Blues did pay to ensure they didn’t have to make his temporary stay permanent.
The 26-year-old has one goal and three assists in 31 appearances in all competitions this season.
ST: Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski has done the rounds at some of Europe’s top clubs, playing for the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, and now Barcelona. And, to summarise his career, he scored goals wherever he has played.
But he is now 37, and there is continued uncertainty around his future. His Barca contract is up at the end of the season, and it appears officials at the club are torn on whether to offer him a new one.
He’ll have the World Cup off after Poland failed to qualify in the latest international break, and it will be a summer of big decisions on both the club and player’s side.
If he does leave, despite his age, he will have no shortage of suitors.
Honourable mentions
Marcos Senesi seems set to leave Bournemouth in the summer with there being little breakthrough in contract talks. Barcelona are thought to be one of the clubs interested.
Antonio Rudiger has run his contract down at Real Madrid, but it appears a new one-year deal is on the verge of being agreed.
Andreas Christensen is another former Chelsea defender who could leave Spain, with his contract at Barcelona up soon. He has fallen down the pecking order at the Catalan giants.
Harry Wilson will have no shortage of suitors if he opts to leave Fulham. The Wales winger is having the season of his life in London, registering 11 goals and six assists in all competitions.
Leon Goretzka will leave Bayern Munich in the summer after nine years. The midfielder has been linked with Fenerbahce and AC Milan as potential destinations for next season.
Julian Brandt has been with Borussia Dortmund since 2019 but will depart this summer. The German club have confirmed the midfielder’s deal will not be renewed, and he is already on the hunt for a new club.
