The transfer window may be closed for the top leagues in Europe, but clubs could still move for players who are out of contract. If a player's deal has expired, they can be signed as a free agent, and there are some tempting former superstars available right now.
Here's a list of the best, in order of age.
Jadon Sancho, 26, FW (Previous club: Manchester United)
Sancho was once seen as one of the best wingers in the game, but his €85 million move to Old Trafford in 2021 didn't work out. His former club Borussia Dortmund are sniffing around again, as well as Fiorentina and Roma, but he would have to accept a significant drop in wages. Though at his age, he should have his pick of clubs.
Tyrell Malacia, 27, LB (Previous club: Manchester United)
Another Man United flop, Malacia's move only cost them €15 million but the club let his terms expire without signing a replacement this summer. A return to the Netherlands looks most likely.
Ismaël Bennacer, 28, CM (Previous club: AC Milan)
The former Arsenal academy midfielder was one of the casualties of Milan's failure to get into the Champions League last season. He looks set to move to Al Gharafa in Saudi Arabia.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, 29, LB (Previous club: Ajax)
The Ukraine left back fell out of favor at Arsenal, went on loan to Nottingham Forest where he played only 10 times, and then moved permanently to Ajax where he played even less. Injuries have hindered his career, but he is still a world-class operator when fit.
Anthony Martial, 30, FW (Previous club: Monterrey)
It has been a long time since Martial joined Man United for £36 million in 2015, but the winger's career has stalled in recent years after a loan at Sevilla, a spell with AEK Athens and then Monterrey. A possible return to the Premier League has been suggested, with Brighton and Hove Albion, Everton, Leeds United, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Sunderland all keen.
Dele Alli, 30, AM (Previous club: Como)
Alli was once considered one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe, but his spell at Tottenham ended in 2022 and he struggled at Everton, Besiktas and Como after that. A series of injuries and personal issues have made it hard for him to bounce back, but Championship clubs West Ham United, Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion have been linked with a move.
Raheem Sterling, 31, FW (Previous club: Feyenoord)
A star at Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool -- one of the few players to have played for four major clubs in England -- the winger's career took a downturn a few years ago and his loan spell at Feyenoord last season saw him make just eight appearances.
Last month he was charged with dangerous driving and possession of nitrous oxide after a crash involving a Lamborghini on the motorway.
Paul Pogba, 33, CM (Previous club: Monaco)
Having been released by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2012 to join Juventus, Pogba returned to Manchester United in 2016 for a then-world record fee of €105 million. Injuries and spells of poor form hindered his development and he re-joined Juventus on a free transfer in 2022 before a doping charge saw him banned for four years. The France midfielder joined Monaco when his ban was reduced to 18 months on appeal, but didn't last long.
Conor Coady, 33, CB (Previous club: Wrexham)
A former England international defender with a host of experience at the top level -- with spells at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, and Wrexham -- Coady has been working with Liverpool's U21s since his departure. A move to Rangers has been rumored.
Wilfried Zaha, 33, FW (Previous club: Galatasaray)
A breakthrough star at Crystal Palace, Zaha is another whose career failed to take off after a 2013 move to Man United and he returned to Palace in 2015. At Galatasaray, he went on loan twice and did well for Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC in the second of those spells, but he is now training back at Palace and has been linked with a move to Swiss side Young Boys, as well as Brazilian sides including Internacional, Vasco da Gama, and Corinthians.
David Alaba, 34, CB (Previous club: Real Madrid)
The former Bayern Munich defender has tons of experience -- with 12 league titles and four Champions Leagues in his trophy cabinet -- but struggled with injury during a five-year spell at Real Madrid from 2021. He will need to prove his fitness to any interested clubs, but a move to MLS might be on the cards.
Philippe Coutinho, 34, AM (Previous club: Vasco da Gama)
Coutinho's former clubs include Inter Milan, Liverpool, Barcelona, Bayern Munch and Aston Villa, and he recently left his boyhood club Vasco da Gama after a second spell there. No longer the same player whose transfer cost Barcelona €160 million in 2018, the midfielder has also been linked with a move to MLS.
Georginio Wijnaldum, 35, CM (Previous club: Al Ettifaq)
Wijnaldum starred for Feyenoord and PSV before a move to Newcastle in 2015 earned him a £25 million transfer to Liverpool a year later. After spending five years at Anfield, the Netherlands midfielder moved to PSG but was sent on loan to Roma in his second season and then left for Saudi Pro League club Al Ettifaq.
His contract was not renewed this summer, and Chelsea have been linked with a surprise move for him as they already have his former teammate Jordan Henderson.
James RodrÃguez, 35, AM (Previous club: Minnesota United)
The star of the 2014 World Cup, Rodriguez earned a €75 million move to Real Madrid from Monaco on the back of his performances for Colombia but it never quite worked out. A loan to Bayern, then moves to Everton, Al-Rayyan, Olympiacos, São Paulo, Rayo Vallecano, León and, finally, Minnesota United saw only glimpses of his talent. He has now been linked with Corinthians of Brazil, and América of Mexico.
Riyad Mahrez, 35, FW (Previous club: Al Ahli)
Mahrez was one of the stars of Leicester City's incredible 2016 Premier League title run, and he went on to win four titles after a move to Manchester City two years later. He joined Al Ahli for £30 million in 2023, but Al Shabab are likely to make him an offer to stay in Saudi now his deal has expired.
Karim Benzema, 38, ST (Previous club: Al Hilal)
Benzema was once one of the world's best strikers. A five-time Champions League victor with Real Madrid (for whom he scored 354 goals in 648 games) and winner of the Ballon d'Or in 2022, the France international joined Al Hilal in February after a spell with fellow Saudi side Al Ittihad. His future is unclear, though there has been speculation he could retire.
Jamie Vardy, 39, ST (Previous club: Cremonese)
Vardy, who made the jump from Conference Premier club Fleetwood Town to Leicester in 2012, was another of the stars of the incredible 2016 Premier League title run, but stayed at the club until leaving for Cremonese in 2025. He has now been linked with a move to Championship teams Wrexham and West Ham as well as League One side Sheffield Wednesday, his boyhood club.
Sergio Ramos, 40, CB (Previous club: Monterrey)
The legendary Real Madrid and Spain defender is considered one of the best of all time. After leaving Madrid in 2021 he moved to Paris Saint-Germain and then back to boyhood club Sevilla, before a stint with Monterrey in Mexico.
Al Ittihad, Inter Miami, Marseille and Wrexham have all been linked with him in recent months but, at 40, it's likely that he calls time on his career soon.
