5 amazing players who are still without a club
This summer's transfer window has had its fair share of twists and turns and has been quite entertaining for football fans. Several high-profile transfers have gone over the line and some of Europe's top clubs have shown a great deal of ambition over the past few weeks.
While we're mostly caught up with sensational big-money signings, the free-agent market has also been buzzing this time. There were plenty of high-profile players who were and are still available on a free transfer.
Players like Paul Pogba, Paulo Dybala, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Christian Eriksen and Alexandre Lacazette, to name a few, had all become free-agents this summer. While these players have all signed for new clubs, there are quite a few really good players who are still without a team.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five amazing players who are still without a club.
#5 Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey and Juventus mutually terminated his lucrative contract on July 26. The Welshman joined the Bianconeri as a free agent in the summer of 2019. However, things didn't go according to plan for Ramsey in Turin and he made just a total of 70 appearances over the course of three seasons with the club.
Ramsey spent the second half of the 2021-22 season on loan at Rangers, where he scored just two goals in 13 appearances. The 31-year-old will be looking to find a new club as he will be desperate for regular playing time ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
#4 Andrea Belotti
Former Torino striker Andrea Belotti was viewed as one of the most promising young strikers in Europe just a few years back. But he has not been able to fulfill that promise over the past few seasons. Belotti scored 26 goals in 35 Serie A appearances in the 2016-17 campaign.
But ever since that campaign, his best output in a single Serie A season came in 2019-20, where he scored 16 goals. Belotti struggled with multiple injury issues last term and featured in just 22 Serie A matches for Torino.
He scored just eight goals and provided one assist. Torino were keen to renew his deal and club president Urbano Cairo claimed to have made a 'huge contract proposal' which was rejected by the striker.
#transfersAndrea Belotti’s current contract is expiring in June 2022, potential free agent. Torino president Cairo: “I made a huge contract proposal but I can’t force Belotti to accept. He has not signed [new contract] and I feel he has no intention to do it”, said to TMW. 🔴 #transfers
Belotti is currently a target for AS Roma, as per La Gazzetta dello Sport (via RomaPress).
#3 Dries Mertens
Dries Mertens is one of the most technically gifted forwards of his generation. At the age of 35, he is definitely not as good as he used to be, but there's no doubting the fact that he can still produce moments of magic.
Mertens is Napoli's all-time leading goalscorer in Serie A with 113 goals in the competition. He scored 13 goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances across all competitions for the Partenopei in the 2021-22 season.
However, the Belgium international rejected Napoli's new contract offer and became a free agent earlier this summer. He is currently without a club but his situation is rather unlikely to remain that way for long.
Thanks, @dries_mertens14 💙
https://t.co/l2bPkWStIH
#2 Edinson Cavani
Edinson Cavani was seen as a panic-signing when he joined Manchester United as a free agent in the 2020 summer transfer window's deadline day. But the Uruguay international proved to be anything but as he produced multiple match-winning performances for the Red Devils in the 2020-21 season.
The Uruguayan striker was 34 at the time but he proved that he was still an elite marksman. Despite a number of his 39 appearances across all competitions that term coming from the bench, Cavani scored 17 goals and provided six assists.
It made sense for United to extend Cavani's contract and the Uruguay international put pen to paper on a new one-year deal. But then Manchester United signed Cristiano Ronaldo and suddenly, Cavani was playing second-fiddle to the legendary Portuguese forward.
He also struggled with multiple injury issues and started just seven Premier League games last term. Borussia Dortmund are presently eyeing a move for Cavani, as per Sport1 journalist Patrick Berger.
#1 Isco
At one point during the last decade, Isco had established himself as one of the best central midfielders on the planet. The nimble-footed Spaniard could glide through tight spaces with the grace of a gazelle and his creativity and technical ability were second to none.
However, Isco couldn't build on that momentum and struggled as the club underwent a number of managerial changes in the second half of the 2010s. The Spaniard soon became a peripheral member of the squad and started a total of just 11 La Liga games across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
His contract with Real Madrid expired earlier this summer but he continues to be without a club. Isco has been linked with Sevilla, Real Betis and AS Roma and is likely to find a new home soon.