10 superstars out of contract in 2025: Vital Liverpool trio, Man City legend and Ballon d’Or winner

The most seismic transfer in the summer of 2024 was a free-agent move, when Kylian Mbappe joined Real Madrid – and further high-profile Bosman moves could be made in 2025.

Mbappe’s move could be the beginning of a trend, too, with players taking greater autonomy over their futures by allowing their contracts to wind down and investigating their options as free agents.

Looking ahead to the summer of 2025, there are a number of star players whose dwindling deals could see them become available for no transfer fee.

Here are 10 big-name players on course to be free agents in 2025.

Mohamed Salah

Already enshrined as one of the greatest forwards of the Premier League era and an Anfield icon, Salah is showing no signs of slowing down at age 31, ranking seventh for goals and joint-third for assists in the Premier League last season.

With Salah still in his prime, it will worry Liverpool fans that the Egyptian’s future is only tied to Merseyside for another 12 months.

Should Salah decide to depart Anfield, the Saudi Pro League will be one viable destination.

The Reds superstar was the subject of a £150 million bid from Saudi side Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023.

Kevin De Bruyne

Salah is not the only Premier League all-time great receiving serious Saudi interest.

De Bruyne also has just a year remaining on his Manchester City contract and, as TEAMtalk exclusively reported back in November, the brilliant Belgian is wanted by Al Nassr, where he could link up with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Al Nassr are persevering with their interest in the classy playmaker, who is now 33 years old.

Lionel Messi

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will be 38 by the time his contract with Inter Miami expires at the end of the 2025 MLS season.

By that stage, the World Cup winner will likely be contemplating calling time on arguably the most glorious career the game has ever seen and walking off into the Floridian sunset.

But should Messi decide to continue playing and seek one final swansong in Europe or elsewhere, there will be no shortage of takers.

Virgil van Dijk

After initially failing to rule out an imminent Liverpool exit for himself in the wake of Jurgen Klopp’s shock announcement that he would leave the club in 2024, Van Dijk has since affirmed his commitment to the 19-time champions.

“To be 100% clear, I’m fully committed to the club,” he said. “I love the club, I love the fans, it is fully taken out of context.

“It’s not about me, it’s not about I, it’s about us and nothing has changed.”

Those words will have been reassuring to Liverpool fans. But the fact the totemic Dutchman’s contract has entered its final 12 months worrisome.

Neymar

When Neymar moved to Al Hilal in 2023, the Brazilian icon signed an eye-watering deal that was to net him £274 million.

That contract only secured the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain superstar to the Saudi Pro League side for two years, though, meaning he will be free to return to Europe, should he choose, in the summer of 2025, by which time he’ll be 33.

Thus far, Neymar has offered scant return on investment for Al Hilal, with just five appearances and one goal before suffering a serious injury.

Leroy Sane

Former Manchester City winger Sane has formed a profitable partnership with Harry Kane since the Englishman’s arrival at Bayern Munich, but it could be a short-lived one.

The 28-year-old German speedster is out of contract at the end of the season and is being linked with a switch back to the Premier League.

Sane has been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City, amid reports that Bayern would reduce his salary if he was to sign a new deal.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Yet another Liverpool player whose long-term Anfield future is yet to be secured, Alexander-Arnold reportedly agreed terms on a new deal some time ago, but no fresh contract has yet been inked.

It had seemed a formality that the Reds would tie down their 25-year-old vice-captain sooner rather than later, but links with a move to Real Madrid in 2025 just aren’t going away.

The longer the situation remains unresolved, the higher anxiety surrounding the future of one of the club’s cornerstones will rise.

Joshua Kimmich

He only turned 29 in February but already Kimmich has been central to eight Bundesliga title triumphs with Bayern Munich. It is something of a surprise, then, that the former RB Leipzig midfielder’s future at the club is in doubt.

With his contract expiring in less than a year, an Allianz Arena exit for the versatile Germany star appears increasingly likely. Talks over a new deal reportedly began in August, without any agreement yet being reached.

Alphonso Davies

Another Bayern star whose deal at the Allianz Arena is set to expire in the summer of 2025, Canadian flyer Davies is one of the most dynamic full-backs in the game.

TEAMtalk revealed back in December 2023 that talks between Davies and the German champions over a new deal had stalled.

Still only 23 years old and already vastly experienced at the highest levels, there will be no shortage of suitors should he hit the free-agency market, but Real Madrid are growing in confidence that they will repeat their Mbappe trick and end up signing him.

Jonathan David

Having risen to stardom with Lille, David could be due the next challenge of his career next season.

The Canadian striker has scored almost 100 goals for his current club and, turning 25 in January, may still have his best years ahead of him.

Premier League clubs like Newcastle, Arsenal and Tottenham are understood to have looked at David, but he has left the door ajar to a European move as well, having spoken of the merits of moving to various leagues.

“I’m open to anything,” David said in September. “I think obviously the Premier League is regarded as one of the best leagues in the world. It’s not the Premier League or bust. I’m open to anything and every league has its challenges.”

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