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Sam Tighe
May 23, 2025, 04:00 AM ET
The list of high-profile players whose contracts expire in 2025 is pretty impressive and there are some big names whose futures are not yet resolved.
Some are working on deals to find a new club behind the scenes, while others have agreed their next move before they have even finished playing for their current team.
Here's a rundown of the most coveted players who are still available for nothing this year, not including those who have a club option to extend their deal through the end of the 2025-26 season.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, 26, RB, Liverpool
Alexander-Arnold has announced he will leave his boyhood club Liverpool this summer. There's been no official confirmation on where he'll go, but it's effectively an open secret that his next destination is Real Madrid. The only remaining question is whether he'll be able to join them in June (for the start of the Club World Cup) or July (for the knockout rounds).
Jonathan David, 25, FW, Lille
David has also confirmed his prolific chapter at Lille will come to a close, and he'll be one of the hottest free agent properties on the market. Internazionale, Juventus and Aston Villa are all reported to be interested, but the queue will be much longer than those three clubs.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, FW, Al Nassr
Ronaldo's record-breaking contract with Al Nassr is set to expire this summer. Fellow Saudi outfit Al Hilal, who are competing in the Club World Cup, have discussed making him an offer, while reports suggest Brazilian club Botafogo are also interested. He has plenty to ponder, though not many clubs will be able to afford his wages.
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Lionel Messi, 37, FW, Inter Miami CF
Messi's contract with Inter Miami expires at the end of 2025, although talks are underway to extend that by at least a year. The club has been built around him so he has every reason to stay, but until the ink dries on that paper ... you never know.
Leroy Sané, 29, FW, Bayern Munich
Sané looked set to sign fresh terms at Bayern Munich, but following a change in agent, talks have seemingly come to a standstill. There's now a genuine chance the former Manchester City winger departs the Bavarian giants this summer, with Arsenal and Liverpool lurking.
Jonathan Tah, 29, CB, Bayer Leverkusen
Perhaps Bayern will lose Sané, but they'll almost certainly gain Tah. The giant center-back came close to joining them last summer only for the move to fall through; this time, on a free transfer, there's nothing to stop him moving to the champions.
Angel Gomes, 24, CM, Lille
A former Manchester United academy graduate, Gomes followed the trail blazed by Jadon Sancho and Co., moving away from the glare of the Premier League in 2020 in order to blossom. He's been brilliant at Lille -- so good, in fact, that he earned his first England caps in 2024 -- and he's now free to pick from a whole host of clubs (including Man United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United) vying for his services.
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Kevin De Bruyne, 33, AM, Manchester City
De Bruyne's farewell at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night was a real tearjerker, and the truth is we don't know what his next step will be. MLS side Chicago Fire FC (after Inter Miami gave up his discovery rights) and clubs from Saudi Arabia are interested, as are Italian giants Napoli, but it's a big decision for the Belgium international to stew over and he's already virtually ruled out playing at the Club World Cup for City.
Ola Aina, 28, RB, Nottingham Forest
Aina is a bit of a late bloomer, taking a long time to find his rhythm at senior level after impressing greatly as a Chelsea academy graduate. With only a handful of first-team appearances for the Blues, he left for Torino in 2019 and Forest swooped to land him on a free transfer in 2023. A free agent once more, he must use the ups and downs of his career to carefully inform his next move as, seemingly, only coaches who trust him as a true wing-back get the best from him.
Tyrick Mitchell, 25, LB, Crystal Palace
Mitchell described winning the FA Cup with Crystal Palace last weekend as the best day of his life. Will he opt to go out on a high and sign elsewhere in the Premier League, or will that success lure him back for a longer stay? Atlético Madrid, AC Milan, Man City and Tottenham are all reportedly monitoring him.
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Thomas Partey, CM, Arsenal
Partey has been a mainstay in the Arsenal team under Mikel Arteta, so it's little surprise they've engaged in talks to extend his contract and keep him around. He's reportedly a very high earner, though, so at 31 years old some concessions will need to be made. In addition, Martín Zubimendi's summer arrival could impact his position, with Barcelona a possible destination if he does leave.
Sergio Reguilón, 28, LB, Tottenham
Reguilón's haunted time at Tottenham finally comes to a close -- after loan spells at Atlético, Man United and Brentford -- allowing the 28-year-old left-back to start afresh elsewhere. Perhaps a return to LaLiga is just what he needs, so it's good news that Sevilla and Real Sociedad have already been linked.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, 28, ST, Everton
Calvert-Lewin's time at Everton might well be up, as his contract is expiring and he has struggled to stay fit during the final stages of the season, robbing him of the chance to impress David Moyes and fight for an extension. The striker has 71 goals in 272 games for Everton and will be of interest to many clubs -- with Man United and Chelsea once linked with him -- but his injury record will always be a concern.
Marco Verratti, 32, CM, Al-Arabi
Verratti has purchased a 40% share in Serie B club Pescara, the club he came through the ranks at back in 2008, with a view to helping them back to Italy's top tier. The former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder's immediate future as a player is unclear, though he is expected to return to Europe after two years in Qatar. Perhaps he'll be a player-owner?
Roony Bardghji, 19, FW, F.C. København
Bardghji's contract runs out in December, which isn't uncommon in the Scandinavian leagues as they work to a calendar-year season like MLS. He's had to work his way back from a severe knee injury which curtailed his anticipated track to stardom, and there's currently very few clues as to what happens next for him. But if he can reclaim his fitness and form, all of Europe's elite will be interested.
