Mary Earps, Beth Mead and the top women's 2026 free agents who can start negotiating transfers in January

While Arsenal are one of very few clubs in the women's game who do not officially reveal the length of players' contracts, it's understood that the Gunners have quite a few members of their squad who have just entered the final six months of their current deals, with Beth Mead one of the most notable.

The England international was the subject of transfer speculation last summer, when newly-promoted London City Lionesses tried to persuade her to move across the capital in order to aid them in their first season in the Women's Super League. However, Mead stayed put, telling the Guardian: “When you’ve been somewhere this long it holds a very precious place in your heart. I have another year left on my contract, I still think I’m more than good enough to compete and be able to play in this team and I know I bring something different.”

Mead has lived up to that billing so far this season, standing out as one of Arsenal's best players despite the Gunners' generally disappointing to this point, having certainly raised expectations by winning the Champions League back in May. Will the club be keen to keep her around, then? If not, there are sure to be plenty of other options for the in-form 30-year-old.

Chelsea have no fewer than 10 players out of contract this summer, with head coach Sonia Bompastor set to make some huge decisions over the next few months. One of the easier ones, one would imagine, will surround Hannah Hampton. The England No.1 is sure to be right near the top of the Blues' list of priorities, if not at the very top of it, given her importance to this team and her world-class quality.

It would be a real surprise if Hampton didn't sign a new deal at Chelsea, but that's not because she should lack other options. As one of the best goalkeepers in the world, if not the best in the world, there are sure to be some other huge clubs with an eye on Hampton's contract situation. This is one Chelsea will want to get sorted as soon as possible.

It only feels like yesterday that Alexia Putellas renewed terms at Barcelona, but her two-year contract extension, signed in May 2024, is already close to expiring and is a big task on the to-do list in Catalunya for the next few months.

Barca are working within financial constraints this season, the kind of which have caused issues for the men's side for a long time and are now impacting the women's team. It means that the club has to be very particular with its renewals, as seen by the flurry of exits that took place last summer.

However, Putellas is one of the names that stands out on what is quite an extensive list of out-of-contract players. A two-time Ballon d'Or winner, the 31-year-old had arguably her best season to date in Catalunya last term, and one might even say, at the halfway stage, that this campaign is turning out to be even better. It won't be a cheap renewal but, given Putellas' quality, she is quite clearly worth the price - and if Barca don't get it done, as Paris Saint-Germain's interest in the summer showed, someone else will quite happily pounce to add one of the best players in the world to their squad.

It is worth noting that there is at least an option in Putellas' contract for an extra year, which could buy Barca some time if the finances need to be organised in a particular way.

Bayern Munich had a few big contract decisions to sort heading into the winter break, and while striker Lea Schuller's has been sold to Manchester United and centre-back Glodis Viggosdottir has had her deal extender, there is still uncertainty surrounding Georgia Stanway, the Lionesses star who is rumoured to be leaving the club after a four-year spell, though Sport Bild reports that Bayern are fighting hard to keep hold of her.

Could the 26-year-old be heading back to England? No specific links to the two-time European Championship-winning midfielder have arisen yet, but that may change as clubs start to assess their options in the January transfer market and beyond. After all, one would certainly expect Stanway to be in demand, as a top-class talent with plenty of winning experience.

Manchester City have been quite good at managing contracts in recent times, tying down most of their prized assets despite interest from elsewhere and a lack of major success, with the League Cup triumph in March 2022 the last time the Cityzens won a trophy. However, in Khadija Shaw, they have a major star who is going to be out of contract this summer, unless things get sorted.

On the one hand, it would be a surprise if the two parties didn't come to an agreement. Shaw has thrived ever since arriving in Manchester, has repeatedly spoken well of her experiences at City and looks set to fire the club to a first Women's Super League title since 2016 this year. On the other hand, Shaw is certain to have suitors. We're talking about a world-class goal-scorer and perhaps the best striker in the world right now. Can City keep hold of her? We'll soon find out.

Since arriving at Arsenal at the beginning of 2024, Emily Fox has been immense, showing just why she is one of the best full-backs in the world in a spell which has included a Champions League triumph. But, according to Sky Sports, she is one of the many players in the Gunners' squad whose contract expires this summer.

There are sure to be plenty of other top clubs keeping an eye on her situation, as to pick up a player of her calibre and age, at just 27 years old, on a free transfer would be an incredible opportunity. Reports in The Athletic regarding unrest among the Arsenal squad could be something that many of those out of contract factor into decisions on their future, while the club's inability to build on last year's European success and really challenge for the WSL title this season has raised questions about the project. The Gunners, it should be remembered, have not won the league since 2019.

Fox's future will be a major priority for Arsenal. She's an excellent player, very consistent and able to perform her role brilliantly, often asked to drift into central areas rather than just operate as a touchline-hugging full-back. But will she want to stay or move onto a different challenge and project? She'll have options.

Another name that Chelsea fans won't be too happy to see on this list is Aggie Beever-Jones, the academy product who has a contract set to expire at the end of this season. The 22-year-old has developed into a key player at her childhood club and has regularly led the line for the Blues this term, netting four goals to stand out as their top-scorer in the WSL in 2025-26.

In truth, it would be a real surprise if Chelsea and Beever-Jones didn't continue their journey together. The England forward is a young talent with plenty of room for growth, but also an ability to impact games at a high level already. She's getting the game time she would want, too, meaning there is little reason for her to look elsewhere. It's also worth noting that there is an option in Beever-Jones' current deal for an extra year.

Perhaps one of the most interesting names on this list is Caroline Weir, the Scotland international who has made an incredible impact at Real Madrid since joining the club in 2022, the kind of which will have many top clubs on alert as her current contract nears its conclusion.

Madrid have made big strides since entering the women's game in 2020, with their regular involvement in the Champions League and last season's historic first win over Barcelona two clear indications of their progress. However, they are still a step off the elite, meaning they could lose a player like Weir to a team that can more convincingly challenge for silverware, with Las Blancas still yet to win a trophy.

Perhaps Weir, who has 69 direct involvements in 86 league and European games, would want to stick around and try to help the club hit that milestone, or perhaps an irresistible offer comes in from elsewhere that can guarantee her the opportunity to take her match-winning talent into the very biggest games.

Like Beever-Jones, there is an option in Millie Bright's expiring Chelsea contract for another year. However, while it feels incredibly likely that the former will stay at Stamford Bridge, Bright's future seems a little more unclear. The 32-year-old is the club captain and has been an integral part of the Blues' success ever since arriving from Doncaster back in 2015, but she hasn't been quite as pivotal a figure this term.

Bright was an unused substitute three times in a four-game stretch just before the winter break, raising serious questions about her future given her contract situation. She did return to the line-up for Chelsea's last four games of 2025, but that did also coincide with an injury to fellow centre-back Nathalie Bjorn.

There is no ignoring the fact that the competition at centre-back has increased and that Bright isn't as much of a guaranteed starter as before. While she expressed relative calm and understanding about that when asked about the situation last month, if she doesn't get the minutes she wants through the second half of the season, could she - and Chelsea - be considering her future? After all, having just retired from England duty, her full focus is now on her club career and she will want to make the most of that. How the next few months play out is likely to give us a better idea of whether Bright will still be a Chelsea player next season.

Bright is not the only big name at Chelsea who doesn't feel like a shoo-in for a renewal. On the face of it, Lucy Bronze would surely stay with the Blues. She's been an important player over her two years at the club and was one of the first signings Bompastor made when arriving in London, having worked with the England star at Lyon. Even with Ellie Carpenter arriving this past summer in a move that could threaten Bronze's game time, Bompastor has consistently found room for both in her line-up, suggesting the Australian was not necessarily signed to replace Bronze.

However, if Bronze did leave, Carpenter's presence means the blow would be softened, with the England star now seen quite often in central roles that are certainly well-stocked at Chelsea. Plus, the 34-year-old has regularly moved on from the different stops in her career after two or three years, rather than renewing. Will she want to take on another different challenge this year? After all, rumours have regularly linked her with an NWSL move that has never happened. Or will she want to stay closer to home and, if given the option, remain with Chelsea?

In Ona Batlle and Caroline Graham Hansen, Barcelona have two star names on expiring contracts who seem set to continue with the club. Both have spoken rather calmly and confidently about their futures in recent months and, crucially, neither had their names mentioned in the media last summer when the club was reportedly open to offers for some players who were out of contract in 2026, in order to free up salary space last summer and meet Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

One name that was floated, however, was that of Mapi Leon. The 30-year-old has marked herself out as a world-class centre-back since arriving in Catalunya in 2017 and has played a massive part in the club's rise to the very top of the women's game. However, with Barca needing to be very selective about their renewals, given the financial situation, could she be someone who leaves the club this summer?

Perhaps the finances won't be as tight this year and the three-time European champions can meet FFP rules without the need for any huge decisions. But if the situation is similar to last summer, clubs will surely be on high alert for any stars Barca look to move on, with Leon perhaps among them given the reports of a few months ago.

Also mentioned along with Leon - and Fridolina Rolfo, who would subsequently join Manchester United - as players who Barcelona would potentially be open to offers for last summer was Salma Paralluelo. The 22-year-old had an incredible campaign in 2023-24, scoring 34 goals in 36 games to rank third in the Ballon d'Or voting for the second year in a row. However, she struggled to be quite as impactful last term and, if those reports are to be believed, could've been on her way out of Catalunya.

Paralluelo would be a strange one for Barca to move on, in some ways. After all, she is still so young, she has shown she has an incredibly high ceiling and has delivered huge moments already, with there still so much time and room for improvement. But if the Catalans do need to meet FFP rules and, in doing so, need to move players on, clubs all over the globe would surely be queuing up if Paralluelo was one of those who became available.

It wasn't long ago that Mary Earps was at the centre of a transfer saga, with Arsenal reportedly interested in the goalkeeper as she entered the final year of her contract with Manchester United. It's incredible to think, then, that less than three years later, there is not much talk about the fact that the 32-year-old is six months out from being available as a free agent.

Earps' time at Paris Saint-Germain hasn't gone to plan. The hope was that she could enjoy regular European football and win some silverware. However, in her first season, the Parisians lost in Champions League qualifying, were defeated by city rivals Paris FC in the French Cup final and failed to dethrone Lyon as champions of France, all while ending the season without a permanent coach ahead of a transfer window in which more key players would leave to join their conquerors, OL. This time around, PSG did get into the UWCL proper, but they didn't win a game in the league phase, finishing second-from-bottom in the table.

It would make sense if Earps wants to leave and take on a different challenge, given those disappointments. Where could she end up? It's fair to say the former Lioness has seen her stock decline in the last year in particular, through a combination of factors that include her England retirement, the fallout after her explosive autobiography was released and some high-profile mistakes on the pitch. Indeed, Earps has the second-worst save percentage in the French top-flight through the first half of the season.

Widely considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, if not the best, for at least a couple of years, and quite recently too, there is still reason to believe she can get back to her top level, which will make her an enticing offer for many clubs, should she not stay in Paris.

There's reason to believe that most of the players out of contract at Chelsea this summer will stay. Hampton and Beever-Jones feel like shoo-ins for renewals, Bronze is an important player who Bompastor trusts immensely, while Bright is the club captain. But Catarina Macario's future feels much more uncertain.

After recovering from the horrible time on the sidelines with which she began her Chelsea career, having signed from Lyon after tearing her ACL, it felt like Macario was primed to kick on and showcase her world-class talent on a regular basis again. When Bompastor was appointed last year, that belief only grew, given it was under the Frenchwoman that Macario marked herself out as one of the best players in the world while at OL.

However, it feels like Macario still hasn't got going. That's not to say she has not shown her quality - she has done that multiple times over. But her game time can be inconsistent in this competitive squad and, as such, it feels like she is yet to get into a rhythm. Could she look elsewhere in 2026, for a project where she is more of a central figure? There are sure to be plenty of clubs that would be delighted to make her exactly that.

Manchester United have a few big contracts to sort out this year, but no case is more high-profile than that of Ella Toone, whose deal is up for renewal in the summer. When Toone signed an extension back in November 2022, it felt massive, tying her to the Red Devils for another four years. It came after the midfielder had just announced herself on a huge stage, at Euro 2022, as one of the most exciting young playmakers on the continent, having helped the Lionesses win that tournament with some big contributions, including the opening goal in the final.

It does feel more likely than not that Toone stays in Manchester. She is a lifelong United fan and an important part of this project. But having spent all of her career to date in England, could she be tempted by a different project in a new country? Many Lionesses have been in recent years, after all. It's a situation that should be of huge priority to United.

Another Chelsea star with a decision to make about her future is Sam Kerr, the iconic Australia forward who is the Blues' all-time top-scorer. Kerr has only recently returned to action after 20 months on the sidelines following an ACL injury and she is starting to settle back in nicely, with seven goals to her name by the winter break despite limited game time as she is slowly but surely reintroduced to the rigours of the game.

Any concerns that Kerr wouldn't look like herself again after such a serious injury, and thus maybe wouldn't be offered a new contract, have been eased by her recent form and, having been a key figure in this Chelsea project since arriving in early 2020, the striker will likely be determined to get back to her best and help the Blues progress towards that huge goal of winning a Champions League title. 

But there are other factors in Kerr's life that could contribute to a departure, aside from just the sporting aspect. The 32-year-old and her partner, United States midfielder Kristie Mewis, recently welcomed their first child and so Kerr will be thinking about where she is tying her future to for her family's sake, as well as her own, making this a slightly different case to others on the list.

While she has only been at the club for four years, the association of Lindsey Heaps with Lyon feels so strong. It feels like the United States midfielder has really found her identity as a player and enjoyed the best football of her career with the French giants, while winning a plethora of titles, including the Champions League. Will their journey continue together beyond 2026?

Heaps' contract expires this summer and her season so far would suggest it is likely she will be offered, and sign, a renewal. The 31-year-old has been a key figure in this Lyon team in Europe in particular through to the winter break, helping her team stand out as one of the main contenders to lift the UWCL crown once more.

However, the club appointed a new head coach ahead of this season, in Jonatan Giraldez. While he has used Heaps regularly, he may wish to further shape this squad in his image in the summer and so it is always interesting to see what happens with out of contract players in that case. Heaps, too, could be ready for a different challenge, after winning everything possible at Lyon.