3 weeks ago
30
Top 10 ranked
©IMAGO
The January transfer window is just around the corner and with it often comes some of the biggest and most outrageous transfer deals, as underperforming clubs turn to the transfer window to throw money at their problems. However, while the rumour mill spins into gear with tales of huge sums of money swapping hands across Europe’s top clubs for coveted stars, January also offers an opportunity for players with expiring contracts to consider their options and begin discussing moves to other clubs. So which top players are currently set to depart at the end of this season when their current contracts expire? Let’s take a look.
Quinten Timber - Feyenoord
The tenth most valuable player in the world with an expiring contract in 2026 is none other than Feyenoord central midfielder Quinten Timber. Despite being a regular starter and key player for the Eredivisie side, Timber has consistently attracted interest from outside of the Netherlands for the past few years. In 2025 alone he has been linked with moves to Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli and Borussia Dortmund and could perhaps even be tempted to make the move to the Premier League like his brother Jurriën at Arsenal.
Vitaliy Mykolenko - Everton
Next on our list is Everton full-back Vitaliy Mykolenko. The Ukrainian international became Everton’s fifth most expensive defender of all time when he made the move to England in 2021 for €23.5m and at 26 years of age there’s still plenty of time for Mykolenko to get even better. The left-back has started 81% of Everton’s games in the Premier League this season and clearly has an admirer in manager David Moyes, so the Merseyside club will surely be keen on getting their Ukrainian star tied down to a new contract rather than risk losing an important player in a position that the club have few alternatives to pick from.
Rúben Neves - Al-Hilal
Rúben Neves became the fourth most expensive signing in Saudi Pro League history when he swapped Wolves for Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023. However, despite being a regular starter and winning no less than four trophies in two seasons in the Middle East, the Portuguese defensive midfielder’s contract is set to expire in 2026. Reports earlier this year linked Never with a move to Atlético Madrid and even a return to his native Portugal to play for Porto, but it remains to be seen whether the 28-year-old talent will return to European football or sign another contract to stay put at Al-Hilal.
Julian Brandt - Borussia Dortmund
Next on our list is a player that has spent much of his career being linked with a move to the Premier League but has until now resisted the urge. Julian Brandt remains an important player at Borussia Dortmund but has perhaps fallen down a run or two in Niko Kovac’s list of priorities, as the Bundesliga club try to rebuild their squad with a look towards the future. That could present an opportunity for Brandt to start a new chapter in his career, whether within German football or perhaps with a long-awaited move to the English top-flight.
Mike Maignan - AC Milan
Mike Maignan’s stock has certainly fallen in the last few years - with the French shot-stopper’s market value falling from a career high of €45m in 2023 to where it now sits at €25m - but that doesn’t mean he won’t have plenty of potential suitors interested in his signature in January or next summer. This year alone has seen Maignan get heavily linked with moves to Aston Villa and Chelsea, alongside AC Milan’s obvious attempts to sign the keeper up to a new contract, which means January should be a busy period for the 30-year-old shot stopper.
Bernardo Silva - Manchester City
One big Premier League name that could be on the move in 2026 is Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese talent was heavily linked with moves to a host of clubs, including Barcelona, Benfica and Al-Hilal, but opted to stay put in the Premier League. To his credit, the 31-year-old talent has remained an important player for Man City, starting 75% of his team’s games in the league this season. However, it remains to be seen whether Silva’s age and diminishing form would warrant a new contract or whether the player may be tempted to finally close the book on his time in England.
Dušan Vlahović - Juventus
It has certainly been a start to the season to forget for Dušan Vlahović. After scoring just six goals in 17 games for Juventus in all competitions, the Serbian No.9 then suffered an abductor injury in late November that looks set to rule him out until the start of 2026. While off injured, the 25-year-old talent will surely be considering his options, as his contract at Juventus runs into its final six months. Few would doubt that Vlahović has struggled to live up to the hype in Turin and with a reported move to AC Milan lurking in the wings, the striker may look to draw a line under his time with Juventus and try something new in 2026.
Ibrahima Konaté - Liverpool
Liverpool will have all sorts of problems to fix in the January transfer window and Ibrahima Konaté may be the biggest of the lot. Arne Slot’s top-heavy side desperately need some defensive reinforcements, but before they can sign new central defenders they need to know whether Konaté is staying put or intent on departing the club in 2026. The French defender was heavily linked with moves to Real Madrid in 2025, but poor performances have seen those reports go suspiciously quiet. It remains to be seen whether Konaté or Liverpool are fully intent on continuing their partnership after this season.
Marc Guéhi - Crystal Palace
Perhaps the biggest transfer story ahead of the January transfer window revolves around Marc Guéhi’s future at Crystal Palace. After turning down an offer from Liverpool for the player in the summer, reports have suggested that Bayern Munich and Barcelona have now joined the list of potential suitors. It seems almost certain that the defender won’t sign a contract extension with Palace, so a sale in January may be the best-case scenario for all parties involved.
Dayot Upamecano - Bayern Munich
Last but certainly not least on the list of most valuable players that have expiring contracts is none other than Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano. The French central midfielder is a crucial player in Vincent Kompany’s squad for the Bundesliga giants this season and there’s little doubt that Bayern want the central defender to stay beyond the end of this season, but attention from Real Madrid or big clubs in England may entice Upamecano to swap Munich for a new challenge elsewhere in 2026.
