Best Free Agents Still Available Following Close of Summer Transfer Window

So, that’s it then. Fun’s over. The summer transfer deadline has passed for most of Europe’s major leagues.

Managers across the continent, whether they like or not, will now be forced to mend and make do—at least for another four months.

Or, will they? There is one loophole that means we could all still get a few more dopamine hits from transfer news in the coming days and weeks: free agency.

Players whose contracts have expired are not bound by the tedious rules of the window and can still be registered by clubs looking to bolster their options before January.

So, who’s still out there in the transfer wilderness waiting to be snapped up and given a chance to prove they’ve still got the goods? Turns out quite a lot of very high-profile players indeed.

Here are 11 of the biggest (and best?) names on the freebie market—ranked.

11. Raheem Sterling

Age: 31
Last Club: Feyenoord

One of the Premier League’s (and indeed world’s) best attacking players as recently as 2022, Sterling’s stock has nosedived in the last few seasons.

The former England international was bombed out of Chelsea and struggled at Arsenal. A swing at a redemption arc in the Netherlands at Feyenoord hasn’t worked out either. This summer, the 2019 FWA Footballer of the Year was charged with dangerous driving after crashing his car in England.

10. Anthony Martial

Age: 30
Last Club: Monterrey

Martial hit the ground running as a Manchester United wonderkid back in 2015, but subsequently failed to match the pace of his early form.

Since departing United in 2024, he’s seen the world with AEK Athens and Monterrey. His age suggests there may still be time for a final act, though he has not scored more than ten goals in a season since 2020.

9. Oleksandr Zinchenko

Arsenal — Zinchenko has played under Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta. | Pakawich Damrongkiattisak/Getty Images

Age: 29
Last Club: Ajax

A four-time Premier League winner, Zinchenko finds himself sans club after being released by Ajax.

The Ukraine international only joined the Dutch giants in February on a short-term deal but hampered his chances of a longer stay after suffering a serious knee injury on his first start.

8. Jadon Sancho

Age: 26
Last Club: Aston Villa

The youngest player on the list by some distance, Sancho was once seen as the prospect of English soccer. Those days are long gone, but there is still a player in there somewhere.

The winger started in the Champions League final as recently 2024 and has featured (albeit sporadically) for Chelsea and Villa in the last two seasons as he attempts to get back on track after a nightmare Manchester United spell.

7. Paul Pogba

Age: 33
Last Club: Monaco

Another player who seemingly never recovered from his time at Old Trafford, Pogba became a shadow of the dominant midfielder who bossed his way to World Cup glory long before his failed drugs test in 2023.

Last seen (fleetingly) at Monaco in 2025–26, persistent fitness issues have hampered his attempted comeback.

6. Philippe Coutinho

Age: 33
Last Club: Vasco da Gama

Once so good, Barcelona forked over £142million ($191 million) for his signature, Coutinho re-joined his boyhood club club Vaco da Gama in 2024, only to leave abruptly in February of this year.

The former Liverpool star, who had been booed by his own fans, explained on social media that he had decided to “prioritize [his] mental health.”

5. Jamie Vardy

Age: 39
Last Club: Cremonese

The Red Bull-guzzling poacher is keeping the party going—even if it’s in the slightly-awkward after stage now.

Vardy couldn’t prevent Cremonese from relegation in 2025–26 on his Italian sojourn, despite a respectable total of seven goals and a Serie A Player of the Month award in November.

4. Riyad Mharez

Riyad Mahrez — Mahrez featured at this summer’s World Cup. | Michael Steele/Getty Images

Age: 35
Last Club: Al-Ahli

In 2025, the former Manchester City and Leicester City star became one of the first players ever to have won both European and Asian Champions League titles, as Al-Ahli saw off Kawasaki Frontale in the final.

Mahrez enjoyed a productive three seasons in Saudi Arabia, before having his contract—somewhat surprisingly—torn up earlier this year.

The silky winger retired from international duty with Algeria this summer after captaining his side to the knockout rounds, scoring twice and registering an assist in four matches.

3. Dani Carvajal

Age: 34
Last Club: Real Madrid

A player so synonymous with Madrid, it’s hard to imagine him anywhere else.

Indeed, the six-time Champions League-winning right back has previously stated his intention to not turn out for another European club, somewhat limiting his options.

2. Raphaël Guerreiro

Age: 32
Last Club: Bayern Munich

A Swiss army knife of a player, Guerreiro has operated in a range of positions across the defense and midfield for Bayern Munich, Dortmund and his national side, Portugal, over the last decade.

He scored an impressive five times and assisted three, despite making just eight starts for Bundesliga dominators Bayern last season.

1. Karim Benzema

Age: 38
Last Club: Al-Hilal

The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner may not have an awful lot left in the tank at the grand old age of 38, but the allure of even a few moments of pitch time with Benzema will be a siren song to many clubs around the world.

The Real Madrid great is newly on the market after his contract at Al-Hilal was terminated by mutual consent at the end of August.

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