Best Footballers Available on Pre-Contract: The January transfer window has always been a time where not much happens. It’s right in the middle of the season and no club wants to part ways with a player during this important period. The exception is those who have contracts ending in the summer who are actually in a favorable position as the rules state that they can sign a pre-contract with a new club whom they will join once the summer window opens.
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For players who don’t want to stay at their clubs any longer, January offers a great chance to sign on for their next move. We took a look throughout the football world to bring you 10 players who are available to sign a pre-contract this January.
Best Footballers Available on Pre-Contract
1. Kylian Mbappe
Firstly we have the hottest prospect in world football, Kylian Mbappe. He faces an uncertain future at the Parc Des Princes with his contract set to end in the summer. During the previous transfer window, PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi revealed that the Frenchman forward had a fortnight to sign a new deal with the Ligue 1 champions or he would be sold.
However, the 24-year-old didn’t sign an extension and wasn’t moved on either. So, as it stands, foreign clubs will be eligible to begin pre-contract talks with Mbappe over a free transfer in the summer from January unless he suddenly decides to put pen to paper. If the Frenchman decides against signing a new deal, PSG will be forced to try and cash in on him in January than risk losing him for free in six months. They may even have to sell him for half his value with the likes of Madrid and Chelsea circling, ready to enlist Mbappe’s services.
2. Adrien Rabiot
Adrien Rabiot finds himself in a similar situation as Mbappe at Juventus despite never-ending contract talks. He is reportedly enjoying his time in Turin, having made 14 appearances for the Old Lady who sit only two points behind league leaders Inter. Despite this, his club and agent mother have not agreed on the details of a new deal, leaving only six months left on his current contract. His mother has also closed down any rumors of a contract announcement, letting everyone know that nothing has been agreed upon yet.
Given reports on how difficult it is to deal with his mother, the deal may end up never happening, leaving Rabiot ready to negotiate with other clubs this January.
3. Angel Di Maria
One person Rabiot won’t want to see if he does go to a new club would be Angel Di Maria. The Argentine scored a goal during the World Cup final that ended Rabiot’s dreams and is now in a similar position to the Frenchman. At 35, we may be seeing the final days of one of the best wingers of the generation. He is considering retirement from international football after the 2024 Copa America but his club life is still up in the air. Currently, at Benfica, he has six months left on his deal unless the Portuguese club can tie him down for at least another year. Given what we saw at the World Cup, they should probably look into that.
4. Luka Modric
Speaking of some of the best players of the generation, up next is the mercurial Luka Modric. Just like Karim Benzema and many other footballers, Modric could have made the move to Saudi Arabia in the summer. But Real Madrid assured him of his importance in the Los Blancos side which made him sign on for another year. What no one could have seen coming was the startling emergence of Jude Bellingham who has denied the Croatian plenty of game time, something Modric isn’t happy with. The core of young talent in midfield such as Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde also hurt his chances of getting game time.
Because of this, it is reported that Modric is now considering his future and may be in the final few months of his legendary Real Madrid career. He may even be open to speaking to clubs once the January window opens.
5. Mario Hermoso
The other side of Madrid may be about to lose a center back as Mario Hermoso may be on the move. He is currently having a turnaround season at Atletico after seeming like an unreliable choice to Simeone. So far this season, he has started every game, be it La Liga or Champions League and there have been discussions about a renewal.
Nothing concrete has been agreed upon mainly because Al Nassr are circling the defender, searching for a partner for Laporte in their backline. The offer from the Arab club reportedly dwarfs the one presented by Atlético Madrid, causing a temporary halt in the renewal process for the former Espanyol player. Despite expressing a desire to continue at the Wanda Metropolitano, the Spaniard seems to be seriously considering his options.
6. Aaron Wan Bissaka
Another defender who may be considering his options is Manchester United’s Aaron Wan Bissaka. The 26-year-old full-back has a one year contract extension clause in his contract valid until the end of December. The Red Devils seem reluctant to trigger it or even offer a fresh new deal to Aaron Wan-Bissaka at the moment given that Ten Hag may want to sign a better right back than the two he currently has. This leaves the door wide open for the Englishman to start negotiating with clubs in January in the hope of sorting out his future before the summer.
7. Fabian Schär
Let’s stay in the Premier League with Newcastle’s Fabian Schär. Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United have caused many upsets this season. The Magpies have defeated Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and even Paris Saint-Germain. And if we have a closer look, Fabian Schär has been the constant force to reckon with in the Newcastle backline. So far the 31-year-old Swiss centre-back has played every minute of Premier League and UEFA Champions League football.
His contract has a one year extension that is yet to be triggered and Eddie Howe is very keen on renewing him. He is 31 though and the newfound money at the club may stop officials from keeping him, instead opting to go out and sign a younger option. With this contract up in a few months, we will know his fate soon.
8. Wilfred Ndidi
A player who many believed would have been signed by a bigger club such as Newcastle was Wilfred Ndidi. The defensive midfielder was one of the hottest prospects in the league a few seasons ago but now finds himself in the Championship. He was expected to be prized away such as the likes of Maddison and Tielemans but surprisingly stayed put. With his contract ending in 2024 and Leicester’s future up in the air, the 26 year old may be open to listening to offers from bigger clubs this January. Two of the best clubs in the league, Arsenal and Aston Villa have been linked to him in the past, showing the level he should be playing at.
9. Alex Meret
Napoli starting goalkeeper Alex Meret is up next. He was an outstanding part of their Serie A title win last season keeping 16 clean sheets. He has continued the same trend this season with 5 already. Add to this the fact that the Italian is only 26 years old and you wouldn’t think he would be a player Napoli could risk losing but that is the position they find themselves in.
His current deal is up in the summer and reports are already stating that his agents are out looking for a new club. Clubs such as Roma and Inter would be ready to pounce as early as January if his extension doesn’t kick in, leaving Napoli in a position they do not want to be in.
10. Wissam Ben Yedder
We finish this list in the same league we started it- Ligue 1 with AS Monaco’s striker Wissam Ben Yedder. The current club captain of AS Monaco has made 14 appearances in Ligue 1 scoring 6 goals. Due to his low defensive work rate, he often finds himself the first to make way when his club are looking to defend a lead.
Despite his consistent contribution to Monaco’s goalscoring efforts, his long-term future at the club is far from guaranteed. According to reports there are still no discussions taking place over a new contract for the 33 year old. This leaves his January wide open for clubs to contact him over his next move.
Do you know any other players who may sign pre-contracts this January?
Let us know in the comments.
