The amazing XI of players who moved on a free transfer this summer

Most clubs will do everything in their power to stop a player from leaving on a free transfer. It only takes common sense to understand that a club would prefer to sell a player for a nominal fee rather than risk losing the player on a free transfer.

Take for example the case of Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian was sold for £35 million this summer when the likes of Alisson and Kepa Arrizabalaga broke the transfer record for a goalkeeper. This is because Courtois was in the final year of his contract and thus his transfer fee went down massively.

Chelsea decided to sell the player this summer rather than lose him on a free transfer next year, but not all clubs think this way. In 2013, Borussia Dortmund opted against selling Robert Lewandowski despite the player’s refusal to sign a new contract while entering the final year of his contract. Dortmund opted to retain the player’s service for another season and let him leave for free a year later.

For varied reasons, there were several free transfers in the summer. In fact, there were enough free agents to build a fantastic squad. On that note, take a look at this amazing XI comprising only of players who moved on a free transfer this summer.

Note - Claudio Marchisio, Hatem Ben Arfa, Yaya Toure, John Terry and Diego Reyes are five notable free agents who haven’t signed for any club.

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Goalkeeper - Gianluigi Buffon (PSG)

Buffon ended his 17-year long stint with Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon is one of many goalkeepers to move on a free transfer this summer. The 40-year-old ended his 17-year long stint with Juventus in the summer for a new challenge.

The Italian announced his departure from Juventus with one league match left to play in the 2017/18 season. Although his contract ran longer, he was allowed to leave the club on a free transfer.

Buffon’s stint with PSG has been eventful already. He won the Trophée des Champions on his club debut, played with Timothy Weah years after playing against his father George Weah and played against Marcus Thuram, the son of his former Parma and Juventus teammate Lilian Thuram.

Honourable mentions: Pepe Reina (AC Milan), Lukáš Hrádecký (Bayer Leverkusen), Marwin Hitz (Borussia Dortmund) and Vicente Guaita (Crystal Palace)

Full-backs - Stephan Lichtsteiner (Arsenal) and Kwadwo Asamoah (Inter Milan)

Lichtsteiner was the first signing of the Unai Emery era

The two full-backs in this XI were also released by Juventus in the summer.

Stephan Lichtsteiner ended his 10-year stint in the Serie A and a seven-year stint with Juventus in the summer to join Arsenal on a free transfer. The Switzerland captain was the first signing of the Unai Emery era at Arsenal.

The 34-year-old represented Juventus in 257 games winning 14 trophies. In fact, he won the league title in all seven seasons he was with the Old Lady.

Asamoah was one of three first team players released by Juventus

Kwadwo Asamoah’s story is somewhat similar to Lichtsteiner. The versatile player joined Juventus in 2012 from Udinese but played only 156 games in six seasons for the club.

Asamoah was a utility player at Juventus and was deployed as a wing-back, left-back and central midfielder during his time there but he was never a crucial member of the team. In fact, he didn’t score a goal in his final four seasons with the club.

The 29-year-old was released in the summer upon the expiry of his contract and he joined rivals Inter Milan.

Honourable mention - Ivan Strinić (AC Milan)

Centre-backs - Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan) and Emre Can (Juventus)

De Vrij joined Inter from rivals Lazio

Inter Milan made eight signings in the summer to help bridge the gap between them and Juventus. Three of those signings are on loan and two, including Kwadwo Asamoah, were on a free transfer.

Inter’s second free transfer of the summer, Stefan de Vrij, was a high-profile signing. Inter secured Champions League football for this season on the final day of the 2017/18 season in dramatic style.

They beat Lazio 3-2 in an away game on the final matchday to pip Lazio on head-to-head to claim the final Champions League spot. In that game, de Vrij gave away a penalty which was converted.

Lazio were keen on keeping de Vrij beyond the summer but the player refused to sign a new contract and as a result, he joined Inter on a free transfer ahead of the new season.

Juventus have signed several top players on a free transfer in recent years

Emre Can is not a central defender by trade but he’s included as a centre-back in this XI for two reasons. One, he has played in that position several times during his stint with Liverpool and two, he’s too good a player to leave out of this XI and we were spoilt for choices in midfield in stark contrast to the central defence.

Liverpool couldn’t agree to new terms with Can over a new transfer but Jurgen Klopp opted to use the player’s service for another season instead of selling him for a nominal fee. This is a repeat of the scenario he had with Robert Lewandowski at Borussia Dortmund.

The German international is one of many stars to join Juventus on a free transfer in recent years.

Midfielders - Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Jack Wilshere (West Ham) and Andres Iniesta (Vissel Kobe)

Goretzka left Schalke to join rivals Bayern Munich

Schalke have lost a lot of fantastic players over the years and that list includes the likes of Manuel Neuer, Mesut Ozil and Ivan Rakitic. In recent years, they’ve lost some of their key players on a free transfer. Joel Matip to Liverpool two years ago, Sead Kolasinac to Arsenal a year ago and this summer Leon Goretzka to Bayern Munich.

Goretzka was a standout performer for Schalke last season as they finished second in the league and returned to the Champions League. However, success came at a cost as they lost yet another key player.

The German international chose to move to rivals Bayern Munich, following in the footsteps of Manuel Neuer.

Wilshere was deemed surplus to requirements at Arsenal

Arsenal have sold or released a plethora of players since the start of the 2017/18 season and Jack Wilshere is the longest serving player to leave the Gunners during this period.

The England international ended his 17-year long stay with his boyhood club after he was not offered a new contract. He moved across town to join West Ham, signing a three-year contract.

Wilshere played 197 games for Arsenal in 10 years as a professional but he spent a significant period on the treatment table which explains why the Gunners didn’t offer him a new contract despite the quality he has shown over the years.

Iniesta will play alongside Lukas Podolski at Vissel Kobe

Andres Iniesta was at Barcelona for 22 years and was a crucial member of the team that racked up numerous trophies in the 21st century.

Iniesta, 34, decided to leave the club at the end of the 2017/18 season and despite him having a lifetime contract with Barcelona, he was allowed to leave on a free transfer.

The Spaniard chose to move outside of Europe and he signed for Japanese club, Vissel Kobe, on a three-year contract. He has already scored twice in three games for his new club.

Honourable mentions: Santi Cazorla (Villarreal), Alen Halilović (AC Milan), Ki Sung-yueng (Newcastle United), Milan Badelj (Lazio) and Max Meyer (Crystal Palace)

Forwards - Nani (Sporting CP), Fernando Torres (Sagan Tosu) and Bernard (Everton)

Nani returned to Sporting for his third spell with the club

Nani started his career at Sporting before moving to Manchester United, Fenerbahce and Valencia. The Portuguese spent last season on loan at Lazio with little effect.

In the summer, the 31-year-old was allowed to leave on a free transfer and he rejoined his boyhood club Sporting CP. This is Nani’s third spell at Sporting after staring at the club and spending the 2014/15 season on loan at the club.

Nani has hit the ground running upon his return with two goals in two games so far.

Torres scored a brace in his final game for Atletico Madrid

Fernando Torres followed in the footsteps of Lukas Podolski and Andres Iniesta with a move to Japanese club Sagan Tosu. Like Podolski and Iniesta, Torres is also a World Cup winner.

The 34-year-old ended his second stint with Atletico Madrid after the 2017/18 season. He scored 38 goals during this period including two in his final game for the club and also won the Europa League.

Bernard is one of six players signed by Everton in the summer

Bernard is one of many notable Brazilian players to come through Shakhtar Donetsk. The 25-year-old left the Ukrainian side upon the expiry of his contract and was linked with a host of clubs including AC Milan and West Ham.

Eventually, the Brazilian signed for Everton on transfer deadline day and was one of six first-team players signed by the Merseyside club in the summer.

Honourable Mention: Keisuke Honda (Melbourne Victory), Wayne Rooney (DC United) and Mark Uth (Schalke)