Premier League and Bundesliga stars can sign pre-contract deals with new teams from Wednesday.
The new year is a time of change for many, with new goals and new opportunities on the horizon. For football's top stars, January 1 is also an important date for those in the final year of their existing contracts.
Players whose contracts expire at the end of the 2024/25 season can sign pre-contract agreements with teams from different countries once they enter the final six months of their current contract. They wouldn't be able to join until their current deals expire in the summer, but they will effectively be on the market from January 1.
The most notable of these threatening situations is in Liverpool, where three truly world-class talents are approaching free agency. Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and team captain Virgil van Dijk can all agree terms with non-British clubs from Wednesday. Salah and Van Dijk have both publicly insisted they are keen to re-sign on Merseyside. Alexander-Arnold's intentions are less clear, amid relentless rumors of interest from Real Madrid.
But those three are far from the only big names entering the final six months of their current contract…
Bayern Munich could lose key stars
After finally losing their grip on the Bundesliga title in the 2023/2024 season, Bayern Munich is back at the top of the league this year. Head coach Vincent Kompany has lost only one of his first fifteen league matches and generally enjoys good support from the fans. However, he could soon lose three established players for nothing.
Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmich and Leroy Sane are all out of contract this summer and have been linked with a move. Davies is the subject of continued interest from Real Madrid, while Kimmich has been tipped for a reunion with former Bayern head coach Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
After the recent draw against Borussia Dortmund, Kimmich revealed that he needs more time to decide his future: “It is a very, very important decision for me that has to be made. It will be good to see the bigger picture in the winter – and see what has happened… Of course the past plays a role, but the future is more important.”
Sane's time at Bayern has lacked consistency and it seems unlikely he will receive a new offer until closer to the end of the season. The 28-year-old has made just five appearances in the Bundesliga so far this season and due to his high salary demands, Bayern could agree to part ways.
Premier League icons are nearing the end
Next summer will mark ten years since Son Heung-min and Kevin de Bruyne joined their respective clubs. They joined the Premier League from German teams in the summer of 2015, just two days apart, and have developed into two of the most consistent performers in the league over the past decade.
But now Son and De Bruyne are entering the final six months of their current contracts. They are 31 and 32 years old respectively and are among the highest earners on their team. If they want to stay, they may have to accept a reduction in terms or playing time.
Where else could they go? Son seems most likely to stay due to the option of a one-year extension that Spurs could activate. However, the future for De Bruyne is less clear. He has been sidelined in recent weeks and City are tipped to make a major midfield reshuffle to halt the reigning champions' historically poor form. The Belgian has been cited as a candidate for an MLS transfer, with new team San Diego FC repeatedly linked with De Bruyne signing.
Elsewhere, big summer moves could be in store for players outside European football's elite. Jonathan David (Lille), Frank Anguissa (Napoli), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen), Olivier Boscagli (PSV) and Angel Gomes (Lille) are all entering the final months of their contracts and will have no shortage of candidates.
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