The 20 best footballers out of contract in July 2023 and available as free transfers

There are some brilliant footballers available on free transfers who are out of contract in the summer of 2023, though clubs have options on some of these players.

We have ranked by ‘value’ according to Transfermarkt but that’s just a guide.

1) Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan)
The Slovakian almost left for PSG on deadline day after Inter Milan reportedly accepted their offer but in the end, Skriniar will have to make do with joining in the summer on a free transfer.

2) Lionel Messi (PSG)
Back to Barcelona? Even if they cripple themselves by selling half their squad and pulling yet another financial lever. It’s utterly ludicrous but they are a ludicrous football club.

3) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
He is expected to stay for at least another season as Real Madrid’s spearhead. Even at 35 he is keeping pace with everybody but Erling Haaland in 2023.

4) Marcus Thuram (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Manchester United, Barcelona and Inter Milan are among the many, many clubs linked with the French striker.

5) Evan Ndicka (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United are the latest clubs to be strongly linked with the 23-year-old Frenchman, though they will face some serious competition from Roma and beyond.

6) Adrien Rabiot (Juventus)
Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool have all been strongly linked with the Frenchman having something of a resurgence this season. “There’s a chance I leave, but I could also sign a new contract with Juventus,” he says.

7) Youri Tielemans (Leicester City)
Definitely one of the better players among the really sh*t sides at the bottom of the Premier League, but will that earn him a move to a better side in the Premier League? Or Roma?

8) Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt)
There is talk of a verbal agreement with Borussia Dortmund but there is also talk of Chelsea, Roma and Manchester United interest.

9) Konrad Laimer (RB Leipzig)
Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich have all been linked with the Austrian central midfielder who is considered something of a pressing machine. Of course he will join Bayern.

10) Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
Zaha wants a crack at the Champions League whether that’s in England or abroad and might well get that crack at Tottenham or Arsenal. On a free transfer, he is surely a no-brainer as a squad option.

11) Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City)
Manchester City have opened talks about a new contract, presumably having realised that Kalvin Phillips is in no fit state to replace him. But he is reportedly talking to Barcelona.

12) Alex Grimaldo (Benfica)
Real Madrid are said to be interested in the Spaniard who came through the Barcelona system but Newcastle are of course sniffing around for an upgrade on Dan Burn.

13) Marco Asensio (Real Madrid)
Had looked almost certain to leave the club this summer but he has started four straight La Liga games (scoring three goals) and that is a pretty compelling argument to stay.

14) Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)
After eight years at Anfield, Firmino will ‘leave’ the club when his contract is up this summer. Barcelona and Inter Milan are among the clubs reportedly interested.

15) Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund)
The Portuguese international is Dortmund’s starting left-back but they have decided not to renew. There have been links to both Newcastle and Tottenham.

16) N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)
Injury problems have dogged him over the last three seasons and then kept him out of the World Cup. He is still best in the business when fit, but is he fit often enough to merit a new deal at Chelsea or elsewhere? Barcelona have been inevitably linked.

17) Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Another full-back but this one is probably bound for Borussia Dortmund in the summer.

18) Jonathan Bamba (Lille)
Five years after joining on a free transfer, the winger could be on the move again.

19) Inigo Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)
Martinez has a verbal agreement to join Barcelona after five-and-a-half years in Bilbao.

20) Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
On the verge of signing a new contract extension until 2024 at the age of 33.

READ NEXT: The 10 highest paid players in the Premier League, with Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool stars raking it in