These are not necessarily the most valuable or sought-after players available on a free transfer in 2022 (although many are), but rather the most interesting potential free moves in the Summer 2022 window. The movement of the below players could influence or shift the power dynamics in world soccer, and neglecting to analyze the impact would be negligent.
Players Available on a Free in Summer 2022:
Kylian Mbappe
We’re not going to bury the lead on this: Kylian Mbappe is both the best and the most valuable player available on a free transfer this summer, which is not always the case. It is exceedingly rare that any player this talented, let alone a 23-year-old who will be rising into or in his peak for the full 5-year contract he is expected to sign. If Mbappe leaves on a free (as expected), the clear frontrunners are Real Madrid; however, just because Mbappe will not require a transfer fee does not mean he will be cheap. Mbappe is allegedly requesting an 80 million euros signing bonus and a weekly wage around 1 million euros. All told, over a five-year contract, Mbappe is expected to cost Real Madrid 300 million euros, so while Madrid may be saving on the transfer fee, Mbappe certainly will not be cheap. Then again, no player of this caliber ever is.
Paul Pogba
I feel obligated to add Paul Pogba because of his stature and the controversy surrounding his time at Manchester United. That said, where he will end up on a free is anyone’s guess. Initial he was heading to Real Madrid, but they may not have the budget for Pogba and their other summer transfer targets. Next, it was Juventus, but Juventus midfield is already crowded and the club is looking to cut its wage bill by offloading midfielders. Then, the rumor was that Pogba would stay at Manchester United, though there have not been reports of re-opened negotiations. After Manchester United, the rumor was PSG, with Pogba returning to his home country and playing in the French capital. Mino Raiola is out there spinning and sparking rumors, but at this point, no one knows where Pogba will play the 2022/2023 season.
Paulo Dybala
Paulo Dybala appears to be leaving Turin and I, for one, think it’s a great move. I always believed that Juventus neither appreciated nor respected Dybala’s talent, but that’s neither here nor there. The current frontrunners for ‘La Joya’ include AC Milan, Inter Milan, PSG, Atletico Madrid, and Manchester United. Dybala is allegedly demanding 10 million euros per year net, which would be the highest salary for either Milan team. PSG already has significant attacking talent, although it appears they will lose Mbappe and Di Maria on free transfers, and the team may be looking to move on from the drama creator that is Mauro Icardi and his family, talent notwithstanding. Atletico Madrid and Manchester United may look to replace their older South American strikers with a younger South American striker: Both Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid) and Edinson Cavani (Manchester United) are out of contract and are not expected to re-sign with their respective clubs. It’s important that Dybala and his representatives make a smart choice this summer, but there La Joya will have no shortage of options this summer.
Chelsea Center-Backs (Christensen and Rudiger)
Chelsea is set to have a rough summer with the changes at their back line. Chelsea are set to lose two first team center-backs in Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen on free transfers and are still unable to conduct transfer business due to Roman Abramovich and the sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Rudiger, 29, and Christensen, 26, are both top quality center-backs who are in or nearing their primes and will command wages and bonuses reflecting that status. Christensen seemed set to sign a new contract at Chelsea until December, when negotiations fell apart and Christensen’s new representatives (after Christensen fired his agent, who is also his father) began looking elsewhere. Now, Christensen is set to move to Barcelona on a free in what multiple news outlets have reported as a “done deal.”
Rudiger’s future move on a free transfer is much murkier. Rudiger, who initially demanded 400,000 pounds per week from Chelsea and rejected a new deal at 200,000 pounds per week, has been linked to nearly every top-level team. These links, which are very possibly strategically leaked by his representatives to increase leverage in negotiations, have been to Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Juventus, and even staying at Chelsea. No one knows where he will end up, but one thing is certain: 400,000 pounds per week would be an enormous wage for any player, including a 29-year-old center-back available on a free transfer. David Alaba was able to get around 400,000 euros per week from Real Madrid on a free transfer; we will see if Rudiger’s representatives can get their client the same.
Andrea Belotti
After transfer rumors previously linking him to Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, and Manchester United, Belotti is set to leave Torino on a free. There were originally rumors that Belotti would join friend and fellow Italian national teammate Lorenzo Insigne at Toronto FC and while that certainly could still occur, Belotti is a bit younger than his teammate and may not be ready to head across the Atlantic. In recent weeks, Belotti has been linked to a couple of Serie A clubs and a host of Premier League clubs, including West Ham, Wolverhampton, Newcastle, and even transfer-and-signing embargoed Chelsea. Belotti has had inconsistent form over the past 18 months and is having a statistically underwhelming season in Serie A, but he could still command significant wages given his past play and potential.
Franck Kessie
Franck looks to be trading high fashion for the Mediterranean lifestyle this summer. The 25-year-old Ivorian midfielder looks set to leave the San Siro this summer and will reportedly land at Camp Nou. With Busquets, Nico, Gavi, Perdi, de Jong, and now Kessie, the Blaugrana are going to have a very crowded midfield for the 2022/2023 season, not to mention Sergi Roberto and Riqui Puig. Barcelona’s biggest question this summer is going to be: How can we afford these wage demands?
Ousmane Dembele
Once again, we’re talking about Barcelona. However, this time, it’s a player that the Blaugrana might lose, yet might still sign. Ousmane Dembele made international news when he signed for Barcelona in 2017 for 105 million euros plus add-ons. His Barcelona career thus far has been described as moments of brilliance but constantly injured. Now, five years later, Dembele, who will be 25 this summer, may be departing Camp Nou. Negotiations between Dembele’s representatives and Laporta broke down during the winter, but after a recent run of impressive form under new manager Xavi, negotiations between the two parties may be re-opening. However, Barcelona will reportedly need to compete with Newcastle, whose new owners (the Saudis) are likely able to afford a larger weekly wage than the Blaugrana (Financial Fair Play notwithstanding).
Noussair Mazraoui
Mazraoui, the 24-year-old Ajax right-back, is a man in demand this summer. The Moroccan international, who is available on a free transfer, has been in impressive form at the club and international levels. Mazraoui initially appeared to be set for Barcelona this summer, but reports have recently linked Mazraoui to Bayern Munich, which is said to have offered the right-back a 5-year contract at 4.5 million euros net per season, not including bonuses. At around 160,000 euros per week gross, Barcelona may be unable to match that offer and register its other priority signings. So, while Mazraoui has not signed a pre-contract, his future may lie in Bavaria.
Divock Origi
Divock Origi is not the most talented player available on a free this summer, but he may be the most intriguing. The Belgian international, who will be 27 this summer, has been a bench player/super-sub/rotational starter/cult hero for Liverpool, where he has been since 2014. Origi has shown flashes of incredible talent, but has not yet demonstrated that he can play at that high level consistently, be that because of lack of opportunities or lack of capitalizing on opportunities presented. Origi has been linked to a number of clubs: Wolfsburg, where he was previously loaned; AC Milan, who heavily rely on two aging strikers; and Inter Milan who, if nothing else, want to prevent Origi from signing with their rival. Reports indicate that AC Milan is leading the race, having offered a four-year, 3.5 million euros net per season, but Origi has not signed a pre-contract yet.
Ben Brereton Diaz
The only people who knew of Ben Brereton Diaz at this time last year were Blackburn Rovers supports, but that’s now changed. Brereton Diaz became a household name this season due to the 20 goals he scored in the Championship in the first half of the 2021/2022 season. The performance earned him a call-up to the Chilean National Team, had Blackburn destined to earn promotion to the Premier League, and transfer rumors began to swirl. These transfer rumors, and the potential that Brereton Diaz would leave on a free, prompted Blackburn to confirm that Brereton Diaz’s contract expired on June 30, 2022, but that Blackburn held an option which, if exercised, would push the contract expiration date to June 30, 2023. It seemed certain that Blackburn would earn promotion and exercise the option on Brereton Diaz’s contract or sign him to a new contract. However, the second half of the season has gone differently for both Brereton Diaz and Blackburn. Brereton Diaz scored his first goal since December 2021 on April 15, 2022, he faced a ruptured ankle ligament that sidelined him for six weeks, and Blackburn now sits in eighth place in the Championship. While it would make sense for Blackburn to exercise the contract option, what seemed certain is now a question.
Teams may be wary of his recent performances, but if Ben Brereton Diaz is available on a free, it is likely that someone will take a chance on him given his performances in the first half of the 2021/2022 season. Teams that were interested prior to the second-half of the season include Sevilla, West Ham, and Everton. If his contract option is not exercised, someone will get a striker with a high ceiling and a low floor, and we will find out if he is a steal on a free or a poor decision.
Big Five FC 