There is so much lavish spending across Europe’s top five leagues that it becomes easy to forget that some players out there don’t cost a single penny. Football free agents have always provided a useful option for teams who may have endured a serious injury crisis, or are hardened up for cash.
Current football free agents range from former world class stars to those you would most probably never have even heard of. The list of football free agents is typically very varied and the smaller clubs around Europe usually benefit from acquiring their services so here at SportsLens, we take a look at what free agents in football are, and the ten best free agents in football right now.
What Are Free Agents In Football?
A free agent in football is a player who is unattached from any professional club or league. There are those whose contract has expired and not been renewed by the club where they were employed at, and no other interested parties have decided to sign them. Yet.
In professional football, its common to see the term ‘released’ being associated with a player whose contract has ‘run down’ and/or expired and thus, they are free to talk to potential new suitors from any league in association football. Naturally, the best players in the world don’t typically get released but if they are near the end of their careers, it can be fairly common. Lionel Messi is a solid example.
As earlier mentioned, the list of football free agents can be quite diverse and contain players who can play anywhere on the pitch and their is no limit to a football free agent’s age. Some youngsters who haven’t quite done enough at their previous club may look to re-start their careers at a lower level or change country completely. Some older players may have decided their service at their employers has run it’s course and seek a new challenge elsewhere.
Best Current Football Free Agents
The best current football free agents can always be hotly debated amongst friends/family and on social media platforms, but it’s not a typical topic that is generally up for discussion. Football free agents won’t cost a club any money in terms of a transfer fee, as free agents in football are unattached but the main area to iron out is the contract and terms.
The best current football free agents will normally demand a sizeable weekly wage and potentially a goal bonus to be included, if it is a striker or attack-minded player. Goalkeepers on the other hand – alongside their weekly wage – will usually demand a clean sheet bonus to be worked into their contract. The same would apply for defenders who are free agents in football.
The likes of David de Gea, Jesse Lingard, Anwar El Ghazi and Helder Costa can all be considered as some of the best free agents in football. Former Arsenal forward Carlos Vela is very likely to become a football free agent soon, with his contract set to expire at the end of the MLS season. Not a bad player to pick up if he doesn’t sign new terms at Los Angeles FC.
The Ten Best Current Football Free Agents
10) Phil Jones – The former Manchester United, Blackburn and England defender is still without a club after being released by the Red Devils in 2023. He has been rumoured to be taking his coaching badges so potential suitors may have missed the boat.
9) Matty Longstaff – Released by Newcastle in 2023, Matty Longstaff is the brother of current Magpies midfielder Sean. He has most recently played on loan in League Two for Mansfield and Colchester United but does have Premier League experience in his time at St James’ Park.
8) Shkodran Mustafi – 2014 FIFA World Cup winner and former Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi is currently up for grabs. Injuries have hindered his career in recent years but still only 31, Mustafi could be well worth a punt if someone would be happy to take a chance on him.
7) Mamadou Sakho – A player with tonnes of experience, centre-back Mamadou Sakho is currently a football free agent after formerly representing the likes of PSG, Liverpool and Crystal Palace. Sakho is 33 so his best years are behind him, but still probably worth signing as a back up player.
6) Yann M’Vila – The box-to-box midfielder has been a football free agent since leaving Greek side Olympiacos in the summer of 2023, and could still likely do a decent job in European football. In 2015/16, M’vila was on loan at Sunderland in the Premier League and has represented France on 22 occasions.
5) Xeka – The Portuguese midfielder has spent the majority of his career in Ligue 1 and was last seen playing for Rennes in 2022/23. The 29-year old still has some decent years left in him and was part of the Lille side who won the title in 2021. He also scored the winner against PSG to help Lille win the Trophée des Champions.
4) Helder Costa – Leeds United and Wolves fans will be familiar with the talents of the Angolan international after he helped both sides win the EFL Championship. Costa has an abundance of experience and he enjoyed a reunion with former manager Nuno Espirito Santo at Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad in 2022.
3) Anwar El Ghazi – The 28-year old winger has played in Holland, France, Germany and England and will most likely be remembered for his time at Aston Villa. The Dutchman helped Villa return to the Premier League in 2019 and scored 26 times in total for the club.
2) Jesse Lingard – The former Manchester United midfielder, who the best UK betting sites price at 7/4 to beat Bayern Munich on matchday six in the UEFA Champions League, has been clubless since being released by Nottingham Forest in 2023. Lingard was most recently linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League but it didn’t materialise.
1) David de Gea – How the legendary Manchester United star is still without a club is quite baffling. He has been prone to errors in recent seasons but the amount of times he has saved United – literally single handedly – is uncountable. Newcastle have been tipped to swoop after Nick Pope was ruled out for four months.
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