Ranking the 5 greatest players who can sign a pre-contract agreement in January
Gone are the days in club football when clubs had all the power in their hands exclusively in terms of transfers. Professional players had no autonomy over their contracts for a long time. While they could negotiate and make new demands, players were only allowed to leave when their parent clubs felt like doing so.
But things changed with the Bosman ruling, and suddenly, footballers had complete control over their contract situation. After the ruling, footballers could decide between renewing their contracts or not. Clubs have also started to become proactive with contract renewals and listening to player demands.
With the ability to control contracts came the trend of signing pre-contracts. A pre-contract is a preliminary contract that a footballer can sign with a new club at any point within the remaining six months of his existing contract. Once a pre-contract is signed, the footballer moves to a new club after the expiry of his previous contract.
From the purchasing club's point of view, they secure a player for little cost without getting into a bidding war. For the player, it's insurance that he will have a new professional contract once his current one expires. Some of the biggest names in world football can sign pre-contracts in January 2022.
#5 Franck Kessie
Come January 2022, clubs will be lining up to snap up AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie. It would not be any surprise if such a talent at only 24 can be potentially snapped up as a free transfer.
With Kessie's contract running out in June 2022, AC Milan will hope to find a resolution as soon as possible. But as things stand, Kessie is destined for a new club, which can be decided as early as the end of next month.
🚨 NEW: Tottenham are ready to economically satisfy AC Milan midfielder Frank Kessie. His contract negotiations are blocked with the Italian club and his departure is increasingly likely. [Milan Live] https://t.co/uMjMdTQAMV
Kessie is a wonderful midfield player who excels at offensive and defensive abilities. He is well-known for covering large spaces on the field and winning balls to shield the defense. Kessie will be a treasured signing, and it now remains to be seen which club can land his prized signature.
#4 Angel Di Maria
Angel Di Maria is 33-years old, but the Argentine has been a champion of many battles. The pacy wide man has played for some of the biggest clubs globally and is an important figure in French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain. However, with the top-heavy squad of the Parisian club and with increasing age, it seems highly likely that Di Maria is headed to new waters.
Angel Di Maria the Owner of Alphonso Davies https://t.co/QJvWMcuSR8
While he is on the wrong side of the 30, Di Maria has not lost his touch and abilities. His minutes have dwindled slightly, but he has still racked up more than 1000 minutes in the current campaign.
There have been quite a few occasions where Di Maria's brilliant displays have helped PSG escape a troublesome situation. The Argentine still has enough gas left in his tank, and there are some great clubs where he could have a role in the future. By signing him on a pre-contract, clubs will have a world-class footballer of proven pedigree at minimum cost.