Best XI made up of players Man Utd, Chelsea and co can sign on pre-contract agreements | Football | Sport
Premier League clubs can now sign new players following the opening of the January transfer window, which means the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and their top-flight rivals will be working hard to get deals over the line. But the clubs could also use the start of the year as an opportunity to snap-up stars on pre-contract agreements before their deals expire in the summer. And Express Sport takes a look at a best XI of players who are soon to be out of contract.
Goalkeeper – Safonov
Russia goalkeeper Matvey Safonov is coming to the end of his deal with Krasnodar. Despite his country’s attack on Ukraine, football in Russia is continuing and the 23-year-old has appeared in 19 matches this season.
Defence – Ndicka, Skriniar, Grimaldo
Centre-back Evan Ndicka has been with Eintracht Frankfurt since 2018 but is yet to agree a new deal at the club. Inter Milan’s highly-rated central defender Milan Skriniar is in the same boat and won’t be short of offers if he does decide to move on, having been linked with six Premier League clubs in November, including the Red Devils, the Blues and Tottenham.
Benfica star Alejandro Grimaldo, meanwhile, illustrated his talents in the Champions League in the autumn as he bagged two goals and two assists to help his team finish above Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Group H.
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Forwards – Messi, Benzema, Thuram
One player Premier League giants such as Manchester City would surely love to have in their side is Lionel Messi. The 35-year-old proved he still has all the credentials to achieve at the top of the game after starring for Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar as his country ended the tournament as champions.
Karim Benzema, who is also just as much of a handful as he’s ever been at the age of 35, would represent excellent business if a team can prise him away from Real Madrid for nothing. And Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram would surely relish a move to England after scoring 10 goals in the Bundesliga this season.
