There is still plenty of talent on the market and available for nothing, including a couple of Champions League winners
This summer, the Professional Footballers Association launched an intuitive scheme: a summer training camp for players who found themselves without a contract. Ran over 10 weeks, the free agents even took place in several trial games against lower-league clubs, with the PFA XI most recently meeting with Cambridge United at the end of August.
Ex-Premier League stars Ciaran Clarke, Dwight Gayle and Ravel Morrison were among those involved in the scheme, which has been widely praised by players and the media. It was successful too, with a decent crop of PFA members being snapped up by clubs after the showcase.
Other players have not been quite as lucky, though. Indeed, once again this summer, a host of players who would likely see themselves as above playing in these sort of trial games remain unemployed as we enter the autumn months.
There is still time for these free agents to secure a contract as clubs who could not get all of their business done before deadline day look to plug holes in their squads. Below, GOAL has taken a look at some of the best-known talent who could still be snapped up for nothing over the coming weeks.
AFPAdrien Rabiot
French football's enfant terrible was one of Juventus' better players over the past two seasons. However, as has often been the case during Rabiot's career, problems emerged when it came to renewing his contract. His agent and mother Veronique reportedly demanded that her son be made Juve's highest earner if he was to remain in Turin. The club, probably rightly, refused to play ball, with the Rabiots opting to try their luck in free agency.
Manchester United and Liverpool have both been linked at points, as have AC Milan, but an agreement has not been forthcoming. Whoever does sign Rabiot will be getting a solid midfielder, but he comes with a sizeable amount of baggage.
Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesMats Hummels
Hummels was robbed of a dream ending to his Borussia Dortmund career as he and his boyhood side were bested in the Champions League final by Real Madrid at Wembley in May. In the lead up to that game, the centre-back had openly criticised head coach Edin Terzic and BVB have kicked-off the new season with neither man at the club.
Terzic has yet to find new employment, and neither has Hummels. Premier League side Brighton were initially believed to be keen, with Bologna in the running too, but the German failed to commit to either club. There could be options in La Liga too, in the form of Mallorca and Real Sociedad, while Roma are also said to be keen on perhaps the best defender in last season's Champions League.
AFPAnthony Martial
For some years, Martial was a decisive figure at Manchester United. But by the time his Old Trafford exit was finally confirmed this summer, it was hard to find many supporters who had any patience left for the Frenchman. Perpetually injured, Martial scarcely contributed on any meaningful level after the 2019-20 season, with a loan move to Sevilla failing to reignite his career.
Since his departure, it's been a surprisingly quiet summer for Martial. Some French clubs were said to be circling back in May, but these rumours never amounted to anything concrete. If he is to return to the game, he'll no doubt have to swallow a sizable wage cut, having been on a reported £250,000 per week during his time in Manchester.
Getty Images SportMemphis Depay
Memphis has always been consistently inconsistent and he endured one of his frequent down years at Atletico Madrid last season. His performances for the Netherlands at Euro 2024 weren't much better, either.
The forward has been keeping himself in shape over the summer at least, after he and Atleti tore up his contract, but his availability has not sparked a bidding war. Nice and Rayo Vallecano – hardly elite clubs – are the latest to be linked as Memphis looks to get back to something resembling his best.
