From a trio of Liverpool superstars and a duo of Manchester City icons to Tottenham forward Son Heung-min, here is a look at the best XI of impending free agents in the summer 2025 transfer window.
The formation utilized will be a 4-3-3 without a playmaker, as this remains the most common formation utilize by the top teams in European football. Contract expiry is based on data from Transfermarkt.
GK Alex Meret, Napoli
Alex Meret is capable of producing fabulous saves and is one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A, which just might have the most goalkeeping talent of any league in world football.
Although Napoli’s poor 2023/24 season has caused Meret to fall by the wayside in discussions of the better keepers in Europe, the 27-year-old is a top player in his prime who is capable of the spectacular.
LB Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich
One of the best left backs in world football, Alphonso Davies has rejected Bayern Munich’s attempts to keep him in Bavaria and seems to have his eyes set on a move to Real Madrid, where he is valued highly by Juni Calafat.
Real Madrid could still keep Ferland Mendy at Carlo Ancelotti’s request, and the speedy Davies could be a great complement at left back to the highly defensive Mendy.
CB Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool
Virgil van Dijk bounced back alongside his Liverpool teammates as the Reds returned to Premier League title contention in the 2023/24 season. Once again, the Dutchman was the best center back in the world, benefiting from Eder Militao’s ACL tear to claim the top spot.
Nobody seriously believes van Dijk or any of the superstars on expiring contracts at Liverpool will be leaving the club this summer, but there are whispers one player could be the odd man out. I doubt that would be a leader like van Dijk.
CB Jonathan Tah, Bayer Leverkusen
Jonathan Tah hasn’t moved to Bayern Munich because of front office friction between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich after wild comments made by Bayer’s CEO about Bayern executive Max Eberl.
If anything, though, that is just prolonging the saga and making it such that Leverkusen will lose a key leader and starter from their undefeated championship side to their main competitors, record champions Bayern Munich.
RB Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool
Trent Alexander-Arnold, like Alphonso Davies, has been mired in transfer rumors to Real Madrid, who have long heralded the brilliant playmaker as their dream acquisition and future replacement for club legend Dani Carvajal.
Again, it’s hard to see TAA leaving Liverpool, but if anyone can convince him to make a move, then it is the Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Fede Valverde, and Rodrygo Goes-led juggernaut.
CM Joshua Kimmich, Bayern Munich
Joshua Kimmich has been linked to Real Madrid, too, but Barcelona seem to be a more favored destination with Hansi Flick on board. He could start in midfield or at right back for Barca, though he clearly favors the midfield – and Flick likes him there, too.
Since he would be a free transfer, Barcelona could easily afford Kimmich, and Flick likely has him on the top of his list of dream targets. Feeling disrespect by Bayern, the Champions League winner could very well make a move next summer.
CM Kevin de Bruyne, Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne should stay with Manchester City until he retires, but Man City don’t mind shuffling players, even those who have been incredibly key to Pep Guardiola’s success.
It’s hard to see KDB going to Saudi Arabia, but, then again, it was hard to see any of the superstars who went to Saudi actually going there. It’s honestly anyone’s guess as to what De Bruyne will do, but since he is still playing so well, it makes more sense for him to stay at the Etihad for at least one more season.
CM Ilkay Gundogan, Manchester City
Ilkay Gundogan just moved back to Manchester City after Barcelona sacrificed him to sign the younger Dani Olmo. The German international was Barcelona’s best and most consistent player in his lone season at the Camp Nou in 2023/24.
The 2022/23 Champions League winner is still one of the best midfielders in the world, though he is on his decline phase and might only have this one season at the elite level left at the age of 33.
LW Son Heung-min, Tottenham
Son Heung-min is a left winger by trade, but he can also perform as one of the best strikers in the Premier League, which he did last season at Tottenham when he scored 17 goals with 10 assists to lift Spurs back into Champions League competition.
As with so many of the iconic Premier League superstars on this list, there’s just no way Son leaves Tottenham next summer, no matter how much a Saudi Pro League club throws at him.
ST Jonathan David, Lille
It’s shocking that Jonathan David, one of the most accomplished goal-scorers in Europe’s top five leagues, hasn’t made a big move yet, and he could have been a better signing for Tottenham than Dominic Solanke at the same price – or less.
But David may be holding out, I suspect, because he and his agent can cash in even more as a top striker in his prime if he hits the free agent waters. All that bonus money will be his, and he can have his pick of any team in Europe not named Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, or Manchester City.
RW Mohamed Salah, Liverpool
Mohamed Salah isn’t going anywhere. He and his agent may be strumming up the waters of uncertainty and dangling the Saudi Pro League as a possibility, but I think it’s all a ploy to get Liverpool to pay him a ton one last time.
Although Salah is on the “wrong” side of 30, he is in such great shape that you wouldn’t bet against him flirting with 20/10 goals and assists for the next three seasons. He is elite and one of the best players in Premier League history.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He covered Real Madrid from 2019-2022 for The Real Champs as a site manager. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.