This summer could see a bumper crop of free agents on the market, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, Heung-min Son and Kevin De Bruyne among a host of big names in the final year of their respective contracts.
However, it’s not just the players who are facing uncertain futures, as one of the nation’s leading broadcasters is also into the final months of his current deal.
Gary Lineker has been the face of the BBC’s football coverage and presenter of Match of the Day for 25 years, with the 63-year-old the lead presenter during the corporation’s coverage of Euro 2024 this summer.
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But there has been speculation over his future in recent months, given that Lineker is now in the final year of his £1.35million-per-year contract with the BBC. As things stand, therefore, this is set to be his final year in the role.
This comes after the BBC revealed that Lineker will not present the broadcaster’s new Champions League highlights show that begins this week, despite Lineker having previously fronted BT Sport’s coverage of the competition.
Lineker has been the subject of a number of controversies in recent months, having been briefly suspended by the BBC for taking aim at the then-Conservative government's use of language around asylum policy on social media in 2023. His criticism of England’s Euro 2024 group stage performances that he made on his The Rest if Football podcast were also picked up on and were addressed by Three Lions skipper Harry Kane during the tournament.
Lineker last month discussed his future during the celebrations for Match of The Day’s 60th anniversary when he was asked how long he will continue for on BBC Breakfast.
"I don't... I don't know! Depends how long they want me, I suppose. I love doing it at the moment; I've still got another year left, at least.
“We'll have to wait and see what happens. Obviously it's another change in football and television and the rights of the Premier League and stuff like that.
"All of these things will play a part. But I just feel it's been an absolute privilege to have presented it for 25 years now. I must be getting old!”
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