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Edinson Cavani

10 high-profile players who will be available to sign for free this summer

Some of the following players’ contracts may be temporarily extended until the end of the 2019/20 season, but it looks increasingly likely that all 10 will be available on free transfers this summer…

Willian (Chelsea)

Willian was initially keen to put pen to paper on a new deal at Chelsea, but only if they offered him a longer contract than the club were prepared to. Their failure to come to an agreement means the Brazilian’s seven-year stay will almost certainly come to an end whenever the Premier League campaign is completed.

Willian has already said that he is open to remaining in English football, with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur both having been linked with the winger. Given his relationship with Jose Mourinho, Spurs looks like the most likely destination.

Edinson Cavani (PSG)

Having been forced to play second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the first few years of his PSG career, Cavani finally became the main man in 2016/17. He did not disappoint, scoring 49 goals in 50 games in all competitions.

The Uruguayan was similarly prolific the following season, although by then he had to share the limelight with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. Having been further marginalised by the loan signing of Mauro Icardi last summer, Cavani has entered the final few weeks of his PSG career.

Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth)

Fraser was linked with a move away from Bournemouth last summer, but a transfer never materialised. That was something of a surprise given that the Scot was available for a reduced fee and had just come off a brilliant season in which he scored seven goals and provided 14 assists in the Premier League.

Fraser has not been quite as productive this term and has even found himself outside of Eddie Howe’s starting XI on occasion. Nevertheless, he is still only 26 years old and will be a target for several clubs this summer.

Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham)

Long-time centre-back partner Toby Alderweireld agreed fresh terms with Tottenham a few months back, but Vertonghen is now into the last few weeks of his contract with the club he has represented since 2012.

Rumours of a switch to Serie A refuse to go away, with Roma and Inter reportedly keeping tabs on the Belgian’s situation. There is a chance that he could yet sign a new deal with Tottenham, but progress towards that end has been slow up to now.

Layvin Kurzawa (PSG)

Reports last month suggested that Arsenal had agreed a deal to sign Kurzawa on a free transfer this summer, but nothing has been announced as of early June. The Gunners are by no means the only interested party, with Barcelona and Inter having also been linked.

The left-back has been usurped in the pecking order by Juan Bernat since the latter’s arrival at the Parc des Princes in 2018. Kurzwa made just nine Ligue 1 starts in 2019/20 before the French season was curtailed last month.

Mario Gotze (Borussia Dortmund)

The Bundesliga is back up and running and is scheduled to be completed before the end of June, thereby making it unnecessary for clubs to extend the contracts of players whose deals expire on the final day of the month.

Dortmund have already announced that Gotze will be on his way this summer. Now 27, the German attacking midfielder will be desperate to get his career back on track after a tough few years that coincided with a diagnosis of myopathy.

David Silva (Manchester City)

Silva is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in Manchester City’s history, having won four Premier League titles during his decade-long stay at the Etihad Stadium.

The Spanish playmaker has already announced that he will be departing City whenever the 2019/20 season is over. A return to his homeland is likely, with former employers Valencia hoping to tempt him back to Mestalla for a second spell with the club.

Adam Lallana (Liverpool)

Lallana was one of Liverpool’s most important players early on in Jurgen Klopp’s tenure, but he has become little more than a fringe member of the squad in the last couple of years.

The former Southampton schemer has been restricted to only 15 outings in the Premier League this term, just three of which have come from the start. He did, however, score a vital equaliser against Manchester United, and is virtually guaranteed to end his Liverpool career with a Premier League winner’s medal around his neck.

Thomas Meunier (PSG)

Another soon-to-be PSG departee, Meunier has reportedly emerged as a target for Liverpool in recent weeks. The right-back has also been spoken of as a target for Barcelona and Juventus, with the Italian giants particularly fond of a free transfer – indeed, they signed Adrien Rabiot from PSG for nothing last summer.

At 28 years old Meunier still has plenty of seasons left in his legs. The Belgium international will not be short of suitors as he plots his next move.

Pedro Rodriguez (Chelsea)

Olivier Giroud has agreed to extend his Chelsea deal for a year until summer 2021, but Pedro is likely to seek pastures new in the coming months. The former Barcelona man recently claimed to have offers “from many clubs” despite admitting that he is still open to remaining in west London.

The 32-year-old winger has not been as integral to Frank Lampard’s side as he might have been a few seasons ago: Pedro has made just eight Premier League starts this term, scoring one goal and providing one assist.

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