More and more footballers are taking their destiny into their own hands, and 2025 could well see things reach a whole new level.

Top-tier players such as Kylian Mbappe and David Alaba have prioritized moving on their own terms when their contracts expire, leaving major clubs at a financial loss.

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With the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations, along with LaLiga’s spending cap, even the most affluent clubs are tightening their budgets, prompting reactions from players.

Mbappe’s summer transfer to Real Madrid resulted in Paris Saint-Germain missing out on a transfer fee that could have exceeded £200 million, and it seems likely that other club executives might soon find themselves in a similar situation as the Parisians.

Liverpool in particular have three gigantic names whose contracts are expiring next summer, and they’re not the only ones.

With all that considered, the 2025 free agent market may be one of the most incredible yet, and the following XI of superstars yet to sign is worth a eye-watering value of £385m, as per transfermarkt.

Manuel Neuer £3m

By far the lowest valuation on the list, Neuer may well be the most legendary player among the field given he’s won it all with Bayern Munich and Germany. 

His 2014 vintage was arguably the best goalkeeping football has ever seen, and even at 38 he’s still capable of games where he makes point-blank saves and one-vs-one stops that will blow your mind.

Far more valuable to Bayern than the £3m tag, the Bavarians do have Alexander Nubel at Stuttgart waiting to step up, meaning someone could get one of the game’s all-time greats for nothing.

Trent Alexander-Arnold £58m

From the lowest valuation on this list to the highest, £58m does seem like a bargain for Alexander-Arnold, so Liverpool letting him leave for free would be pure insanity.

Somehow, though, the Reds have got themselves in a situation where the revolutionary fullback could well depart for nothing. Real Madrid are said to be interested, and given their success with signing Mbappe for nothing, Liverpool may have already left things too late.

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Virgil van Dijk £25m

If losing Alexander-Arnold wouldn’t be bad enough for the future, losing captain Van Dijk would be catastrophic for the here and now.

Signed from Southampton in 2018 for £75m, the Netherlands captain has proved to be one of the best value big buys in football history, but his next club could get an even bigger bargain.

Jonathan Tah £25m

Of all the players on this list, Tah looks the most certain to hold out for a free transfer.

Coming off a career-best season where he won the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, the German centre-back was desperate to join Bayern Munich in the summer but Xabi Alonso and Co wouldn’t allow it.

If Bayern don’t come back for a free Tah, there will certainly be other sides vying for a player who’s now considered one of the best in his position. Barcelona and Manchester United are both heavily-linked.

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Alphonso Davies £41m

Bayern’s need for Tah could be reinforced by what’s about to happen elsewhere in their defence.

Davies, who was long considered one of the best left backs in the world, has gone stale in Bavaria, and a departure looks best for all parties.

Madrid have again long been linked, and although Bayern seem resigned to losing him, missing out on £41m, if not more, will be hard to take.

Joshua Kimmich £41m

Back to Bayern again. The record Bundesliga champions used to be experts in stealing free agents from their rivals, just ask Robert Lewandowski and Leon Goretzka.

However, the worm may be about to turn in spectacular fashion, not just with Neuer and Davies. 

Kimmich’s time at Bayern looked over under Thomas Tuchel as he regularly used the midfield/right-back hybrid as an example of all that was wrong during their terrible 2024/25 campaign.

Scorned by the former Chelsea coach, Kimmich is back to his very best this season under Vincent Kompany, and Bayern will now be desperate to keep him, but with his pick of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester City, Kimmich’s head may already be turned.

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Angel Gomes £23m

Possibly the most Googled England player over the past few months, Gomes has gone from obscurity in his homeland to a subject of fascination after his Three Lions call up and performances under Lee Carsley.

A former Manchester United academy player, there’s every chance the London-born star will be flaunting his stuff in the Premier League next season as Lille have disastrously allowed him to run his contract down.

Kevin De Bruyne £37m

Heavily linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League last summer, Man City refused to let arguably their greatest-ever player depart.

In 2025, they may not have a choice. De Bruyne is set to become a free agent, and not only will City miss out on big money, but their decision not to sign an extension sooner could rob them of their captain and talisman.

Mohamed Salah £45m

Worryingly for Liverpool, their third free agent makes the list, and like De Bruyne, it’s another who could be off to Saudi Arabia.

Salah was subject of rumoured bids of over £200m during the SPL’s 2023 splurge, but now Liverpool could lose him for nothing. A catastrophic decision if Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold also depart.

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Heung-min Son £37m

Two summers after losing Harry Kane, Tottenham could be in more pain if they don’t get Son to re-sign.

Already a club legend and their captain, Spurs are running out of time to secure a player that would improve any team in the Premier League or on the continent.

Leroy Sane £50m

The second-highest valued player on this list and the fourth from Bayern, the Bundesliga giants may be in for a summer from hell.

Sane is arguably the least needed of their quartet of potential free agents as Michael Olise is keeping him firmly stuck on the bench, but losing out on £50m would be devastating for their chances of a rebuild elsewhere.

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