Free Agents Available in the Summer of 2024

Club negotiating drama and transfer triangles do provide a sense of excitement and enjoyment. All those zeroes coming in after a transfer fee can provide the fans of clubs with a sense of pride and content depending on which side of the money wire your team is. But signing a player without a fee is special in its own right. Hence, the free agents available in the summer of 2024 can be viewed as presents recruitment teams can give to their fans. But also to the team.

Clubs are trying their hardest to keep Bosman transfers from happening, extending the deals even when the players aren't needed at the club. Furthermore, the Saudi football boom cleaned the slate as all footballers reaching the end of their contracts got bought up.

But there is still a massively impressive talent pool amongst the free agents available in the summer of 2024.

Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

The primary prize. Yet, it seems there will be only one recipient - Real Madrid. One of the longest transfer sagas in history will seemingly end in 2024 as the 'will-they-won't-they?' cannot go this long even in sitcoms. Mbappe first joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 and immediately the rumours of the inevitable move to Santiago Bernabeu started. Now, even though there is a player extension option on the contract he signed in 2022, it seems that Kylian Mbappe will wear the white shirt from the summer on, when he will be 25 years old.

Adrien Rabiot (Juventus)

One of the most controversial but also underrated players who will be a free agent in 2024. Adrian Rabiot is famously represented by his infamous mother. So the tall midfielder comes with a guaranteed pinch of drama. He silently became one of Juve's key players, yet the former PSG man will be 29 in the summer and is likely seeking a place where he will have a greater chance of competing for the trophies. The Old Lady seemed a catch for him when he arrived in 2019, but the wheel of time made the French international the more desired party.

Victor Lindelof (Manchester United)

Somehow silently, Victor Lindelof reached 241 games for Manchester United, representing the side in his seventh consecutive season this term. Perhaps due to his reserved nature or bigger fish to fry, he was never the scapegoat for the defensive woes that The Red Devils suffered throughout the years. In the summer of 2024, the Swede will be turning 30 and he is bound to seek one last top contract. Yet it seems that his desire is to stay, however, United might not be willing to pay him as much as he would like to considering his failure to come close to a world-class status.

Anthony Martial (Manchester United)

When the player's most memorable moment in a club's shirt is his debut, it's a surprise he has even reached contract expiration. Anthony Martial shone brightly in that first match at Old Trafford, yet he dived into even occasional obscurity at the Theatre of Dreams. Mostly due to his absolute inability to keep fit. His return isn't bad on a statistical level, since he has 307 games with 89 goals scored and 54 assists. Yet the lack of consistency needed for a top player at United cannot be ignored. As is the mere fact that he joined in 2015 and that the match tally should be higher. Not to mention the trophy haul. As he is set to be only 28 in the summer, Martial will be a more promising, long-term catch among the free agents. Reserved for clubs not icky towards injury-prone players though.

Mario Hermoso (Atletico Madrid)

Mario Hermoso is battling his fifth season with Atletico Madrid and although he hasn't been the most consistently used player, he has established his name across the continent. With 139 games played for Atleti, the centre-back has an unofficial masterclass in defending under Diego Simeone. The turnaround in his performances has suggested that Atleti will try to resign the player who will be 29 in the summer of 2024. But as for many of these free agents available in the summer of 2024, the competition will be stiff coming from Saudi Arabia. While Aston Villa is also interested in England.

Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur)

Eric Dier has fallen off the pecking order at Tottenham Hotspur that he is even considering making a January switch. Even though waiting another six months for a change of scenery could give him a bigger signing-on fee as the new club wouldn't have to pay fees. The Englishman played only one season of senior football outside of THFC, and has been with the team since 2014, playing in 360 games. Be it in the winter or summer, Roma of Jose Mourinho seems as the likeliest destination for the versatile defender who will be 30 as soon as 2024 starts.

Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao)

One of the better catches of the 2024 free agent market mostly due to the fact that he is one of the few young players available. Williams will be only 22 when the summer comes, but he now already has 10 caps for Spain and nearly a 100 games for Athletic Bilbao. Barcelona seems like the primary candidate for his signature, yet competition from the Premier League is lining up with Tottenham testing the waters first. Considering the right winger is playing for a club that appreciates loyalty more than anything, the fans won't be happy that their academy product will leave them without even getting a fee for him.

Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis)

A World Cup winner is available for free. Guido Rodriguez hasn't had an impactful career in Europe, recording only 155 games on the continent and all for Real Betis. However, his CV including the 2022 Qatar triumph will be enough for every recruitment team to have a look. The defensive midfielder managed to get 29 caps for Argentina so far and as he is about to turn 30 in 2024, the top clubs will certainly line up for him. Perhaps just offering him a three-year deal with an option for fourth season. Considering Betis signed him for just €4,000,000 in 2020, the fans can't be too mad over losing Guido for free.

Alex Meret (Napoli)

Goalkeepers are still the players for whose purchase the least amount of money is allocated, so often they are the ones that get picked up for free. Usually, it's the backup keepers though. However, in Alex Meret, top clubs across Europe could get the Italian and European champion in one. With 148 appearances for Napoli behind him. As Wojciech Szczesny's mistakes keep pilling up, and considering Juve's tendency to latch up Serie A talent on a free, Turin seems as the likeliest destination. Considering Meret is bound to be 27 in the summer, as a goalkeeper he should be on top of the shortlists for all teams struggling with their first-choice GK.

Meret was paid heftly in 2019 though - for a keeper - with €26,000,000 going the way of Udinese. Hence Napoli will try to do everything they can not to allow Alex to actually be one of the free agents available in the summer of 2024 that makes a Bosman move.

Jorginho (Arsenal)

One of the free agents available in the summer of 2024 that is least likely to stay at his club. Jorginho made the move to the Emirates surprisingly in January of 2023 and has barely played for the north London side with 24 appearances by mid-October 2023. The Brazilian who plays for the Italy national team will be 32 by the time January comes and teams are available to negotiate with him without Arsenal's permission. Considering he signed a very short-term deal with AFC in the first place, both a winter transfer and a summer exit are possible.

Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)

The pedigree of the German warrants his inclusion on the list of top free agents in 2024, yet it's mostly a certainty that Toni will remain at Santiago Bernabeu. Considering that we can map out how Luka Modric's contract extension sagas played out and that the Croatian is much older at 38 now. While Kroos will turn 34 in January and seemingly without losing his competitive edge.