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With a hoard of players leaving their teams on free transfers this season, interested clubs will already be lining up potential targets whose contracts end in 2022. Due to the ongoing pandemic, renegotiation of contracts have proven to be a herculean task for multiple European powerhouses.
While Barcelona are struggling to pay the current salaries of their employees, let alone revise terms with them, PSG have had a field day in the transfer market.
The French giants managed to sign Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum and the 'goat' Lionel Messi for a combined fee of zero. Considering the sheer number of free transfers this season, it is clear that clubs will be looking to sign more out-of-contract players come 2022.
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The current contractual situation of some notable players
Real Madrid recently tied first-team players Dani Carvajal and Thibaut Courtois on long-term deals, securing their goalkeeping and right-back posts for the near future. Luka Modric also accepted a one-year extension to his current contract, which was supposed to run out earlier this summer. Karim Benzema has also signed a revised deal with Los Blancos, extending his stay until 2023.
Despite shrugging off rumors about a potential move away from Juventus, Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to commit to a new deal in Turin. The Portuguese veteran is set to become a free agent next summer if no middle ground is reached with the Bianconeri over a new deal.
With the theme of expiring contracts on our minds, let's take a look at five of the most valuable players whose current deals are cited to run out in 2022:
#5 Ansu Fati - €60m (Barcelona)
Kicking off the list is teenage sensation Ansu Fati. The Spaniard would've ranked much higher a few weeks earlier, but his stock has taken a serious hit due to his long-term injury. Fati last appeared for Barcelona in November 2020 against Real Betis in a La Liga clash. The youngster suffered a meniscal laceration on that fateful day, ruling him out for the rest of the season.
Prior to his spell at the treatment table, Fati had displayed excellent signs of progression. Since making his first-team debut in 2019, the talented playmaker has experienced a meteoric rise. Fati broke multiple records following that, becoming Barcelona's youngest ever debutant in both La Liga and the Champions League.
His brilliant performances in his first season compelled Barcelona to offer the young prodigy a senior contract last season. Still just 18, Fati has a long and prosperous career ahead of him if he manages to maintain a sturdy fitness record. Whether that future lies in Catalonia or not is yet to be confirmed, with his current contract poised to expire in the summer of 2022.
#4 Paul Pogba - €60m (Manchester United)
Probably one of the most enigmatic players currently plying their trade in the Premier League, Paul Pogba has had his fair share of trouble in the past five years. Graduating from the fabled Manchester United academy, the French midfielder was allowed to leave on a free transfer to Juventus in the summer of 2012. That decision came back to haunt the Red Devils as they were forced to splash out a club-record €105m in 2016 to sign him back.
Ever since his return to Old Trafford, Pogba has attracted an equal number of admirers as well as critics. The midfielder is often labeled as the sole factor behind United's recent misery. However, this statement could not be further from the truth. A victim of his own versatility, Pogba has shone whenever he is deployed alongside adept defensive midfielders. The flashy box-to-box middle-man thrives on the occasions where he is allowed to explore the advanced regions of the pitch according to his liking.
In Manchester United's opener against Leeds, Pogba laid out a record four assists, silencing all his doubters. With his contract due to expire next year, the French World Cup winner will be on the shopping list of many elite clubs. Manchester United will have to act fast to secure Pogba on a long-term contract soon if they don't want to lose him on a free transfer.
Also read: 5 players with the highest combined transfer fees (2021)
#3 Leon Goretzka - €70m (Bayern Munich)
The contractual situation between Leon Goretzka and Bayern Munich seems to be resolving, but the German midfielder is yet to sign a long-term deal with the Bavarians. Goretzka was acquired by his current employers in 2018 on a free transfer after his contract with former club Schalke expired that summer.
Ever since joining the 31-time Bundesliga champions, Goretzka has seen an exponential increase in his stock. Signed as a €40m-rated player, the German midfielder's market value has almost doubled in the past two seasons. Goretzka was handed a double-pivot role alongside Thiago by now-Germany boss Hansi Flick and thoroughly flourished in that position.
The 35-capped German international was an instrumental cog in Flick's side that romped to a 'sextuple' in 2020. With consistent top-notch performances on his resume, Goretzka has established himself as a mainstay in a rampant Bayern squad.
Nevertheless, prolonged contract negotiations have put the Bavarians at the risk of losing their star player in an identical fashion to how they acquired him: free of cost.
#2 Pedri - €80m (Barcelona)
Pedri played second-tier football as recently as 2020. Fast forward a year and the 18-year-old is arguably the best teenage footballer in the world and the frontrunner to win the Golden Boy award in 2021. Barcelona, amidst all their financial mismanagement, managed to stage one of the best bargains this century.
The Blaugrana paid €20m for the Spaniard's services, an amount which is currently equivalent to a quarter of his ever-growing market value. Exceptional at holding the ball, as well as creating chances out of nowhere, Pedri racked up more than 70 appearances for both club and country last season. A downright scary number for an 18-year-old.
The Spanish wonderkid was an ever-present for Barcelona as well as Spain's Euro squad, playing all but one available minute in the international competition. Not one to work and party hard, Pedri returned to the Catalans' training ground six days prior to his designated date. With such commitment to the club, his contract renewal might be a matter of 'when' rather than 'if'.
#1 Kylian Mbappe - €160m (Paris Saint-Germain)
Probably the most sought-after player in the footballing world as of now, Kylian Mbappe is gradually earning the reputation of a contract rebel in Paris. Signed on for a massive fee of €145m in 2018, Mbappe's move to PSG made him the most expensive teenager ever.
To say that the Frenchman has lived up to the billing would be an understatement. Mbappe has established himself as the main man at the Parc de Princes, even overshadowing Neymar at times with his brilliance. Due to his 'Galactico' status, the 22-year-old forward has been linked with a record move to Real Madrid, ever since his emergence. These rumors have picked up substantial heat over the past few days, with Mbappe constantly stalling on renewing his contract.
The French international has been a long-term admirer of Cristiano Ronaldo and his former team, Real Madrid. Mbappe's transfer to the Bernabeu seems to be becoming more and more imminent as time passes by.
However, the recent arrival of Lionel Messi could tilt the balance in PSG's favor. Whether Mbappe chooses to sign a contract extension with the Parisians or relocate to Madrid in a controversial move remains to be seen.
But if the move to Madrid goes through, it could alter the course of modern-day football.
Also read: 5 big clubs with cursed jersey numbers
