Free agents XI: Best out-of-contract players by position including ex-Man United stars
· Yahoo Sports
The Bosman market doesn’t align with the regular transfer window, meaning clubs can always fill the gaps in their squad by signing free agents at any time.
These deals are the most strategic solution for clubs that want to bolster their options without the burden of transfer fees.
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At the moment, there are several out-of-contract players who can still deliver at a decent level when called upon.
That said, read on as we take you through the best free agents across each position.
Sergio Romero – goalkeeper
Former Manchester United Sergio Romero returned to his native Argentina in 2022 after leaving Italian Serie B side Venezia.
He spent his initial three years back in his homeland with Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors, where he made 88 appearances and kept 36 clean sheets.
Romero won the Argentine Super Cup during his spell with Boca Juniors before leaving to join Argentinos Juniors, where he lasted just three months and has been without a club since.
The 39-year-old shot-stopper spent six years at United, winning the Europa League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, and Community Shield.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah – right back
Man United academy graduate Timothy Fosu-Mensah has been without a club since Bayer Leverkusen released him in the summer of 2024.
The 28-year-old was part of Xabi Alonso’s history-making squad that won the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal double in the 2023/24 campaign.
However, he failed to make a single appearance in his final season at BayArena before his exit.
Fosu-Mensah spent five years on United’s books after joining the senior team, but never really established himself as a reliable defender.
Craig Dawson – centre-back
Premier League stalwart Craig Dawson has been unemployed since leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 2025.
The 35-year-old’s final appearance for the Midlands club came against Tottenham Hotspur in December 2024 and didn’t feature in the second half of the season.
Dawson has plenty of Premier League experience, having made over 300 top-flight appearances throughout spells at Wolves, West Ham United, Watford, and West Bromwich Albion.
Sergio Ramos – centre-back
Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos has struggled to find a permanent home since leaving Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2021.
The 39-year-old spent an astonishing 16 trophy-laden years at Madrid, bagging plenty of major silverware, including five La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies.
He was also a two-time Copa del Rey and four-time Supercopa de Espana winner before moving to Paris Saint-Germain, where he won two Ligue 1 titles and the Trophée des Champions across two years.
Ramos was one of the most formidable defenders in the world in his prime. But those days are behind him now as he became a free agent after leaving Mexican side Monterrey in less than a year.
Brandon Williams – left back
Brandon Williams was considered one of the finest talents to come through United’s academy, but he never truly established himself in the senior team.
The 25-year-old made 51 appearances across a five-year spell at United, but the majority of that playing time came in his first two years at the club.
Williams subsequently had loan spells at Norwich City and Ipswich Town, but didn’t do enough to convince either side to take him on a permanent deal.
United ultimately cut him loose when his contract expired in 2024. He spent the whole 2024/25 season without a club before signing a one-year deal with Championship side Hull City.
The contract included a clause that could have extended his stay for another 12 months, but the club decided to part ways with Williams after just six months.
Dele Alli – midfielder
Dele Alli is looking to reignite his career and has returned to Tottenham Hotspur, where he enjoyed his best years.
Tottenham are reportedly allowing the 29-year-old to use their facilities to recapture his fitness as he prepares for an emotional return to the pitch.
Alli has been a free agent since leaving Italian club Como last September.
He made 269 appearances during his seven-year spell at Tottenham, notching 67 goals and 59 assists.
The Englishman, who has 37 caps for England, left Tottenham in 2022 and has struggled for form and fitness across spells at Everton, Besiktas, and Como.
Philippe Coutinho – midfielder
Philippe Coutinho became one of the most expensive players in football history when he left Liverpool to join Barcelona in a whopping £142 million deal.
He had enjoyed arguably his best career spell at Liverpool, notching 54 goals and 44 assists in 201 games for the Reds. However, his career has gone downhill since the historic move to Barca.
Interestingly, most of the major trophies in his cabinet came after leaving Liverpool. He won two La Liga titles with Barca as well as the Bundesliga and Champions League titles with Bayern Munich.
However, the attacking midfielder is now approaching the twilight of a complicated career after recently ending a second spell with Vasco da Gama in his native Brazil.
Tiemoue Bakayoko – midfielder
Tiemoue Bakayoko’s fall from grace can be traced back to an ill-advised move from AS Monaco to Chelsea in the summer of 2017.
After failing to impress in his first year at Chelsea, he spent the subsequent five seasons out on loan.
He had two loan spells at AC Milan, returned to Monaco temporarily, and also attempted to reignite his career at Napoli, but failed to prove he could compete at an elite level.
Free transfers to Lorient and PAOK followed, but the 31-year-old is now hoping for yet another fresh start in a career that promised much but ultimately delivered little.
Nathan Redmond – left winger
Nathan Redmond became a free agent last summer after Burnley released him following their promotion to the Premier League.
The former England international later returned to action in November when Sheffield Wednesday offered him a short-term contract.
The deal ran only until the end of January, giving the experienced winger a brief chance to prove his value. But injuries made it difficult, and all seven of his appearances came as a substitute.
With the club battling near the bottom of the EFL Championship, Wednesday chose not to extend his stay.
Malcolm Ebiowei – right winger
After spending time in the academies of Chelsea, Arsenal and Rangers, Malcolm Ebiowei earned a Premier League move to Crystal Palace from Derby County.
That move was supposed to launch him into the spotlight, but his career never truly took off as he made just five appearances for Palace before moving on.
Hoping for a fresh start, he joined Blackpool on a two-year deal, but that move was cut short as he left the club by mutual consent in September.
Divock Origi – striker
Divock Origi was once considered a cult hero at Liverpool, but he has struggled to reignite his career since leaving Anfield.
The 30-year-old initially joined Milan but returned to the Premier League on loan at Nottingham Forest, hoping to recapture the spark that made him a fan favourite in Merseyside.
When things didn’t go according to plan, Milan demoted him to their reserve team before cutting him loose just before Christmas.
Free agent line-up:
(4-3-3): Romero; Fosu-Mensah, Dawson, Ramos, Williams; Alli, Coutinho, Bakayoko; Redmond, Ebiowei, Origi