Although the transfer window for Europe’s major leagues has closed, teams can still pursue players whose contracts have ended. Those athletes can be signed as free agents, and some notable former stars are currently available.
Here’s a rundown of the top players available, categorized by age.
Jadon Sancho, 26, FW (Former club: Manchester United)
Once regarded as one of football’s premier wingers, Sancho’s €85 million transfer to Manchester United in 2021 didn’t pan out as expected. His previous club, Borussia Dortmund, along with Fiorentina and Roma, are showing renewed interest, though he would need to accept a considerable pay cut. At his young age, numerous clubs may vie for his signature.
Tyrell Malacia, 27, LB (Former club: Manchester United)
Another casualty from Manchester United, Malacia’s transfer cost €15 million, but the team let his contract lapse without securing a replacement. A return to the Netherlands seems likely.
Ismaël Bennacer, 28, CM (Former club: AC Milan)
A former midfielder from the Arsenal academy, Bennacer was one of the victims of Milan’s failure to qualify for the Champions League last season. He’s expected to join Al Gharafa in Saudi Arabia.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, 29, LB (Former club: Ajax)
The Ukrainian left-back lost his place at Arsenal and had a loan spell at Nottingham Forest, where he only made ten appearances, before permanently transferring to Ajax, where his playing time decreased further. Though injuries have hampered his career, he remains a world-class talent when healthy.
Anthony Martial, 30, FW (Former club: Monterrey)
After moving to Manchester United in 2015 for £36 million, Martial’s career has stagnated in recent years following loan spells at Sevilla and AEK Athens, and then Monterrey. There are suggestions he may return to the Premier League, with interest from clubs such as Brighton, Everton, Leeds United, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, and Sunderland.
Dele Alli, 30, AM (Former club: Como)
Once hailed as one of Europe’s top attacking midfielders, Alli’s time at Tottenham ended in 2022, after which he struggled at Everton, Besiktas, and Como. Injuries and personal challenges have obstructed his resurgence, but Championship clubs like West Ham United, Blackburn Rovers, and West Bromwich Albion are reportedly interested in him.
Raheem Sterling, 31, FW (Former club: Feyenoord)
A standout performer at Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool—one of the few athletes to have played for four major English clubs—Sterling’s career has faltered in recent years, managing only eight appearances during his loan at Feyenoord last season.
Last month, he was charged with dangerous driving and possession of nitrous oxide following a car crash on the motorway.
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Paul Pogba, 33, CM (Former club: Monaco)
After Sir Alex Ferguson released him in 2012, Pogba joined Juventus before making a record-breaking return to Manchester United in 2016 for €105 million. A series of injuries and poor performance hampered his career, leading him back to Juventus in 2022. However, a doping charge has led to a four-year ban. Following a reduced sentence, he signed with Monaco but did not stay long.
Conor Coady, 33, CB (Former club: Wrexham)
A seasoned former England international defender, Coady has played for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, and Wrexham. After his departure, he’s been involved with Liverpool’s U21 team, with speculation of a move to Rangers.
Wilfried Zaha, 33, FW (Former club: Galatasaray)
A standout at Crystal Palace, Zaha’s career didn’t flourish after his 2013 transfer to Manchester United, prompting his return to Palace in 2015. He had a solid loan spell at Major League Soccer’s Charlotte FC but is now training at Palace again. There’s chatter linking him to Swiss side Young Boys and several Brazilian clubs like Internacional, Vasco da Gama, and Corinthians.
David Alaba, 34, CB (Former club: Real Madrid)
Alaba, who has a rich trophy cabinet including 12 league titles and four Champions League medals, faced injury challenges during his five years at Real Madrid after leaving Bayern Munich. To attract potential suitors, he will need to demonstrate his fitness, and a move to MLS could be on the horizon.
Philippe Coutinho, 34, AM (Former club: Vasco da Gama)
Coutinho’s illustrious past includes tenures at Inter Milan, Liverpool, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Aston Villa. After leaving Vasco da Gama for a second time, he is no longer the player valued at €160 million during his transfer to Barcelona in 2018, and has been rumored to move to MLS.
Georginio Wijnaldum, 35, CM (Former club: Al Ettifaq)
Wijnaldum made a name for himself at Feyenoord and PSV before his £25 million transfer to Newcastle in 2015, right before moving to Liverpool a year later. After five successful years with the Reds, he transitioned to PSG, then went on loan to Roma. Following a stint with Saudi club Al Ettifaq, his contract wasn’t renewed this summer. Rumors have emerged connecting him to Chelsea, where he could reunite with former teammate Jordan Henderson.
James Rodríguez, 35, AM (Former club: Minnesota United)
A standout during the 2014 World Cup, Rodriguez secured a €75 million move to Real Madrid from Monaco, but his time there was underwhelming. Following loan spells with Bayern Munich and several other clubs, he has now been linked with moves to Corinthians in Brazil and América in Mexico.
Riyad Mahrez, 35, FW (Former club: Al Ahli)
A key player during Leicester City’s astonishing 2016 Premier League title win, Mahrez moved to Manchester City to secure four further title wins. He joined Al Ahli for £30 million in 2023, but now that his contract has expired, Al Shabab is likely to offer him a deal to remain in Saudi Arabia.
Karim Benzema, 38, ST (Former club: Al Hilal)
Once regarded as one of the globe’s finest strikers, Benzema enjoyed significant success with Real Madrid, winning the Champions League five times and scoring 354 goals across 648 matches. Although he joined Al Hilal in February after previously playing for Al Ittihad, his future remains uncertain, and retirement speculation is swirling.
Jamie Vardy, 39, ST (Former club: Cremonese)
Vardy, which rose through the ranks from Fleetwood Town in 2012, played a pivotal role in Leicester’s stellar 2016 title winning squad. After departing for Cremonese in 2025, he’s now being linked with moves to Championship clubs including Wrexham and West Ham, as well as League One’s Sheffield Wednesday, his childhood team.
Sergio Ramos, 40, CB (Former club: Monterrey)
Regarded as one of the greatest defenders ever, Ramos enjoyed a stellar career at Real Madrid and with Spain. He left Madrid in 2021 and went on to play for Paris Saint-Germain before a return to Sevilla and a stint at Monterrey in Mexico.
Recently, clubs like Al Ittihad, Inter Miami, Marseille, and Wrexham have shown interest, but considering his age, retirement doesn’t seem far off.