PREMIER LEAGUE clubs face a nightmare in the January transfer window if they fail to sign big stars to new contracts.
Some of the country's best and biggest clubs are in danger of losing their top stars to foreign clubs as their contracts expire in the summer.
Stars with just six months left on their contracts are free to sign pre-contract deals with clubs from other leagues. And the Premier League could be one of the countries worst affected by this rule.
Liverpool trio Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are making headlines for this scare, while reserve goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros is also contractually in a similar boat.
Salah has openly admitted this season could be his last for the Reds, while Alexander-Arnold has been extensively linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Manchester City are also threatened with the loss of key playmakers Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, along with back-up goalkeeper Scott Carson.
Arsenal are also on course to lose two crucial midfielders from their ranks in Thomas Partey and Jorginho, while Kieran Tierney also appears to be on his way out.
Chelsea don't have any big stars on their list, but do have backup goalkeeper Lucas Bergström with just six months left from January.
Across town, Tottenham could lose talisman Son Heung-min, with Ben Davies, Fraser Forster, Sergio Reguilon and Alfie Whiteman also on this list.
Further down the table, Manchester United could land a number of stars in this market during the period due to their newfound fundraising motivations.
However, the Red Devils have six stars that could be taken away by rivals; Amad Diallo, Harry Maguire, Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton.
Similarly, Newcastle have eight stars on the pre-contract countdown with Sean Longstaff, Callum Wilson, Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, Martin Dubravka, Emil Krafth, Mark Gillespie and John Ruddy.
Everton are the worst hit by this threat, with eight stars out of contract next summer.
Many other clubs also face this threat with their stars, which are listed below:
On the other hand, there are a number of top talents abroad who could in turn be poached by English clubs.
In the Bundesliga, these include Bayern Munich quartet Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmich, Manuel Neuer and Leroy Sane and Jonathan Tah of Bayer Leverkusen.
In La Liga, Real Madrid's Ferland Mendy is up for grabs, as is Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke.
Ligue 1 club Lille have top stars Jonathan David and Angel Gomes, both of whom are threatening to complete moves elsewhere, while Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette could also leave his club at the end of the season.
Serie A features Napoli's Frank Anguissa and Alex Meret, AS Roma's Nicolo Zalewski and Paulo Dybala and Atalanta's Mario Palasic and Sead Kolasinac and Fiorentina's David de Gea, all with contracts expiring in the summer.
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi, Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Hilal's Neymar all also have contracts expiring in the summer.
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