The winter transfer window is almost over and the time after the end of January and before the start of the summer transfer window is the time of soon to be free agents. Players in the last few months of their contract are allowed to sign a pre-season contract with a new club. And teams love a good bargain!
So, with that in mind, let us take a look at 10 high profile players who will be free agents in the 2020 summer.
PS: Christian Eriksen is not a part of this list, thanks to his never-ending transfer saga!
Dries Mertens:
Forget Eriksen, Cavani or any other big name, Dries Mertens is one of the most high-profile players who will be free to sign a pre-season contract with any other team, come 1st February. Surprisingly, he has hardly been linked with elite European clubs.
The 32-year old needs just five more goals to overtake Marek Hamsik as Napoli’s all-time top scorer. And he is likely to do so in his remaining time at Naples. Mertens has scored 5 goals in the Champions League and 4 in Serie A. And the Belgian still has a job at his hands with a Round of 16 tie against Barcelona. But where will Mertens be at the start of 2020-21 season?
Edinson Cavani:
Cavani’s case is a sad one, to say the least. One of the greatest No. 9 of this generation, the Uruguayan has spent most of 2019-20 on the bench after the arrival of Mauro Icardi.
PSG’s all-time leading scorer has been linked with a move to EPL clubs in the past few weeks. But with just three days left in the transfer window, he is likely to stay in Paris for six more months and bag yet another Ligue 1 title and fight for PSG’s first-ever UCL title once again. But in the summer transfer window, expect a tug-of-war for the experienced striker.
Luka Modric:
The former Ballon d’Or winner has failed to recreate his 2018 form after winning the award. Modric will definitely go down in history as one of the best midfielders of all time. But the Croatian’s time at Real Madrid is coming to an end. With the rise of Fede Valverde, Modric has lost his place in the playing XI. The 35-year old is in the last few months of his contract and has been heavily linked with a move to Inter in the summer.
But there is still a lot left for Modric to achieve in his time left in Madrid. Los Blancos are currently at the top of the La Liga table and Zidane will rely on Modric’s experience for the battle for the title.
Jan Vertongen:
The Tottenham central defender is also in the last six months of his contract and is unlikely to renew with the North London side. Despite the contract situation, Vertongen has been a regular starter for Spurs. He has played 16 games in the league and will be crucial for Tottenham’s chances to finish in the top four.
Willian:
Chelsea’s veteran winger has been a regular starter for Lampard in the team full of young players. Willian has scored four and assisted four in the league so far and continues to be an integral part of the team. With the Brazilian’s contract soon expiring, Lampard has reportedly asked the club administration to extend the player’s contract.
But if Chelsea goes against Lampard’s wishes, there is no shortage of interested clubs in the Brazilian. Barcelona, PSG, Juventus and many more clubs would love to sign Willian – For Free!
Mario Gotze:
Mario Gotze, once the next big thing in football, the man who scored the World Cup-winning goal, has failed to live up to the hype around him. After an injury-ridden spell at Bayern, Gotze returned the Dortmund in 2016. But the German never really reached the heights he did during his first spell with the Black and Blues. And of course, injuries didn’t help his cause either.
Gotze has played just 11 games in the league this season and looks all set to leave Dortmund at the end of the season. Tottenham are reportedly interested in signing the player either in the last few days of the winter transfer window or in the summer.
Blaise Matuidi:
Yet another World Cup winner, Blaise Matuidi, will be a free agent in the summer if Juventus do not extend his contract. The Frenchman is an integral part of Juve’s team and has started 19 league games this season. But the club’s midfield has been constantly criticized for their failure to win the Champions League. Will Juve try to bring new faces in the midfield or will they stick with the experienced Matuidi.
Nacho:
The life-long Real Madrid player, Nacho has never been the first team player for Los Blancos. But the defender has delivered every time he was sent on the pitch and has been a crucial part of every Madrid manager’s plan. Take last weekend, for example, Nacho scored the sole goal against Real Valladolid in the 78th minute to send Madrid to the top of La Liga.
The Spaniard has spent his entire career with Real Madrid and will want to retire as a one-club man. But will Madrid extend his contract?
Thomas Meunier:
Out of all the players in this list, Meunier’s case is the most curious one. The Belgian is just 28 right now with more than enough football still left in him. And PSG do not have another right-back waiting on the bench to replace a player of Meunier’s quality. Yet, he is likely to be a free agent in the summer.
Things could also be the other way around and Meunier might be willing to take a new challenge after spending four years in Paris. And if he decides to leave, a lot of teams will be more than happy to take him. Bayern and Manchester United are reportedly interested in the player.
Pedro:
Ohh, Pedro! The man who has won it all in his career has been nothing but a bench warmer for Chelsea this season. The Spaniard was part of Barcelona’s Golden Era and even after moving to Chelsea he played a crucial role in Chelsea’s title win in 2016-17.
But the 31-year old’s time at the Stamford Bridge will be all but over in the summer. But given his resume and experience, he will have no lack of buyers.
