Cristiano Ronaldo recently made a mysterious post on social media, making people wonder if he’s about to leave Al Nassr. His contract ends this summer, and he’s one of many big-name players whose deals are running out.
Because of his age and high wages, only a few clubs in the world could afford to sign him. Still, there are many other players available on free transfers who could be more appealing to clubs.
Napoli may have made a great move by agreeing to sign Jonathan David, who scored 23 goals and gave 7 assists in 42 games this season. There are also talks that Kevin De Bruyne could join him when his contract ends in June.
Arsenal might need a new striker and David could be a great fit. Meanwhile, Jorginho has already announced he’s leaving Arsenal, and Thomas Partey could be next. Although the club may offer him a new contract, it’s up to the player.
Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure is also out of contract. At 32, he may not be a long-term option, but could be a useful short-term fix.
Tottenham, despite winning the Europa League, had a poor league season. Changes are expected, and the future of manager Ange Postecoglou is still uncertain. Defenders Ben Davies and Sergio Reguilon are out of contract, so new signings will be needed.
Bayern Munich have already signed Jonathan Tah, ruling him out as a Spurs target.
Manchester United are also expected to make big changes. Reports suggest the whole squad is up for sale. They might look for free signings like Wojciech Szczesny (currently with Barcelona) to help solve their goalkeeping problems.
Manchester City could also be saying goodbye to key midfielders Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, with Pep Guardiola possibly starting a new cycle at the club.
Real Madrid stars Luka Modric and Lucas Vazquez are likely to leave this summer too, though it’s unclear whether they will continue playing or take on new roles at the club.
Atletico Madrid won’t renew Axel Witsel’s contract, and Crystal Palace are said to be interested in Reinildo Mandava. Marcos Alonso is also leaving Celta Vigo and could be a handy short-term signing for Premier League sides.
In Italy, Inter will release Marko Arnautovic, Joaquin Correa and Stefan de Vrij. Atalanta are letting go of four players: Mario Pasalic, Davide Zappacosta, Juan Cuadrado and Rafael Toloi.
Milan, who missed out on European football, are also releasing Luka Jovic and Alessandro Florenzi — a move that might not disappoint fans given the club’s struggles this season.
Across Europe, there’s a lot of talent available for free this summer. Some players may be older or haven’t played much recently, but they could still offer great value to clubs willing to take a chance.
As always, anything can happen in the transfer window. Let’s see where these players end up for the 2025/26 season.
