15 Premier League stars we can’t believe are in the final year of their contracts

10 Premier League stars we can’t believe are in the final year of their contracts

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool’s homegrown hero has had an up-and-down year.

He’s been experimented with in a midfield role by both Jurgen Klopp and Gareth Southgate, he lost his place in England’s starting line-up (although that was contentious to begin with), but now he seems rejuvenated in Arne Slot’s slightly less chaotic Liverpool team.

His qualities are unescapable. One of the best passers in world football, vision and accuracy off the charts, and his crossing from wide areas is insane.

Perfect for a team with a couple of shiny new strikers, not necessarily perfect for a team currently employing Diogo Jota as a sort of nine-and-a-half.

You know who’s got to shiny new strikers? Real Madrid, in the form of Endrick and Kylian Mbappe. Should Trent decide not to sign a new contract on Merseyside, Los Blancos will surely come a-knocking

Mohamed Salah

Speaking of Liverpool legends, one of their greatest ever players—and that is no longer up for debate—Mo Salah is also in the final year of his current deal, and after strong rumours of a Saudi move last year, this could be it for the Egyptian king.

The Reds have just signed Federico Chiesa on a ridiculously cheap deal, and Harvey Elliott is also comfortable out on the right wing. Ben Doak has just gone on loan to Middlesbrough, but the 18-year-old wonderkid is also at home on the right.

The succession plan is in place, and with his contract nearing its end, Liverpool will be worried about losing Salah on a free come the summer. Not that Salah owes Liverpool anything, to be fair—he’s been decent for them, hasn’t he?

Kevin De Bruyne

Let’s be real—KDB is arguably the best midfielder the Premier League has ever seen. If it’s not him, it’s a close fight between him, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Keane, Vieira, Scholes etc. But De Bruyne is certainly up there.

He’s 33 now, and the Belgian is coming toward the end of his prime years and the end of his current contract with Manchester City. De Bruyne will have no lack of suitors—any club that can afford his wages would surely welcome him with open arms.

Rumours of Saudi Pro League gathered around City’s main man this summer, and it’s likely those rumours will resurface before the end of the season unless he decides to sign on for another year or two in Manchester.

Heung-min Son

There’s a revolution underway at Tottenham. For the first time in a while, it feels like they’ve found a manager who’s there to stay in the shape of Ange Postecoglou. Harry Kane is gone, and so Spurs turned to Heung-min Son to lead them through the

However, the Korean’s contract is up at the end of the season, and surely Spurs won’t want to lose Kane and Son within the space of a calendar year. Two of the greatest players in the club’s history leaving in such quick succession will either make or break them, but it won’t do them much good if Sonny leaves on a free.

Where Son would go is anyone’s guess. He’s been at Tottenham for nine years now—ten by the end of the season—and you’d imagine he’s pretty settled in London. With his contract situation in the air, though, anything could happen. Maybe he’ll join Jessie Lingard in Seoul…

Virgil Van Dijk

He was key to the Klopp revolution at Liverpool. Sure, they’d already improved massively, but they were lacking a certain defensive sturdiness that the gegenpressing, chaotic nature of Klopp’s football desperately needed.

Van Dijk and Alisson Becker arrived, and suddenly all was well. Two Champions Leagues and Premier League title followed, and that was, in no small part, down to the defensive ferocity of VVD and Alisson allowing Mo Salah and his pals up top to do whatever the f*cking hell they wanted with minimal consequences.

The big man’s contract is up next summer, and it would appear that how quickly Arne Slot adapts to the Premier League may be crucial in VVD’s decision on what comes next in his career.

Sean Longstaff

Newcastle’s lad is perennially underrated by opponents and pundits alike. The Magpies went through a long phase, last season, during which if Longstaff didn’t play, they didn’t win.

Longstaff is the on-pitch embodiment of the Geordie fans—he works hard, he regularly runs further than any other player on the pitch, he does the dirty work, and he pops up with vital goals when

He does the unpretty work that allows Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon to shine, and the Toon Army knows that.

He’s also a homegrown player, meaning any transfer fee Newcastle could command for him, should they decide to move him on, is all the more valuable.

If Longstaff left Tyneside at the end of hit contract next summer, there are more than a few Geordies who would be gannen exceptionally f*cken radgie.

Tyrick Mitchell

Another homegrown baller arriving at the shallow end of his contract, Tyrick Mitchell has proved himself a vital part of Crystal Palace’s newly actually-quite-good side under Oliver Glasner.

Many fans considered Mitchell unlucky not to receive a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024, especially with the obvious lack of left-backs that was the talk of the nation for a few weeks.

He’s defensively very sound, winning more one-on-ones than almost any other full-back in the Premier League this season and least, he’s very capable going forward, and he can also play centre-back if needed.

Palace have lost Michael Olise to Bayern Munich, Joachim Andersen has gone to Fulham, and it looked for all the world as if Marc Guehi was on his way to Newcastle.

The Eagles surely won’t want to lose Mitchell on a free, but the more days that pass, the more likely that outcome appears.