Who are the players available for free after the transfer deadline?
Published 1 hour ago
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The summer transfer window has closed, but there are still a large number of talented players without clubs who can therefore be signed for free.
BBC Sport takes a look at the most prominent stars who are currently uncontracted and available to join new clubs.
Paul Pogba, 33 (last club: Monaco)
Former Manchester United midfielder Pogba has played a very limited number of matches since the end of his 18-month doping ban in March 2025.
The Frenchman participated in only six matches with Monaco after joining them last summer, before the French club terminated his contract last month, one year before its expiration date, after a series of injuries.
Karim Benzema, 38 years old (last club: Al Hilal)
French striker Benzema has been playing in Saudi Arabia since his departure from Real Madrid in 2023, having spent three years with Al-Ittihad. But the Ballon d'Or winner terminated his contract just six months after joining Al Hilal.
The arrival of the attacking trio, Crescencio Summerville, Ollie Watkins and Gabriel Martinelli, may have led to Benzema's departure from the team's accounts. Although he had already participated in three matches with Al Hilal this season, his contract was terminated on August 31.
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Riyad Mahrez, 35 years old (last club: Al-Ahly)
Mahrez is another player whose contract was terminated in the Saudi Professional League.
The Algerian winger, a five-time English Premier League winner, joined Al-Ahly from Manchester City in 2023, and scored 37 goals in 122 matches in all competitions.
Reports indicate that he will remain in the Saudi League and that he is close to joining Al-Shabab.
Raheem Sterling, 31 (last club: Feyenoord)
Feyenoord released Sterling after just three months, during which he played eight matches, and he is due to appear in court next month to face dangerous driving charges after his car collided with barriers on a motorway in May.
Sources told BBC Sport that the former Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea winger has faced a "very difficult couple of years".
Philippe Coutinho, 34 (last club: Vasco da Gama)
Former Liverpool and Barcelona midfielder Coutinho left his boyhood club Vasco da Gama in February, saying he was "mentally exhausted".
The Brazilian did not officially announce his retirement, and his name had previously been linked to a move to the American Football League.
Jadon Sancho, 26 years old (last club: Manchester United)
Sancho has gone through a turbulent few years since joining United from Borussia Dortmund for £73m in 2021, and has spent the past two and a half years with other clubs on loan, most recently Aston Villa, after a lackluster spell with Chelsea.
Sancho participated in only 30 matches with United in the English Premier League, but reports indicated that he had agreed to move to the Brazilian club Palmeiras.
Dani Carvajal, 34 (last club: Real Madrid)
Carvajal, widely regarded as one of the best right-backs of his generation, has been a free agent since his contract with Real Madrid expired in June.
Carvajal participated in 451 matches with Real in all competitions during 13 years, and his name was not linked to any new club.
It was reported that he trained during the summer at the facilities of the Spanish Football Federation with his compatriot Joselu, who is also not linked to any club.
Jamie Vardy, 39 (last club: Cremonese)
Vardy spent last season with Cremonese after 13 years with Leicester City, but the team's relegation to Serie B prompted the club to release the striker.
His name has been strongly linked to a return to the English Football League competitions, amid reports of Wrexham, Sheffield Wednesday and West Ham being interested in signing him.
David Alaba, 34 (last club: Real Madrid)
Veteran full-back Alaba left Real Madrid in May after five years with the club, and for a period this summer Manchester United was the most likely candidate among bookmakers to sign the Austrian player.
The former Bayern Munich star had a busy career at the club level, during which he won 12 league titles and four Champions League titles.
Despite speculation about the interest of a number of clubs in including him as his contract with Real approaches its end, Alaba has not signed for any club yet.
Sergio Ramos, 40 (last club: Monterrey)
Who are the other players available for free?
