The 2025/26 season is accelerating towards its end, and when the campaign finally comes to a close, many of the most famous players on the planet will be free to join new teams after their contracts expire.
Last summer, free agency headlines were dominated by Canadian striker Jonathan David. The speedy hitman scored over 100 goals in five seasons in France, making him a hot topic at his former club Lille, and helped fellow club powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain win Ligue 1 in 2021.
So which names will dominate the headlines this summer? Well, a number of big names have all confirmed they will be leaving their current clubs when their contracts expire on June 30th. Bernardo Silva will end his Manchester City career after nine trophy-winning years with the club. Leon Goretzka will also be leaving Bayern Munich after eight years and more than 300 appearances. So where are they likely to go this summer and what other names could be on the move? Let’s take a look.
Ibrahima Konate
Liverpool were once again embroiled in a free agency nightmare last season when boyhood Red Trent forward Alexander-Arnold rejected a new contract and ended up joining Real Madrid, angering Anfield fans. Centre-back Ibrahima Konate looks set to leave the club on a free transfer this summer. The former RB Leipzig defender has yet to make a statement about his future, with current manager Arne Slott still hopeful the Frenchman will remain on Merseyside. However, Real Madrid are once again in crisis.
Los Blancos have been rumored to be interested in Konate for much of the season, but the 26-year-old’s poor form this term doesn’t seem to have deterred them. The Spanish giants are no strangers to blockbuster free transfers, having signed the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba for free in recent seasons. Liverpool’s centre-back could be next on the shortlist, but first the France international has the small issue of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to deal with. Online betting sites have made Konate and Les Bleus the real contenders to leave MetLife Stadium with the famous gold trophy on July 19th. Ozune Sportsbook’s latest odds put them as 11/2 favorites to win the world championship, with Konate likely to be vital to the team’s success as he forms the heart of Didier Deschamps’ defense alongside Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano. But it remains to be seen whether his future will be decided before the tournament begins on June 11.
Bernardo Silva
Another man heading to the World Cup this summer is Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva, but we already know he won’t be returning to the Etihad Stadium when the tournament ends. The Portugal international confirmed in April that he would not renew his contract with the Blues after June 30 and is now aiming to break free after winning his seventh Premier League title in nine years.
Barcelona had long entertained the idea of signing Bernardo. The Blaugrana have pursued the former Monaco player on at least three occasions in the past, coming closest to signing him in the summer of 2022 before manager Josep Guardiola insisted the attacking midfielder would remain at the Etihad. However, with the Portuguese engineer free to leave this summer, Catalonia are seen as the most likely destination, although Juventus and Galatasaray are also thought to be interested.
Dusan Vlahovic
Dusan Vlahovic was supposed to be the answer to Juventus’ glaring problem. The Bianconeri spent around 70 million euros to sign him from fellow Italian side Fiorentina on his 22nd birthday in January 2022, and high expectations were placed on the Serbian hitman. Unfortunately, he was unable to meet them. The former Partizan Belgrade youngster failed to reach the 20-goal mark in any of his five seasons in Turin, and has scored just eight goals this season, his lowest total in his entire tenure at the Allianz Stadium.
His current contract expires on June 30th, but like Konate and Liverpool, no parting ways have been finalized yet. In fact, it is widely expected that he will actually sign a new contract with reduced terms to remain at Juventus, but if the two sides cannot reach an agreement, both Barcelona and Chelsea are likely to make a move.
leon goretzka
Leon Goretzka became the world’s hottest central midfielder eight years ago when he announced that he would not renew his contract with Schalke. Fast forward to 2026 and the German international is ready to make a splash again. The 31-year-old confirmed in January that he would be leaving Bayern at the end of the season, and some of Europe’s biggest names are now in line to sign one of the most experienced midfielders in the modern game.
Arsenal, who currently lead the Premier League, appear to be at the forefront of adding Goretzka to their midfield, which already includes the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Zvimendi and Mikel Merino. Inter Milan are also believed to be in the hunt.
