14 forgotten superstars available to sign right now
While everyone’s busy buying and selling players, it’s the time of year when dozens of free agents are looking for new clubs after being released.
Some have already found their new homes. Others are still waiting to be picked up, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Dusan Vlahovic and John Stones standing out as some of the most high-profile players without a club.
But there are also some stars of yesterday you probably haven’t thought about for a while who are also on the free agent market. Could any of them be worth a punt?
Fabinho
Former Liverpool midfield enforcer Fabinho enjoyed three years with Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League, but they are moving on from him.
The Brazilian was Al-Ittihad’s captain, but will now have to look for somewhere else to establish himself.
Still only 32, Fabinho has recently been linked with Olympiacos. He’s also responded to the fanciful idea of returning to Real Madrid.
“Who wouldn’t like being at Real Madrid? It’s the best club in the world,” he said.
“But as for my situation, as I told you, I have time to think about it now. I’m going to talk to my agents and see what happens.
“Right now I don’t have anything lined up so there’s not much point in talking about teams or team names, but it’s a league I’d generally like to come and play in.”
Mauro Icardi
There was a time when Icardi was one of the most dangerous strikers in Europe, scoring more than 100 Serie A goals for Inter Milan.
The Argentine firebrand has since played for PSG and Galatasaray, scoring 77 goals for the latter before his exit this summer.
Now 33, Icardi could be tempted back to Italy seven years after he left Inter, but he will more likely have options further afield.
Nabil Fekir
Once a big target for Liverpool, Fekir is a free agent after a two-year spell in the UAE Pro League with Al Jazira.
Before that, his only other clubs were Lyon and Real Betis, while he also earned 25 caps for France.
Fekir recently turned 33 and his next step remains unclear.
Stephan El Shaarawy
While some wonder what might have been for El Shaarawy, once a precocious talent for AC Milan, we suspect he won’t be too miffed about ending up with more than 300 appearances and 60 goals for a club like Roma.
But his time there, split in half by a brief spell in the Chinese Super League, recently came to an end.
There are some clubs in Serie A who’d still give him a moment’s consideration, but after his previous lucrative move, El Shaarawy has been backed to secure his latest millions in the Saudi Pro League.
James Rodriguez
After turning out for Colombia at the World Cup, more than a decade since his breakout tournament in 2014, the well-travelled Rodriguez is ready to find a new club.
He spent the past few months with MLS side Minnesota United, having also played in Qatar, Greece, Spain, Brazil and Mexico since he left Everton five years ago.
The 35-year-old has ruled out retirement and has been linked with clubs in Brazil, Mexico and Italy.
Philippe Coutinho
Coutinho was a magician on his day and became one of the most expensive players of all time with his move from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2018, but he was never quite the same after.
Most recently, the 33-year-old has been playing for Vasco da Gama in Brazil. He only stayed there for one year after his original loan spell from Aston Villa before asking for his deal to be terminated.
Reports earlier this year seemed to suggest it was a straight choice between MLS or retirement for Coutinho’s next step.
Alexis Sanchez
He’s 37 now, but if Sanchez can stick around for another couple of years, he could reach two uninterrupted decades playing in Europe’s top five leagues.
The former Arsenal and Barcelona forward most recently played for Sevilla, but he was only there for a season.
That was after a return to his former club Udinese didn’t quite work out.
Georginio Wijnaldum
Just like his former Liverpool midfield colleague Fabinho, Wijnaldum is a free agent after three years in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Ettifaq haven’t renewed the 35-year-old’s deal, more so because he was too expensive to keep than not playing well enough.
There has been some gossip about Wijnaldum entertaining a return to the Premier League, but we can’t see it.
Sergi Roberto
We wouldn’t say Roberto was a full-on superstar, but being Barcelona captain at one stage of his career has to count for something.
The midfielder spent the past two seasons with Como in Serie A, but he won’t be lending his experience to their maiden Champions League campaign.
Could an MLS move be a suitable next step for the 34-year-old? Perhaps, but there aren’t too many concrete links yet.
Pedro
Former Barcelona forward Pedro has just come to the end of a six-year stay in Rome: the first with Roma and then the next five with Lazio.
He scored 39 goals for Lazio, a number that’s also the age he’s about to turn.
Pedro was noncommittal last year when asked if he’d be retiring after his latest venture.
Riyad Mahrez
Mahrez recently retired from international football after Algeria’s exit from the World Cup, but he’s still deciding his club future.
A three-year spell with Al-Ahli recently reached a conclusion. The 35-year-old could end up having one last dance in Europe, but he’ll need something concrete to develop.
Dele Alli
Available as a free agent right now and he has been since September, but the chances of Dele getting his career back on track look slim.
He only made one appearance for his last club, Como. Previous employers Tottenham let him use their training facilities earlier this year as he geared up for finding a new club, but the search continues.
Axel Witsel
Witsel, 37, suffered relegation with Girona by the end of his only season there.
The defensive midfielder, who can also play at centre-back, was still part of Belgium’s squad for the World Cup.
He has ruled out a return to his first club, Standard Liege, but has hinted he wants to keep playing.
Juan Cuadrado
He may never have shone in the Premier League for Chelsea, but Cuadrado had a thoroughly respectable career in Serie A.
The wide man has played for a different club in each of the past three seasons since leaving Juventus: Inter, Atalanta and then Pisa.
He suffered relegation with his most recent club, which did his dreams of making Colombia’s World Cup squad no favours.
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