Potential cut-price deals 

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The January transfer market is edging closer and teams will have been frantically planning possible additions to bolster their squad. The winter window is traditionally much quieter than the summer and there’s not many major deals completed with clubs unwilling to sell their biggest assets half way through the season.

The new year is also very significant as clubs will be able to agree pre-contract terms with players with deals ending in the summer of 2026. Numerous high-profile players have contracts expiring at the end of the season including Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konaté, Dušan Vlahović and Robert Lewandowski. But a plethora of elite players will also enter the last 18 months of his contract in January and that will put pressure on clubs to agree new contracts or cash in. We’ve analysed the most valuable players with contracts ending in 2027.

Most valuable players out of contract in 2027

Vinicius Junior is the most valuable player out of contract in 2027 and his future has been in the headlines regularly in Spain. It was widely reported that the Brazilian was refusing to sign a new deal while Xabi Alonso was in charge and there’s still been no breakthrough. Bukayo Saka ranks second but his situation is in stark contrast to Vinicius as the England international is on the verge of committing his long-term future to his boyhood club, Arsenal.

As the graphic above illustrates, Manchester City duo Phil Foden and Rodri complete the top five, alongside Harry Kane. The England captain’s future at Bayern Munich has been a talking point as it includes a release clause this summer, if Kane intimates that he wants to leave but the 32-year-old is happy in Germany. Various high profile players feature in the top 20 list including Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic.