David de Gea
The Spanish goalkeeper spent the entirety of last season without a club after leaving Manchester United at the end of his 12th year at Old Trafford. Offers were not in short supply but De Gea wanted to play at the highest level possible, meaning Saudi Arabia and Nottingham Forest did not float his boat. The 33-year-old stayed in England and carried out private training at non-league Altrincham in preparation for a return to football. De Gea has reminded everyone of his talents on Instagram and says he is “ready to rock” but is yet to sign anywhere, despite recent rumours linking him with Genoa.
Anthony Martial
Like De Gea, Martial spent a long time at United – nine years to be precise – but the French forward will not be as fondly remembered at Old Trafford. Injuries were a big problem in the latter stages of Martial’s time at United but he never truly lived up to the hype, which might explain why the 28-year-old is still awaiting his next move. Martial is young and if he can find fitness and something akin to form he would be an asset for the majority of teams in Europe. A return to Ligue 1 feels like a good option for a man with 30 caps for France.
Adrien Rabiot
Speaking of experienced Frenchmen, Rabiot is on the hunt for a new chapter after five seasons with Juventus, the midfielder’s second permanent club having started his career at Paris Saint-Germain. Rabiot was part of France’s squad at the Euros and has ambitions to find another elite European team. Semi-permanently linked with a move to Manchester United, the 29-year-old’s ability has never been questioned but his attitude is occasionally brought up as a potential concern.
Joël Matip
The defender joined Liverpool for nothing in 2016 and left for nothing eight years later, proving to be a more than astute signing for Jürgen Klopp, given Matip pretty much won the lot during his time at Anfield. The Cameroonian managed only 14 appearances last season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in December and has not played since, leaving a question mark over the 32-year-old’s fitness. There is no doubt, however, about Matip’s talents, which might explain why the German champions, Bayer Leverkusen, have expressed an interest in signing the former Schalke player.
Mats Hummels
The 35-year-old ended his second spell with Borussia Dortmund with a Champions League final appearance and is now looking for one last dance elsewhere. Hummels spent 12-and-a-half years at Dortmund across two spells, interrupted by a stint at Bayern Munich, winning five Bundesliga titles in the process. The centre-back also earned 78 caps for his country, and so is a player rich in pedigree; little wonder there is interest in him from clubs in Spain and Italy as he seeks to play for a club outside Germany for the first time in his career.
Memphis Depay
After helping the Netherlands reach the semi-finals of Euro 2024, Depay has been on holiday after leaving Atlético Madrid at the end of last season. The forward has 98 caps for his country but has been erratic at club level. Depay was rarely trusted by Diego Simeone after an indifferent spell with Barcelona, a move earned by becoming a star at Lyon to make everyone forget about his underwhelming spell at Manchester United. Aged 30 and with elite pedigree, not to mention almost 17 million Instagram followers, Depay will probably resurface in plush surroundings.
Yusuf Yazici
Another player who spent his summer playing at the Euros, potentially trying to catch the eye of some of the continent’s biggest clubs after leaving Lille at the end of last season. A Ligue 1 title was the peak of Yazici’s time in France having spent time on loan at CSKA Moscow and Trabzonspor in recent seasons. The Turkey midfielder, who is married to a former Miss Turkey, struggled recently to hold down a regular starter spot at Lille.
Iker Muniain
A bona fide Athletic Bilbao legend who achieved his lifelong dream of winning a major trophy with the club when he lifted last season’s Copa del Rey. Although he was club captain, Muniain was not a regular starter in his final season at the San Mamés, hence the decision to walk away. The 31-year-old has only ever known Athletic, having made his debut there aged 16, breaking plenty of the club’s records along the way. Knee problems have been an issue, taking away a little of the forward’s dynamism, but his experience more than makes up for that.
Mario Hermoso
A La Liga title winner with Atlético Madrid in 2020, Hermoso had cost €25m to sign from Espanyol the previous year and was a regular for five seasons in the Spanish capital. There are few left-footed centre-backs with the 29-year-old’s track record and quality available in the market, regardless of cost, and Hermoso appears to be biding his time as Italian, Saudi and English clubs circle to see if they can attract his interest in the coming weeks.
Guido Rodríguez
A reigning world and Copa América champion with Argentina who looked set to move from Real Betis to Barcelona, only for the transfer to fall through. Rodríguez is not a flashy midfielder but is intelligent and has been recognised for some time as being one of the best No 6s in La Liga. The 30-year-old has been spun through the rumour mill more than most and could surface in Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Italy or even Southampton, depending on who you believe.
