The best free agents clubs can sign in the summer of 2024
The summer of 2024 is shaping up to become one of the most important in the European football calendar as several players prepare to leave their clubs as free agents.
Arguably the biggest transfer news we all expect when the term ends is Kylian Mbappe moving to Real Madrid, where he will join the world-class players at the Spanish club.
What is even more interesting about the move is that Los Blancos will sign him as a free agent at the end of this term.
The Spanish side has followed him for a long time and they are the dream club of every top footballer in the world, so Mbappe wants to wear their famous white shirt.
He is the most high-profile free agent who is technically still available to sign even though Real Madrid tickets for next season are expected to sell fast because of his arrival.
In this article, we discuss the Frenchman and other top players who are available as free agents at the end of this season.
Kylian Mbappe, PSG, 25
Because Mbappe insists he has not signed for any club yet, he is technically still available on the market as a free agent.
He opted out of extending his contract at PSG and will leave the French club at the end of this season.
Mbappe has been linked with a move to clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal because he loves the Premier League, and at least one of them could try their luck to add him to their group.
However, we all expect him to dazzle the Real Madrid fans from the beginning of the next campaign.
Predicted next club: Real Madrid
Piotr Zielinski, Napoli, 29
Zielinski is one of the unsung heroes of the Napoli team that won Serie A last season and the Pole is set to leave the club.
It has been a disastrous title defence for them this season, and some of us predicted it after Luciano Spalletti left them following their Serie A title win.
Victor Osimhen is expected to leave them in the summer, and he seems to be the only key Napoli star who will exit the Maradona Stadium, partly because the Nigerian will fetch them a transfer fee.
However, Zielinski is leaving as a free agent, and his departure could cost them more because he is the engine room of the current Napoli midfield.
Predicted next club: Inter Milan
Mario Hermoso, Atletico Madrid, 28
Hermoso has been a mainstay in Diego Simeone’s team since he joined them in 2019, and they are eager to keep him.
The 28-year-old is adept at playing as a left-back or a left centre-back and does well in either role for his present employers.
There have been talks between his entourage and Atletico Madrid over an extension, but the defender is more likely to leave them as a free agent.
There is currently a tussle between AC Milan and Juventus for his signature, suggesting his next competition could be Serie A.
Predicted next club: Juventus or AC Milan
Adrien Rabiot, Juventus, 29
Last summer, Juventus faced losing Rabiot as a free agent and did all they could to keep him on a longer contract.
However, the Frenchman insisted on leaving before forcing the Old Lady to offer him a one-year extension.
This was not what the club wanted, but they bowed to his demands because he is a player they desperately wanted to keep.
The midfielder is now set to become a free agent again at the end of this campaign and it seems Rabiot wants out, even though Juventus tickets holders love him.
He has been reluctant to discuss a new deal with the Bianconeri, with just a few months left in his deal and has been linked with a move to Barcelona and Bayern Munich, alongside Newcastle United.
Predicted next club: Barcelona
Llyod Kelly, Bournemouth, 25
Kelly was surprisingly linked with a move to Juventus in the first half of this season, which was the first time most people knew he would be a free agent in the summer.
He is running down his at the Premier League club and remains one of the best players in his position in England.
At 25, he can still deliver consistently good performances for a big European club, so we expect him to even move out of the Premier League in the summer.
Predicted next club: AC Milan
Wilfred Ndidi, Leicester City, 27
Ndidi was expected to leave Leicester City when they suffered relegation from the Premier League last season, but surprisingly, no club signed the Nigerian.
He remains a key player for the Foxes who are expected to win promotion back to the English top-flight immediately.
The midfielder has been targeted by Manchester United and Arsenal during his career, but he is now likely to move to a team like Barcelona at the end of this term.
The Catalans do not have much money, and Ndidi could be a superb free signing for them at the end of this term.
Predicted next club: Barcelona
Jorginho, Arsenal, 32
Jorginho has been the protagonist of many successes for the clubs he has played for and his country.
The Brazilian-Italian was the brain of Maurizio Sarri’s exciting Napoli team and moved to Chelsea, where he won the Europa League and Champions League.
He also won Euro 2020 with the Italy national team, and the midfielder is now leading Arsenal towards winning the Premier League this season.
The Gunners hold an option to extend his contract by one more season, but they still haven’t extended it.
This leaves room for other clubs to negotiate with him over a free transfer, and he is likely to move back to Italy.
His main suitor now is Juventus, but most top Italian clubs will move for Jorginho if it becomes clear Arsenal will not retain him.
Predicted next club: Juventus
Toni Kroos, Real Madrid, 34
Kroos has now spent ten years on the books of Real Madrid and the German midfield maestro remains one of the best in the world.
Kroos is a likable character who loves to let his football do the talking and is approaching the end of his contract at Real Madrid.
The midfielder is a dream signing for teams like Juventus, Manchester City and Arsenal, but we expect him to stay in Madrid.
Los Blancos has signed many fine young midfielders, but they still consider Kroos too important to their success and will keep him for another term.
Predicted next club: Real Madrid
Mehdi Taremi, FC Porto, 31
Inter Milan came very close to signing this Iranian late bloomer in the summer, but their move for him fell through.
It was a blow for the veteran striker who knew it could be his last chance to play for a top European team.
Despite being 31, Taremi remains one of the most accomplished strikers in European football, and as a free agent, he will not struggle to find a new club to join.
Inter remains favourites to sign him, with the Italian champions-elect expected to return for his signature as a free agent and offer him a short-term deal.
Predicted next club: Inter Milan
Felipe Anderson, Lazio, 30
Anderson is running down his contract in Lazio, but we expect him to get a new home at the end of the season.
The Brazilian looks a different player from the one that flopped at West Ham and has been transformed this term.
Most players’ performances decline when they clock 30, but Anderson is getting better and deserves to play for a bigger club next term.
Juventus and Inter Milan are working on a deal to sign him and we expect the Old Lady to win this battle.
Predicted next club: Juventus
Conclusion
There are so many other top players who will be available for free transfer this summer, but these are the players who deserve to play for some of the top clubs in Europe.
