Mohamed Salah, Bernardo Silva, Robert Lewandowski & the 20 biggest and best free agents set for 2026 summer transfers - ranked

One of the finest defensive players of his generation when fit, injuries have continued to hamper David Alaba since he swapped Bayern Munich for Real Madrid 2021, most notably an ACL tear in 2023 that kept him out for around 13 months.

The Austrian was very much a bit-part player under both Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa in 2025-26, and it came as little surprise when it was reported back in February that Los Blancos wouldn't be renewing the contract he originally signed with the club five years ago.

Alaba will have no shortage of suitors despite his fitness problems, with Serie A giants Juventus and AC Milan tenuously linked with the 33-year-old already.

It's the end of an era at Anfield as one of the defensive pillars of Liverpool's success under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot prepares to move on after a trophy-laden nine years at Anfield. Left-back Andy Robertson will depart when his contract expires with Premier League and Champions League winners' medals in his personal cabinet.

The Reds confirmed the Scot's imminent exit back in April, but it seems he may not be finished in the Premier League just yet. That's because Tottenham are the leading contenders to sign the 32-year-old on a free transfer as they look to bring in some much-needed experience and know-how to avoid another relegation scrap in 2026-27.

It's the end of an era at the Bernabeu, too, as legendary club captain Dani Carvajal prepares to depart this summer, bringing an end to a glittering 13-year second spell with Real Madrid. It was reported in early May that the club had informed the 34-year-old that his contract would not be renewed, and it has been confirmed that he will become a free agent in a few weeks' time.

What happens next is unclear at this early stage, but the right-back has been dealt another blow after being overlooked for Spain's World Cup squad, which will likely bring the curtain down on his international career, too. Whoever signs the veteran will be getting someone with limitless experience and an invaluable winning mentality.

Unlike a number of former Barcelona players, Oscar Mingueza has gone on to build a decent career for himself away from Camp Nou, and the right-back may well feel he has outgrown his surroundings as he approaches the end of his contract with Celta Vigo.

Mingueza has been a standout performer over the past 18 months and could have his pick of some of Europe's elite this summer. Arsenal and Juventus are among those said to be interested, as well as Aston Villa and Newcastle - moves that might be more realistic and sensible. His name is one to look out for when the window opens.

Daichi Kamada could be following Oliver Glasner's lead once again, this time by leaving Crystal Palace when his contract expires at the end of June. The Japan international joined the club the same summer that Glasner did, reuniting with the Austrian tactician in 2024 at the end of his deal with Lazio following their successful time together at Eintracht Frankfurt.

However, Glasner will leave Selhurst Park this summer after winning a historic pair of trophies in the FA Cup and Conference Leagueduring his two full seasons at the helm, and Kamada may well depart, too, although there are murmurs that the European triumph might sway his thinking. As such, his next move remains unclear; it would be interesting to see whether he follows Glasner again, or forges his own path. AC Milan, Aston Villa, Tottenham and Besiktas have all been loosely linked.

Lorenzo Pellegrini lives and breathes Roma, but the club captain could be heading for a sad exit in the coming weeks. While it's been reported in the Italian media that he wants to stay at Stadio Olimpico, and manager Gian Piero Gasperini wants to keep him, the situation is muddied by the terms on offer.

According to recent reports, club owners, the Friedkin Group, want the Italy international midfielder to take a significant pay cut to pave the way for his continuation in the capital. It remains be seen whether Pellegrini will acquiesce to what is a big demand from the hierarchy, with the clock ticking down towards the 29-year-old becoming a free agent. The latest reports suggest a deal is close, but nothing is signed yet.

It was a free transfer that took Andreas Christensen from Chelsea to Barcelona in 2022 in what looked like a very shrewd piece of business at the time, but injuries - including a ligament tear that curtailed his 2025-26 campaign - have meant the now-30-year-old defender was never really able to kick on in Catalunya.

In April, it was reported that the centre-back had rejected a one-year contract extension that entailed a pay cut, and while it's claimed he wants to stay at Barca, it's looking increasingly unclear whether or not he has a future at Camp Nou beyond the summer.

A wonderful player on his day, it's a crying shame that Paulo Dybala's career has been so hampered by fitness problems. The Argentina attacker has been unable to escape his woes with Roma, and now faces the prospect of finding himself without a club at the age of 32 following another injury-hit season. It has been claimed he could leave Europe behind, too.

Dybala revealed in May that he hadn't yet been approached by the Giallorossi over a potential renewal, suggesting the club is perhaps ready to call time on his four-year stay in the Italian capital, where he has become a fan favourite despite his troubles. However, it has since been reported that, like Pellegrini, he is closing in on a new one-year, incentive-based contract that includes a significant pay cut.

Although John Stones has been a loyal servant for Manchester City across his decade with the club, injuries have long been a hindrance for him, and his ongoing issues may well have decided his future at the Etihad Stadium. Having even considered retirement last term, Stones had been a bit-part player in 2025-26 before suffering another setback in the form of a thigh problem in early December.

The centre-back featured just twice in the league thereafter, warming the bench once he returned to fitness in February. Predictably, City confirmed in April that this would be Stones' final season ahead of the expiry of his contract later this month.

What happens next is unclear, given the defender has thought about hanging up his boots in the past. The 31-year-old has been linked with a return to Everton, as well as more unlikely switches to Juventus, AC Milan and Bayern Munich.

The jury is still out on Dusan Vlahovic at Juventus, and it could well be that he walks away from the club for nothing at the end of the month. Although the Bianconeri are reported to have resumed talks with the Serbia striker over a new deal following an uptick in form, the fact things have been left so late suggests something is up behind the scenes. Indeed, they may well have stalled again.

It's been claimed that Vlahovic isn't convinced about putting pen to paper on a contract that would involve a pay cut as he awaits an unlikely offer from the likes of Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. He is coming off the back of a season that was seriously disrupted by an adductor injury, which has apparently left Juve with concerns over his long-term fitness.

A parting of ways might be mutually agreeable, then. Atletico Madrid and Newcastle have been touted as more realistic destinations.

While his talent isn't in question, things have never really clicked for Julian Brandt across his seven seasons with Borussia Dortmund. The attacking midfielder has been plagued by inconsistency and niggling injuries, and the end of his contract at Signal Iduna Park feels like the natural point to part ways for both player and club, with his imminent exit confirmed back in March.

Despite the fact he blows hot and cold, a final season that returned 15 goal involvements will undoubtedly still earn Brandt plenty of attention as big clubs look to the free agent market. Atletico Madrid have supposedly initiated talks with the Germany international's camp, while Arsenal could reportedly make an offer of their own for the 30-year-old, who would add depth and bring experience.

Serie A was always, always, going to suit a 40-year-old Luka Modric down to a tee, and so it proved as the timeless Croatian enjoyed a fine campaign at the base of the AC Milan midfield following his Real Madrid exit, playing a key role in a remarkable unbeaten run in the league that stretched from August until February with his class and nous in the middle of the park.

However, his one-year contract is into its final weeks and it's been reported that his future could hinge on the exit of manager Massimiliano Allegri, who was sacked having overseen a late-season collapse that put paid to the Rossoneri's title challenge and saw them finish outside the Champions League places in Italy's top-flight.

A player who certainly wouldn't have ranked among the 'best' free agents midway through last season, Casemiro's resurgence at Manchester United was remarkable as he showed Jamie Carragher that the football certainly hadn't 'left him' yet. Not only did the Brazilian rediscovered his energy and bite in midfield, but he also chipped in with plenty of vital goals as the Red Devils sealed a return to the Champions League.

United may well be kicking themselves for jumping the gun on Casemiro's future, with the announcement coming back in January that he would be departing at the end of his contract - before his rejuvenation under interim head coach Michael Carrick. The fans want him to stay and there have been chants of "One more year" from the stands, but the 34-year-old said in March that he believed the decision over his exit was "made and done". A move to Lionel Messi's Inter Miami may now beckon.

What a season it was for Harry Wilson, who - out of pretty much nowhere - discovered the form of his life at the age of 29, finally making good on the potential he showed at Liverpool in the early years of his career. The winger was outstanding for Fulham, racking up 19 goal contributions in all competitions, with 16 of those coming in the Premier League.

The bad news for his current club is that Wilson has reached this new level just as his contract in west London is ticking down. From the Welshman's own perspective, though, the timing has been perfect, as he prepares to take the step back up to a Champions League club having belatedly hit his peak.

Aston Villa has been touted as a sensible next move, although a new deal at Craven Cottage shouldn't be ruled out just yet as his exit still hasn't been confirmed.

Although he had the offer of a new contract on the table, veteran striker Robert Lewandowski has called time on his prolific spell with Barcelona having lost his place in the starting line-up to Ferran Torres. A parting of ways probably made sense for both parties as the 37-year-old goes in search of a potential swan song, though his 19 goals in all competitions in 2025-26 reflect that he can still be a serious threat at the highest level.

Somewhat inevitably, the Pole has been linked with a switch to Serie A and AC Milan, who have a penchant for picking up an ageing superstar, while Portuguese champions Porto have also been touted as a shock destination - a club who notably have Lewandowski's international colleagues Oskar Pietuszewski, Jan Bednarek and Jakub Kiwior in their ranks. Meanwhile, moves to MLS or the Saudi Pro League are also possibilities as he has admitted he is open to joining a relatively weaker league.

Liverpool may be less concerned about the prospect of losing Ibrahima Konate for nothing in the summer than they are with some of their other free agents, with the centre-back's stock plummeting against the backdrop of the Reds' feeble title defence. Having been a pillar of their Premier League triumph last term, the France international made a string of high-profile errors this time around, as he contributed significantly to the champions' overall struggles. Still, he has shown his quality in the past and, at 26, would make a very shrewd pickup on the free agent market.

Such has been his downturn in form, what seemed a nailed-on free transfer to Real Madrid is seemingly now off the table after the Spanish giants reportedly decided against solidifying their long-standing interest in the defender. Konate revealed in April that he was "close to an agreement" over a new contract at Anfield, but talks stalled in the weeks that followed and it has been confirmed that he will leave this summer after all.

Marcos Senesi was Bournemouth's 'other' centre-back last season as Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi made a name for themselves in Andoni Iraola's side during his injury absence and both earned big-money transfers to European giants Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively. In 2025-26, though, the Argentine has more than made up for lost time.

Senesi has quietly gone about establishing himself as one of the finest central defenders outside the Premier League's 'big six', playing a huge role in the Cherries' unlikely push for Champions League football with his composure and ball-playing ability. However, Bournemouth have confirmed Senesi will leave the club at the end of his contract, and it's been reported that Tottenham have won the race for his signature after staving off relegation on the final day of the season.

A long-serving Bayern Munich star, Leon Goretzka battled back into contention under Vincent Kompany at the Allianz Arena when it seemed certain he was going to be phased out last season, remaining a regular starter domestically. However, the club confirmed in January that the Germany international will leave the club when his contract expires this summer after "good and open talks".

The 31-year-old is certain to have plenty of offers on the table, with recent reports suggesting he is close to agreeing a free transfer to AC Milan. The slower pace of Italian football might suit him at this stage of his career, but Goretzka has also been linked with Premier League giants Arsenal, who would undoubtedly benefit from his vast experience.

He has already hinted that he will head overseas, telling Sky Germany in March: "Maybe it's my last chance to go abroad?"

Bernardo Silva has flirted with a Manchester City exit for years now, amid persistent links with both Barcelona and boyhood club Benfica, but the time is finally nigh as he calls time on a glittering nine-year stay at the Etihad Stadium. One of Pep Guardiola's most trusted lieutenants, the 31-year-old reinvented himself as a tireless box-to-box presence in midfield after a difficult start to his final season, adapting brilliantly having lost his place in the attack amid an influx of new arrivals.

Bernardo's resurgence means it's unclear where he could end up, as he evidently still has so much to offer and only turns 32 this summer. An emotional return to Benfica would make sense, but it has been reported that the player is pushing for a free transfer to Camp Nou and is supposedly willing to take a pay cut to make a deal happen. Meanwhile, Bernardo is also said to have interest from Juventus, Atletico Madrid and PSG.

A player who wasn't expected to feature on this list in 2026, Mohamed Salah has waved goodbye to Liverpool midway through the lucrative two-year contract extension he signed last summer, mainly the result of an ugly breakdown in his relationship with now-former Reds boss Arne Slot, who was sacked in the wake of the Egyptian's bombshell statement in which he said the club needed to go back to playing the "heavy metal" football that made them such a force under Jurgen Klopp.

Salah departs Anfield at the end of a stellar nine-year stay that yielded 257 goals in 442 appearances from the wing, as well as two Premier League winner's medals and a Champions League crown. He had fielded big-money offers from Saudi Arabia before penning a new deal, and that is believed to be his most likely destination. The 33-year-old has said "everything will become clear" after the upcoming World Cup, as he prepares to lead Egypt in North America.