Sports
Best Premier League Players Whose Contracts Expire in 2027 [Ranked]
With the transfer market in full swing, we’ve seen Premier League clubs flex their financial muscles, but there is a section of the market that remains mostly untouched.
In football transfer business, there is one area clubs can target that gives them better negotiating power: players who have less than a year remaining on their current contracts. That leverage leads to potential opportunities for clubs that ordinarily wouldn’t have been possible before.
We’ve decided to collate the best 10 Premier League players whose deals expire in June 2027, and we’ve ranked them by pure quality right now and standing on the market — and their contract statuses are correct as of the time of writing.
How we ranked them: current form and quality first, then influence on their team, with contract situation as the qualifying filter rather than the ranking metric.
10
Harvey Elliott (Liverpool)
It has been a difficult 12–18 month period for Liverpool‘s Harvey Elliott. A favourite under Jürgen Klopp, he was included in every single matchday squad of the 2023-24 campaign, but now he finds his career in a state of stagnation.
A failed loan at Aston Villa leaves him to return to Anfield, where he’ll want to impress new manager Andoni Iraola — but the most likely outcome is a move away, either in this window or in six-to-12 months’ time. Yet, at 23, he still has so much more to give.
9
Jack Grealish (Man City)
On loan at Everton from Manchester City, Jack Grealish saw his form quickly resurface as he became the creative outlet for David Moyes‘ solid, resolute side. He had five goal contributions in his first six starts, though his output tailed off with just three across his next 11 league appearances.
Perhaps the return to regular starts was a shock to the system after two years of bit-part appearances under Pep Guardiola. The second half of his campaign was then wiped out by a foot injury, with his last appearance coming in January.
His long-term future rests with City, where new boss Enzo Maresca must decide in the summer whether Grealish figures in his plans or is sold for good — Everton hold a £50m option to buy. With his City deal expiring next year, this is the natural moment for a permanent switch.
8
Curtis Jones (Liverpool)
One of Liverpool’s best academy products of the past decade is also in a career quandary. Well-liked by both Klopp and Arne Slot, Curtis Jones has never nailed down a permanent midfield spot and has drawn transfer interest across the past six-to-12 months.
Serie A could be the destination, with Inter Milan hoping to land a bargain, but it will come down to Iraola’s preference. His technical gifts would certainly thrive in Italy if that move materialised but Nottingham Forest have also been linked.
7
Lisandro Martínez (Man Utd)
A key starter for club and country, Lisandro Martínez has been dogged by injuries since moving to Manchester United, with cruciate ligament and calf problems combining to limit him to fewer than 20 games in all competitions last season.
However, when he’s fit, he starts — and the 28-year-old proved at the World Cup that he should remain central for Michael Carrick next season. He faces a decision in the next 12 months: commit to United, or seek one final grand move.
6
Alisson (Liverpool)
Alisson Becker has been one of the standout goalkeepers in world football since moving to Liverpool in 2018, and with over 300 games and several major trophies, he can look back on a sensational Merseyside career. How much longer that continues is unclear.
Reports of a move away have been circulating and, at 33, he has a decision to make. His fitness isn’t quite what it was — he missed 18 games across the Premier League and Champions League — and both club and player will need to settle on the next chapter, together.
5
Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)
The French striker has already flirted with an exit and, at 29, a big move is now-or-never. Despite an up-and-down campaign, he lifted the Europa Conference League and netted 12 league goals, following up his 14 from the year before.
Strong, direct and a real handful for defenders, Jean-Philippe Mateta would be a shrewd signing for a European side — the likeliest outcome, particularly in the wake of Oliver Glasner’s exit.
4
Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal)
One of the young players Mikel Arteta has honed over his tenure, Gabriel Martinelli finds himself a backup in the current Arsenal setup, starting half their Champions League games and only 11 in their title-winning campaign.
At 25, he doesn’t look to be heading anywhere, and a new deal seems the likeliest outcome, even if Arsenal‘s left flank is an area to strengthen. With Leandro Trossard reported to be on his way out, the Brazilian will likely remain.
3
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Universally regarded as one of the finest defenders of the past eight or so years, Virgil van Dijk is in the final stretch of his career at the top level and must weigh his next steps. With Mohamed Salah having exited at the end of last season, his own thoughts will turn to the future — a move to a major club could still happen, even at 34.
He isn’t quite as imperious as he was, but there’s still time to forge another chapter in a Liverpool shirt, or elsewhere.
2
Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd)
The Premier League’s record-breaking playmaker has been a true talisman for United across the past five years, but he too stands at a critical point. With the Red Devils back among Europe’s elite, he’ll be front and centre once again.
Now 31, from the outside looking in, he is good enough to join a side genuinely challenging for trophies — which United aren’t — but the bond he has built at Old Trafford makes a departure hard to see just yet. There still feels like unfinished business.
1
Rodri (Man City)
A former Ballon d’Or winner was always going to top this list, even if the form that won him the award may never fully return. Having suffered a major injury just after claiming the global prize, he has struggled to rediscover those heights.
With Maresca bringing in Elliot Anderson, Rodri will be afforded more rotation after a season disrupted by groin, knee and hamstring trouble. Now 30, his very best days may be behind him — but on his day, he remains good enough to decide the biggest games.
Tottenham Hotspur have received another huge transfer boost after one of their key targets told them he’s keen to join during ‘positive’ talks.
Tottenham may have had two poor seasons in a row in the Premier League, but now they are the envy of many of their English top flight rivals after the business they have done and the money they have spent this summer.
Spurs sealed two early free-transfer agreements for Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi, who both arrive with huge Premier League experience, with Jan Paul van Hecke and Martin Dubravka also moving to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Perhaps the north London outfit’s most impressive summer business has happened since then though, with club chiefs breaking their transfer record twice to first sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United for £85m, before Sandro Tonali joined from Newcastle United in a deal that could eventually be worth £100m.
With their defence and midfield shaping up nicely ahead of next season, Roberto De Zerbi wants to bolster his attacking options next.
Tottenham remain in talks to try and reach an agreement with Manchester City to sign Savinho, according to Fabrizio Romano, while they could also sign a new striker too, with doubts over the future of Richarlison in north London.
Eli Junior Kroupi Keen to Join Tottenham
According to a top Tottenham source on X, the club has now held fresh transfer talks with Bournemouth striker Eli Kroupi Junior and his agent Moussa Sissoko.
The discussions are said to have been positive, with the French sensation once again expressing a desire to make the switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from the south coast.
The £100m-rated striker, who only turned 20 last month, shot onto the radars of top European clubs following an outstanding breakthrough campaign for the Cherries, as he helped them qualify for the Europa League after scoring 13 goals in 33 Premier League appearances.
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Junior Kroupi’s Agent Speaks Out on Transfer Links
Following the recent transfer links with Tottenham and other top European clubs, Sissoko has spoken out about his client’s future ahead of the new season.
He said: “We are still discussing his future. We’ll see what happens in the coming days; at the moment, there is no final decision.”
Bournemouth have no interest in selling their exciting attacker as they get set to embark on their first ever European campaign, having already lost the likes of Senesi and Antoine Semenyo in 2026.
TalkSPORT have reported that Spurs are lining up a potential £85m bid for Junior Kroupi’s services, having already shown they aren’t afraid to put serious money down for their top transfer targets.
The fact they already have player buy-in is certainly a positive, but now they must find a price that will convince the Cherries to cash in on a player who looks to have a huge future ahead of him.
If he did join, he would be competing with Dominic Solanke for a spot in De Zerbi’s starting XI.
Gary Lineker has sparked major backlash for his controversial Argentina comment ahead of the champions’ potential World Cup semi-final with England next week. The Three Lions legend has returned to punditry duties at this summer’s tournament, but has found himself at the centre of a storm over his handling of a sensitive political issue.
England face Norway on Saturday night, with the winners set to face either Argentina or Switzerland next week. After Thomas Tuchel’s side overcame altitude and atmosphere concerns to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium last week, hopes are growing that the nation can bring football home for the first time in 60 years.
Standing in their way, however, would most likely be Lionel Messi, who is once again in the form of his life after inspiring Argentina to World Cup glory four years ago. Having already discussed how England could deal with his brilliance in a potential showdown, Lineker has now sparked a backlash among some supporters over his latest political comments.
Love him or hate him, Lineker will always be a decisive figure in football and the wider world because of the fact he’s never been scared to voice his political stance. With the Falkland Islands already a sensitive subject after Argentina players sung a chant about it in the dressing room following their late win vs Egypt, the former Leicester City striker renewed hostilities by referring to it by its Spanish name.
Speaking about the rivalry between the countries on The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker said (watch the full segment below): “England could face Argentina in a semi-final, we’re getting ahead of ourselves a fraction, but so much history between our nations isn’t there?
“It’s not that long ago our two countries were at war, with the Falklands or Malvinas, even before that?”
His reference to “Malvinas” – the Spanish name used by Argentina for the Falkland Islands – quickly prompted criticism on social media. One X user remarked: He really is such an insufferable and cruel man. Men died for the Falklands, fighting a fascist invasion and attempted land grab. The disrespect he shows them.”
ANother continued: “Very disrespectful to the Falkland veterans. A deeply unpatriotic man, who with hindsight should never have been allowed to play for England,” while a third wrote: “I couldn’t despise him more than I already do!” Elsewhere, another concluded: “He’s such a comically impulsive traitor.”
Why The Falkland Islands Are A Controversial Subject
The Falkland Islands remain a highly sensitive subject in Britain following the 1982 conflict between the UK and Argentina, with the sovereignty dispute continuing to be a source of political tension between the two countries.
The conflict – which lasted 74 days and ended with an Argentine surrender as the islands were returned to British control – saw 649 members of the Argentine military, 255 members of the British military, and three Falkland Islanders all killed. Despite decades passing since the war, current president Javier Milei strongly reaffirms his belief in Argentine sovereignty over the territories.
The football rivalry has also produced some of the sport’s most iconic moments, including Argentina’s controversial victory over England at the 1986 World Cup, when Diego Maradona scored both the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal and his remarkable solo effort later dubbed the ‘Goal of the Century’.
England’s wait for revenge continued in 1998, but they have rarely come up against each other since. Indeed, the Three Lions got one over their rivals in 2002 with a 1-0 win, and a potential semi-final this year would be an incredible occasion. To prove the conflict between the two sides remains, English referees are banned from officiating Argentina due to political reasons.
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For so many years, Cristiano Ronaldo chased the World Cup. However, after Portugal were knocked out by Spain at the Round of 16, his dream ended.
Speaking to the press after the game, Ronaldo admitted that this was his final World Cup, sparking some controversy as he then claimed: “The Euros was the most important. For me, 2016 has the same dimension as a World Cup, honestly.”
Despite saying 2026 was his last World Cup, he refused to confirm that he will be retiring from international football altogether. The Al-Nassr ace told the press, “I don’t make decisions in the heat of the moment.”
In the immediate aftermath of the defeat, Roberto Martinez announced that he would be stepping away. Portugal have acted quickly to appoint Jorge Jesus as his replacement. The first big decision the new manager will have to make will be about the nation’s 41-year-old striker.
Jorge Jesus Discusses Ronaldo’s Portugal Future
Having been named as the new Portugal manager, Jesus revealed that he has yet to talk personally to Ronaldo but has claimed he will welcome him back into the international set-up. The 71-year-old, who has signed a four-year contract with Portugal to run through the 2030 World Cup, told the media:
“I haven’t spoken to Cris yet. He will never be a problem for the national team or for me. As for the controversy, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
“When the time comes to make a decision, I will speak with Cris and with everyone else individually. Cris is a symbol of Portugal. He will go down in history. It has been a great pleasure working with him. He is incredibly easy to work with.
“I need to speak with him to find out what he wants to do. He has always told me that he wants to finish his career at Al Nassr. If he is in a position to be called up, I will do so.”
Jesus Talks About Dropping Ronaldo
Jesus already has an established relationship with Ronaldo, having coached him in the Saudi Pro League at Al-Nassr across the 2025/26 season. He referenced this when talking about the player’s age and how to get the best out of the 41-year-old.
Jesus suggested he would be willing to drop Ronaldo if needed, which is something former manager Martinez seemed hesitant to do. The new Portugal boss explained:
“I’m 71, but I feel 50 because I’m healthy. I train every day — an hour or two. It’s going to be a tough challenge, but I’m convinced we’ll win.
“Age doesn’t matter. Look at Cris. Under me, he used to cover 8 kilometers per match, reaching speeds above 25 km per hour. He played when I felt it was necessary. Sometimes I wouldn’t even name him to the bench.
“Still on the subject of Cris, he played in 31 of 50 games last year. I substituted him 16 times and there were never any problems. I have a big advantage here because 12 of the players called up for the World Cup have already worked with me.”
It will be very interesting to see if Ronaldo continues to play international football or finally hang up his boots. He has 146 goals in 233 games for Portugal, including three at the 2026 World Cup.
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