Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool)
After a disappointing spell on loan at West Brom last season, Sturridge has been content to accept a bit-part role at Liverpool this time around. He’s already made some important contributions with goals against Chelsea and PSG, but the striker will surely want more regular minutes in 2019/20.
Liverpool will be loath to let Sturridge leave in January as they seek their first league title since 1990, but that could mean allowing him to walk away for nothing in the summer.
Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal)
Contract talks between Ramsey and Arsenal broke down in October, paving the way for the Welshman to leave on a free next summer. Ramsey has claimed that he doesn't know why the offer of a new deal was withdrawn by the club, but reports suggest that the Gunners' new hierarchy were unwilling to match his wage demands.
Bayern Munich, Juventus, Chelsea and PSG are all thought to be eyeing the midfielder, whose 10-year association with Arsenal looks to be coming to an end.
NEWS Juventus confirm interest in Ramsey
Adrien Rabiot (PSG)
Rabiot has endured a difficult 2018, failing to make France’s World Cup squad and then in effect ruling himself out of the tournament by refusing to be placed on the standby list. To cap it off, then followed a contract impasse with PSG.
The midfielder’s decision to turn down three separate offers from the French giants compelled sporting director Antero Henrique to rule that Rabiot won’t play for the club again until his future is sorted. Barcelona, Chelsea and Tottenham have all been linked with the 23-year-old, who could leave Ligue 1 in January.
NEWS No Barça agreement with PSG star Rabiot
Ander Herrera (Man United)
Herrera has struggled to nail down a starting spot for much of his time at Old Trafford, though has been in the side rather than out of it recently – not least under new boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The former Athletic Club man is a popular figure among Manchester United fans, but as his 30th birthday approaches is yet to commit his future to the Red Devils.
The most recent reports from December suggested that an extension was 'close', but so far nothing has materialised.
Vincent Kompany (Man City)
A combination of injuries, age and declining form has seen Kompany relegated from guaranteed starter to backup centre-back in the last couple of years. The Belgian started fewer than half of Manchester City’s Premier League games last season, and he’s only played 467 of a possible 1,800 minutes this time around.
Kompany remains a massive influence inside the City dressing room, though, and the club may conclude that it’s worth offering him a one-year extension to a deal which is set to expire in June.
David Luiz (Chelsea)
Luiz has returned from the cold to re-establish himself as a key figure at Stamford Bridge, but his second spell at Chelsea could come to an end in six months’ time. The Blues have a policy whereby they only offer one-year extensions to players over the age of 30; Luiz, who turns 32 in April, is thought to be after a longer deal.
Chelsea appear reluctant to make an exception for the Brazilian, which means he could be plying his trade elsewhere when the 2018/19 campaign gets under way.
Nacho Monreal (Arsenal)
Monreal has been one of Arsenal’s most dependable performers in recent years, but they could be about to lose him on a free transfer. The Spaniard turns 33 in February but remains a regular starter when fit for the Gunners, who may have to ward off reported interest from Barcelona if they’re to keep the left-back at the club beyond this campaign.
Monreal and Arsenal have begun talks over an extension, but nothing has been agreed as the defender enters the final six months of his current deal.
Juan Mata (Man United)
One of the first signings of the post-Alex Ferguson era at Old Trafford, Mata has now played more games for Manchester United than any of his previous clubs. The playmaker has won three trophies since arriving from Chelsea in 2014, but he would have hoped to add a Premier League title to his honours list by this stage of his United career.
Mata said he was “very happy” in Manchester when asked about his contract situation in December, but speculation over his future will continue unless he pens a new deal.
Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)
There have been signs of decline in Godin’s displays for Atletico Madrid this season, prompting speculation that this could be his final season in the Spanish capital. The rugged Uruguayan centre-half has only started 11 La Liga matches in 2018/19, with Stefan Savic, Jose Gimenez and Lucas Hernandez all competing for a spot in the backline.
Godin was linked with Manchester United last summer and is now supposedly attracting the attention of Milan, but Diego Simeone won’t want to lose the man who embodies his side’s fighting spirit.
Mousa Dembele (Tottenham)
Dembele came close to leaving Tottenham last summer amid interest from overseas, and 2018/19 is likely to be his final season in north London. Injury has restricted the Belgian to just seven Premier League starts this term, while the emergence of Oliver Skipp and resurgence of Moussa Sissoko have added extra bodies to Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield pool.
Thierry Henry is thought to be interested in bringing Dembele to Monaco, with a January transfer not completely out of the question for a player who turns 32 before the start of next season.
Mario Balotelli (Nice)
Balotelli has got his career back on track at Nice since joining in 2016, but many clubs will still be wary of a player whose off-field antics undermined his on-field efforts at Manchester City, Milan and Liverpool.
His struggles this season – zero goals in 10 Ligue 1 outings – may also harm his chances of a move back to one of Europe’s top sides, but Balotelli will have to choose his next destination wisely if he wishes to remain part of Roberto Mancini’s Italy setup.
Olivier Giroud (Chelsea)
Maurizio Sarri’s recent deployment of Eden Hazard as a false nine is evidence that he doesn’t completely trust either Alvaro Morata or Giroud. The latter only arrived at Stamford Bridge 12 months ago but looks set to depart either in January or June, with Chelsea’s contract policy meaning he won’t be offered anything more than a one-year extension.
Now 32, the former Arsenal marksman will be keen for more regular football from next season onwards – but he’s unlikely to get it in west London.
Brahim Diaz (Man City)
Jadon Sancho has proven this season that the grass sometimes is greener on the other side; the England international has been a revelation since swapping Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund, scoring six goals and providing seven assists to help Lucien Favre’s side take control of the Bundesliga title race.
Fellow youth team graduate Phil Foden has recently committed his future to City but Diaz looks set to depart, with Real Madrid favourites to land the Spaniard.
Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)
Welbeck is currently recuperating from a serious ankle injury and therefore won’t be going anywhere in the January transfer window. Beyond that, though, the former Manchester United man’s future is up in the air.
Arsene Wenger was supposedly keen for the forward to sign a new deal at the Emirates Stadium, but recent reports suggest that Unai Emery is happy for him to leave. And while Arsenal have extended the deals of injured players such as Santi Cazorla in the past, they don’t appear ready to do the same with Welbeck.
James Milner (Liverpool)
Having left Manchester City in order to secure more regular football in central midfield, Milner was frustrated to spend his second season at Liverpool playing as a left-back. A model professional, the former England international nonetheless carried out his duties with a minimum of fuss, before returning to the engine room last season.
Milner remains supremely fit at 32 and still has plenty left to give at the highest level, but the fact that his Liverpool contract expires in six months means he could be plying his trade away from Anfield in 2019/20.
Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)
After a decade of exemplary service, Robben will bid farewell to Bayern Munich at the end of June. “I can say that this is my last year and it’s good like that,” the winger said in December. “I think it’s the right moment after 10 years.”
It remains unclear where the Dutchman will end up next, but he won’t be short of offers from Europe, the United States and China. Manchester United are among the clubs who have been linked with the soon-to-be 35-year-old.
Eliaquim Mangala (Man City)
Mangala is still recovering from the knee injury which brought a premature end to his loan spell at Everton last January, meaning he’s unlikely to play for Manchester City again. The former Porto centre-back has started just four league matches for City since 2015/16, with the club likely to cut their losses in the summer.
Mangala has rarely convinced at the Etihad Stadium, but he was excellent for Porto and would represent terrific value for money on a free transfer.
