The Premier League transfer window may have slammed shut – but clubs can still snap up top class players for nothing.
English top-flight teams forked out over an incredible £1.8billion this summer – with Dominic Solanke’s £65m switch from Bournemouth to Tottenham the biggest move.
Other players that were involved in mega-money moves included Leny Yoro to Manchester United [£52m], Pedro Neto to Chelsea [51.4m] and Manuel Ugarte to the Red Devils [50.8m].
But the biggest transfer across the globe proved to be Kylian Mbappe‘s switch to Real Madrid.
The French forward decided to run his contract down at Paris Saint-Germain to join Los Blancos on a free, where he has already banged in four goals.
And there remains plenty of star-studded talent available for nothing from goalkeeper right up to attack.
That includes ex-Manchester United striker Anthony Martial and Liverpool cult hero Joel Matip.
With Premier League clubs to submit their final squads on September 14, teams could look to snap up some bargain players.
Here talkSPORT.com takes a look at the best free agents still on the market in a 3-5-2 formation.
Keylor Navas – GK
While the Costa Rican shot-stopper is 37-year-old, he remains a tidy choice for any top side looking for a new number one – or a top class back-up.
And he even has Premier League experience having spent the second half of the 2022/23 season on loan at Nottingham Forest.
A proven winner, Navas boasts three Champions League titles, one LaLiga crown, three Ligue 1 championships and three Coupe de France triumphs.
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Sergio Ramos – CB
He may be 38, but the Spanish veteran remains a formidable centre-back.
The Real Madrid legend spent the 2023/24 campaign back at former employers Sevilla, where he made 37 appearances in all competitions.
Moves to Saudi Arabia and the MLS have been mooted, with Premier League clubs needing to act fast if they wish to secure the 2010 World Cup winner’s services.
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Joel Matip – CB
The 33-year-old established himself as one of the top centre-backs in England during his eight-year spell with Liverpool.
Matip forged a brilliant partnership alongside Virgil van Dijk, where he helped the Reds win every domestic competition along with the Champions League.
Injuries limited him to just 14 appearances last season, but there can be no doubting his obvious class.
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Mats Hummels – CB
One of the most underrated centre-halves of this generation, the 35-year-old has been an ever-present starter at both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
He even proved influential in BVB reaching the Champions League final last term, where the German giants lost to Real Madrid.
West Ham have been heavily linked with the 2014 World Cup champion, where he could prove to be a mentor for the club’s young defence.
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Andre Gomes – CM
The 31-year-old was released by Everton this summer to bring an end to his time in Merseyside.
Having joined on an initial loan spell in 2018 from Barcelona, the Euro 2016 winner appeared in 114 matches, though his time was plagued by numerous setbacks.
But if fully fit, the Portuguese midfielder would prove to be more than just a squad player.
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Adrien Rabiot – CM
Incredibly, the 29-year-old has still not been snapped up – despite being a key started for Juventus across his five-year stay in Turin.
He even started for France at Euro 2024, with the ex-PSG star remaining at the top of his game.
Liverpool and Manchester United were linked with a move this summer, and it remains to be seen whether Rabiot will finally showcase his talents in the Premier League.
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Dele Alli – AM
Once viewed as a generation talent, injuries and mental health issues have restricted him to just 17 appearances in the last two seasons.
He failed to make a single outing for Everton last campaign, but as shown in training footage posted by the 28-year-old in June, the 37-cap England international can still be a force to be reckoned with.
All what the ex-Tottenham hero needs is a chance, and he can certainly repay any club’s faith on the pitch.
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Victor Moses – RM
Capable as playing as a right midfielder or right-back, the versatile ex-Chelsea man has spent the last four seasons in Russia at Spartak Moscow.
A Premier League and FA Cup winner with the Blues, the 33-year-old has also impressed at Liverpool, Inter Milan and West Ham during his career so far.
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Ivan Perisic – LM
Capable of playing anywhere down the left channel, whether it be in defence, midfield or attack, the 35-year-old is the epitome of a perfect squad player.
He starred in the 2022/23 term at Tottenham, before falling down the pecking order, resulting in him returning to his native Croatia to link up with Hadjuk Split.
A league title winner at Dortmund, Munich and Inter, there is still plenty of football left in the 2018 World Cup runner-up.
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Anthony Martial – ST
Martial arrived at United from Monaco in 2015 touted to become one of the world’s best players.
But repeated injury setbacks have stopped him from reaching his full potential, with the 28-year-old missing a total of 108 games as a result of 23 different knocks.
However he remains a viable option for potential suitors, with the Frenchman a deadly finisher in front of goal.
Though with Greek side AEK Athens believed to be keen on snapping him up, English teams are in danger of missing out on his signature.
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Memphis Depay – ST
A former teammate of Martial at Old Trafford, Depay underperformed for United – scoring just seven goals in 53 matches.
But he reinvented himself after joining Lyon in January 2017, which earned him a move to Barcelona in 2021, before joining Atletico Madrid the following year.
With 46 international goals to his name for Holland, he is just four strikes shy of equalling Robin van Persie’s record of 50.
Now 30, Depay could be finally ready for one last crack in the Premier League.
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