Football
Jon Molyneux-Carter, Senior Editor 5y

Top free agents in 2020: Cavani, Willian, Giroud, Silva lead the way

With the transfer market set to be in chaos this summer as football deals with the coronavirus outbreak, it's worth knowing that some big names are available on a free transfer in 2020 from Europe's biggest clubs if they don't put pen to paper soon.

FIFA has approved plans for the summer transfer window to move and players with deals expiring on July 1 be offered short-term contracts until the seasons start back up again. But here are the top players who that will affect, with the help of Transfermarkt.

Edinson Cavani (PSG)

The Uruguay striker was close to joining Atletico Madrid in the winter window, but PSG's demands for €20 million scuppered the deal. Now he'll have his pick of clubs in the summer and will likely still choose Atleti, although they might have other plans to boost their strikeforce by then.

Olivier Giroud (Chelsea)

Giroud made a case before the Premier League's enforced coronavirus break that he should be awarded a new contract with some fine form, but the 33-year-old is still yet to agree one and could attract interest again from Inter Milan, Lazio and Tottenham -- all of whom tried to land the striker in January.

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Willian (Chelsea)

Now that the Callum Hudson-Odoi contract saga has finally been put to bed, Chelsea can turn their attentions to Willian and Pedro, whose deals are also expiring. The club need to act fast unless they want to lose them for nothing, though the feeling is that Willian will stay (amid interest from Tottenham, Juventus and PSG), while Pedro has already confirmed that he will leave.

Layvin Kurzawa and Thomas Meunier (PSG)

France left-back Kurzawa was linked with Arsenal and Juventus in January but expect those clubs to come back in for him if he's available for nothing. Juve wanted a swap deal to include Mattia De Sciglio, but that eventually fell apart. Belgium right-back Meunier has already agreed to move to Dortmund, sources have told ESPN.

Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham)

Vertonghen could yet follow the lead of Toby Alderweireld and commit to another one-year deal, but the 32-year-old has looked a frustrated figure under Jose Mourinho. Spurs were reportedly willing to sell for around £6m in January but got no takers. Perhaps more important now is the future of 21-year-old Japhet Tanganga, who has yet to agree a new contract despite impressing earlier this season.

Adam Lallana (Liverpool)

Liverpool's march to the Premier League title this season has happened without too much help from the former Southampton midfielder. In fact, he's been a bit-part player for the past few seasons but could play an important role at a smaller club as he's still only 31.

David Silva (Man City)

He may be 33, but Silva is still top quality and has already revealed that he will be departing after 10 years. City have another Silva -- Bernardo -- to replace him, as well as young Phil Foden, but the Spaniard will continue playing and told ESPN FC last year that he would like to end his career playing for Las Palmas, his hometown club on the island of Gran Canaria.

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Dries Mertens (Napoli)

Napoli have a decision to make over Mertens, who is stalling over new terms with Manchester United and Chelsea having reportedly been interested in January. The future of another 32-year-old, Jose Callejon, is also up in the air as he turned down a move to Shanghai Shenhua in the summer.

Mario Gotze (Dortmund)

Forever to be known as the man who scored the winner in the 2014 World Cup final for Germany, Gotze may feel like he has some more to prove. Still only 27 and after a failed move to Bayern, links to Liverpool (and former boss Jurgen Klopp) won't go away but there will be competition for his signature if he leaves Dortmund.

Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth)

Bournemouth are reportedly ready to offer around £100,000-a-week to winger Fraser to keep him at the club, but Arsenal and Leicester have shown an interest and his head has been turned. Both player and club have suffered from the speculation, with the 25-year-old stating recently that he was sorry for how it affected him. Bournemouth could also lose Jordon Ibe, whose deal is up as well.

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