90min

Players who can sign as free agents after the World Cup

By Euan Burns

Cristiano Ronaldo may have a new club in 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo may have a new club in 2023 / Soccrates Images/GettyImages
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The 2022 Qatar World Cup may not be over yet, but attention is going to very swiftly turn towards the January transfer window and the club football soon.

Transfer windows after a World Cup tend to be the most chaotic and interesting, but there has never been a January transfer window straight after a World Cup. Clubs have had weeks to focus almost entirely on their transfer strategy for January 2023 and the summer window, so it could be a busier one than normal.

As well as the players who are available for free in January, there are also plenty of stars who can be talked to in view of a free transfer in the summer.

Players available for free in January 2023

Cristiano Ronaldo

There's only really one place to start when it comes to free agents. Cristiano Ronaldo is on the market and plenty of clubs, albeit not at the level he would like, are going to be making a move for him. Several Saudi Arabian clubs have been linked already and are making offers to him and Jorge Mendes. His future may even be wrapped up before 2022 is over.

Matej Vydra

Surely Matej Vydra is worth a go for any club in the bottom six or seven in the Premier League? He has never been a prolific scorer in the top flight but he could always pop up with that crucial goal when you really need it towards the end of the campaign.

Hatem Ben Arfa

Who's brave enough? Hatem Ben Arfa was a truly wonderful player when in the right environment and at 35 years old, he still has something to offer for the final chunk of the season on a free transfer. He has got 75 career goals and 64 assists, but he is more fondly thought of for his incredible mazy dribbles.

Leroy Fer, Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa thrilled whilst playing for Newcastle United / Scott Heavey/GettyImages

Eliaquim Mangala

This is a player who had quite the fall from grace. Mangala joined Manchester City in 2014 for €45m, but could not make any impact at all. He has then been at Everton, Valencia and Saint-Etienne, with little success. That being said, he is still only 31 years old and if any club needs an emergency centre-back there are worse options out there than Mangala.

Nikola Maksimovic

It was very surprising that Nikola Makisomovic did not find a new club when he left Genoa last summer. The 29-year-old has been one of the more solid defenders in Serie A for a long time, and he has plenty of years left in him. Surely someone will snap him up in January?

Other notable players on the market in January:

  • Artem Dzyuba
  • Santiago Arias
  • Zakaria Labyad
  • Andrea Bertolacci
  • Nemanja Radoja
  • Danny Rose
  • Jose Izquierdo
  • Faouzi Ghoulam
  • Jetro Willems
  • Simone Zaza
  • Danny Drinkwater
  • Sofiane Feghouli
  • Oumar Niasse

Players out of contract in June 2023

Lionel Messi

It is slightly surprising that Paris Saint-Germain have let it reach this point, but Lionel Messi's future after June 2023 is still undecided. There is a good chance that he will remain in Paris, although a move to Inter Miami to play under Phil Neville is also very possible. A return to Barcelona was touted but does not seem plausible.

Marcus Rashford

Many Manchester United fans will want this situation to be sorted very quickly, and in all likelihood, it will. Rashford has been at the club all of his life but he could leave in the summer unless they can get him to sign a new contract. PSG have been linked with a move but the player has hit good form under Erik ten Hag.

Marcus Rashford, Hugo Lloris
Marcus Rashford scored twice for England in the World Cup / Alex Livesey - Danehouse/GettyImages

Milan Skriniar

Milan Skriniar may not have been in good form for Inter this season but there is still a lot of interest in him. The club want him to renew, but the likes of PSG and Chelsea have been heavily linked in the past few months and it could cause quite the auction if he gets to January without a new deal.

Karim Benzema

Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema is actually out of contract at the end of this season. There appear to be no genuine fears that he will leave the club, but he will soon be free to talk to any interested parties and there certainly will be some.

Other notable players out of contract in June 2023:

  • Youri Tielemans
  • Jorginho
  • Wilfried Zaha
  • Diogo Dalot
  • Leandro Trossard
  • N'Golo Kante
  • Marcus Thuram
  • Youssoufa Moukoko
  • Roberto Firmino
  • Luke Shaw
  • Ilkay Gundogan
  • Toni Kroos
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