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No club wants to see their players leave as free agents. It's not because they are overtly generous or compassionate in that sense, it's just that it's really terrible for business. If a player wants to leave, then it makes sense for the club to make some cash out of it.
However, if he is running out of contract and the club can't get him to sign an extension, it will lead to a bit of animosity between the two parties. That's mainly because of the monetary aspect. However, there are also players whom the club are happy to let go as free agents as well.
This summer's transfer window is going to be an exciting one and that's for certain. There is an array of superstars who are set to officially become free agents in the summer.
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Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the biggest stars who are running down contracts at their current clubs.
#5 Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich centre-back Niklas Sule has already admitted he is looking to leave the club in the summer. The 26 year old wants to take up a new challenge elsewhere and is thus not keen on extending his current contract, which expires this summer.
Sule has had a wonderful spell at Bayern Munich and even won the continental treble with the Bavarians in the 2019-20 season. He has attracted plenty of interest from other European giants and it will be very interesting to see where he decides to go in the summer.
Sule joined Bayern Munich in the summer of 2017 on a five-year contract. He has not signed an extension since and Bayern Munich will actively be looking for a replacement for him right now.
#4 Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea)
Antonio Rudiger had become a peripheral figure at Chelsea under former manager Frank Lampard. But Thomas Tuchel has dragged him back from obscurity and transformed him into one of the best centre-backs in Europe.
The German international has been a warrior-like presence for the Blues at the back. He has played a huge role in making Chelsea one of the most defensively formidable sides in all of Europe.
However, Rudiger's current contract expires this summer. The 28 year old reportedly earns £100,000 per week in wages. According to Marca, Rudiger wants his salary to be raised to £180,000 per week over five years or £220,000 per week over four.
Rudiger wants his wages to reflect his importance to the side. Chelsea have so far only offered £135,000 per week in wages and are reportedly unlikely to match Rudiger's demands. One thing is for certain and it is that there will be no shortage of suitors for him when he becomes a free agent in the summer.
#3 Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)
Ousmane Dembele's contract standoff is arguably the ugliest of the lot. The Frenchman was signed in 2017 for a whopping €140 million from Borussia Dortmund. He was seen as a like-for-like replacement for the departing Neymar Jr.
Although Dembele has shown flashes of his genius, he has been inconsistent throughout. Niggling injury issues and disciplinary problems have not helped his case either. In four and a half seasons at the club, he has made just 129 appearances for Barcelona, scoring 31 goals and providing 23 assists.
Those are not the returns the Catalans expected from Dembele when they signed him. Yet they were willing to offer him a new deal. But Barcelona were put off by Dembele's dastardly wage demands and asked him to find a new club in January.
The Frenchman has failed to do so and is likely to spend the rest of the 2021-22 season on the sidelines. Even if he does feature for Barcelona before the end of the season, there is no way he will be there beyond this summer.
#2 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Inconsistency has been a major theme in Paul Pogba's second stint at Manchester United. The Frenchman is unstoppable when he is on song but he has not been able to sustain those levels for an extended period of time.
It's fair to say that a large section of the Manchester United fanbase is now resigned to losing him. Contempt for his agent Mino Raiola, who has undermined Manchester United and their managers on multiple occasions, is growing.
However, La Pioche is one of the finest passers in the world and Manchester United could definitely use him if he decides to commit his future to the club. For now, it looks like Pogba will make up his mind based on who the next manager of the club will be.
His current contract expires in the summer and if he doesn't like what he sees, he is off. But it will be interesting to see which European giants will be willing to take him given his inconsistency and lack of discipline as a central midfielder.
#1 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Kylian Mbappe wanted to leave PSG last summer when they could still cash in on him. The 23 year old's mind was clearly set on moving to Real Madrid but Paris Saint-Germain refused to let him leave. The Frenchman has since publicly discussed his disappointment at having his dream move blocked.
Things look rather grim for PSG from a financial standpoint right now. They signed Mbappe permanently in 2018 for €145 million and are now set to lose him for free as his current contract expires in the summer.
Mbappe has also been PSG's best player this season, scoring 19 goals and providing 16 assists in just 29 appearances across all competitions. PSG will clearly miss him on the pitch as well.
Mbappe is already being rumored to have agreed to join Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer.
