Spending €150M on one player is cool. Signing a Champions League winner for nothing is cooler. Here is our rundown of the best free agents still available in summer 2026 — and where they might end up.
Quick note: "free agent" means the player's contract has expired or will expire this summer. No transfer fee required. You still need to pay wages, agent fees, and a signing bonus — but the headline number is zero. For cash-strapped clubs (hello, Barcelona), this market is everything.
Already Snapped Up
Tosin Adarabioyo → Chelsea: Smart business from Chelsea. Free transfer, Premier League proven, 26 years old. Newcastle thought they had him. Chelsea hijacked it. Newcastle fans are still bitter.
Lloyd Kelly → Newcastle: Compensation signing after missing out on Tosin. Eddie Howe knows him from Bournemouth. Solid left-footed defender on a free — zero risk.
Wilfred Ndidi → Galatasaray: Left Leicester after their relegation. The Turkish champions offered Champions League football and a fat contract. Fair enough.
Still Available: The Premium Tier
Mario Hermoso — Center-Back, 29 (ex-Atlético Madrid)
How is this guy still unsigned? 29 years old, left-footed center-back, 200+ La Liga appearances, Champions League experience. He rejected Atlético's renewal offer in February expecting a Premier League move. The offers have not materialized at his wage demands (€120K/week). Aston Villa, Napoli, and several Saudi clubs are circling. Someone is getting a bargain — Hermoso is genuinely good.
Adrien Rabiot — Central Midfield, 29 (ex-Juventus)
The most frustrating free agent on the market — because he is actually excellent when he wants to be. Rabiot's contract at Juve expired and he has been linked with basically every top-half Premier League club. The issue is his mother/agent Veronique, who is demanding wages in the £200K/week range plus a massive signing-on fee. United have looked. Arsenal have looked. Nobody has pulled the trigger yet. He might end up in Saudi Arabia purely because nobody else will pay what they want.
Guido Rodríguez — Defensive Midfield, 30 (ex-Real Betis)
World Cup winner with Argentina. Pure defensive midfielder — wins the ball, passes it to someone more creative, repeats. Not flashy but every team needs one. Barcelona have been linked for months (he is cheap, they are broke — perfect match) but they have not finalized anything. Betis have even offered to take him back if nobody else signs him.
The "Worth a Punt" Tier
Memphis Depay — Forward, 30 (ex-Atlético Madrid)
Talented, inconsistent, injury-prone, and somehow still 30 years old (feels like he has been around forever). Depay scored 8 goals last season in limited minutes. On his day he is unplayable. The problem is "his day" happens about 12 times per season. MLS clubs are interested. So is Fenerbahçe. He would tear up the Turkish league.
Anthony Martial — Forward, 28 (ex-Manchester United)
Nine years at United, 90 goals, and a reputation that somehow got worse every season. Martial's United career is a case study in unrealized potential. He is 28 and should be in his prime. If a mid-table Premier League club or a French side can get him fit and confident, there is still a player in there. The question is whether anyone is willing to gamble on finding him.
Rafa Silva — Attacking Midfielder, 31 (ex-Benfica)
Technically brilliant Portuguese playmaker who decided to leave Europe for a mega-contract in Qatar last year. His Qatari adventure has ended and he wants back in. Several Turkish clubs are interested. At 31 he has got two good years left.
Market Trend
The free agent market is deeper than ever because clubs are getting smarter about wage structures. Players in their late 20s who want one last big contract are increasingly running down their deals rather than signing extensions. The result is a buyer's market for clubs willing to pay wages but not transfer fees. Smart teams are building entire squad depth through free agency — Chelsea and Newcastle have both done it this summer. If you are a mid-table club with a tight budget, this list should be your entire recruitment strategy.