The Premier League transfer window may be closed, but clubs can still snap up top players for free.
England’s top teams have spent an incredible £1.8 billion this summer – the biggest transfer being Dominic Solanke’s £65 million move from Bournemouth to Tottenham.
13
Other players involved in mega transfers included Leny Yoro to Manchester United. [£52m]Pedro Neto to Chelsea [51.4m] and Manuel Ugarte to the Red Devils [50.8m].
However, the biggest transfer worldwide turned out to be the move of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid.
The French striker let his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expire and moved to Los Blancos on a free transfer, where he has already scored four goals.
And there is still plenty of top-class talent available for free, from goalkeepers to attackers.
These include former Manchester United striker Anthony Martial and Liverpool cult hero Joel Matip.
With Premier League clubs set to announce their final squads on September 14, teams could look to snap up some cheap players.
Here The Pitch Prospect.com takes a look at the best free agents still on the market in a 3-5-2 formation.
Keylor Navas – Goalkeeper
Although the Costa Rican goalkeeper is only 37 years old, he is still a good choice for any top team looking for a new number one or a top-class replacement.
And he even has Premier League experience, having spent the second half of the 2022/23 season on loan at Nottingham Forest.
Navas is a proven winner, with three Champions League titles, one La Liga title, three Ligue 1 championships and three Coupe de France triumphs to his name.
13
Sergio Ramos – Centre-back
Although he is already 38 years old, the Spanish veteran is still an impressive central defender.
The Real Madrid legend spent the 2023/24 season back at his former employer Sevilla, where he made 37 appearances in all competitions.
Transfers to Saudi Arabia and MLS have been discussed, and Premier League clubs will need to act quickly if they want to secure the services of the 2010 World Cup winner.
13
Joel Matip – Centre-back
The 33-year-old established himself as one of England’s best central defenders during his eight-year stint at Liverpool.
Matip formed a brilliant duo with Virgil van Dijk, helping the Reds win every domestic competition and the Champions League.
Injuries limited him to just 14 appearances last season, but there is no doubt about his obvious class.
13
Mats Hummels – Centre-back
The 35-year-old is one of the most underrated central defenders of this generation and has always been in the starting eleven for both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
He even had a major influence on BVB reaching the Champions League final last season, where the German top club lost to Real Madrid.
West Ham have been heavily linked with the 2014 World Cup winner, who could prove to be a mentor to the club’s young defence.
13
Andre Gomes – CM
The 31-year-old was released by Everton this summer to end his time on Merseyside.
The 2016 European Championship winner initially joined on loan from Barcelona in 2018 and played 114 games, although his time was marked by numerous setbacks.
But once he is fully fit again, the Portuguese midfielder could prove to be more than just a squad player.
13
Adrien Rabiot – CM
It’s hard to believe, but the 29-year-old has still not been signed, despite playing an important role in Juventus’ starting line-up during his five-year spell in Turin.
He was even in the starting line-up for France at the 2024 European Championship and the former PSG star is still in top form.
Liverpool and Manchester United have been linked with a move this summer and it remains to be seen whether Rabiot will finally showcase his talent in the Premier League.
13
Dele Alli – AM
He was once considered a talent of a generation, but injuries and mental problems limited him to just 17 appearances in the last two seasons.
He didn’t make a single appearance for Everton last season, but as training footage released by the 28-year-old in June shows, the England international is still a force to be reckoned with, having made 37 appearances.
All the former Tottenham hero needs is a chance and he can certainly repay any club’s faith on the pitch.
13
Victor Moses – RM
The versatile ex-Chelsea player can play as both a right midfielder and a right back and has spent the last four seasons in Russia with Spartak Moscow.
The 33-year-old won the Premier League and the FA Cup with the Blues and has also impressed at Liverpool, Inter Milan and West Ham during his career.
13
Ivan Perisic – LM
The 35-year-old can play in any position on the left side, be it in defence, midfield or attack, and is the epitome of a perfect squad player.
He played a prominent role at Tottenham in the 2022/23 season before slipping down the pecking order and returning to his native Croatia to join Hadjuk Split.
As champions with Dortmund, Munich and Inter, the 2018 vice world champions still have a lot of football up their sleeve.
13
Anthony Martial – ST
Martial joined United from Monaco in 2015 and had a reputation as one of the best players in the world.
But repeated injuries prevented him from reaching his full potential. The 28-year-old missed a total of 108 games due to 23 different injuries.
Nevertheless, he remains a viable option for potential suitors as the Frenchman is a deadly goalscorer.
Although Greek club AEK Athens appears to be very interested in him, English teams are in danger of missing out on him.
13
Memphis Depay – ST
Depay, a former teammate of Martial at Old Trafford, underperformed for United, scoring just seven goals in 53 games.
But after joining Lyon in January 2017, he reinvented himself, earning him a move to Barcelona in 2021 before moving to Atletico Madrid the following year.
With 46 international goals for the Netherlands, he is just four goals away from equalling Robin van Persie’s record of 50.
At 30 years old, Depay could finally be ready for one last try in the Premier League.
13
13
BECOME PART OF THE DUGOUT
Have your say on all things The Pitch Prospect by joining The DUGOUT – our new listener panel.
We are all about understanding your perspectives and making sure The Pitch Prospect is the best it can be. Your voice is important and we want to hear it!
Present your groundbreaking ideas and participate in fun polls, votes and locker room discussions.
By signing up you will be entered into a prize draw to win one of four £50 Amazon vouchers. For each additional survey you complete you will be entered into another prize draw.
To participate in the panel “The DUGOUT”, Click here.