The summer transfer window has closed across Europe, but a group of high-profile players remain without clubs, including Paul Pogba, Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho and David Alaba.
Premier League clubs set a new spending record for the second consecutive summer, investing about £3.46bn in players including Enzo Fernandez and Bradley Barcola. Despite that level of activity, the market has not provided a destination for every established name.
The leading European leagues also spent heavily, with transfers involving players such as Yan Diomande, Rodri and Goncalo Ramos highlighting the scale of business completed during the window.
However, ten notable players are still available as the season continues.
Pogba left Monaco after the club terminated his contract following only one season. The World Cup winner made six appearances for Monaco last term, starting just one of those matches and coming on as a substitute in the other five.
The former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder is now attracting interest from Major League Soccer as he considers the next stage of his career.
Sterling is another prominent player without a club. His contract with Chelsea was terminated after a difficult period, while a subsequent spell at Feyenoord also failed to lead to a permanent solution.
The 31-year-old’s situation mirrors the decline experienced by fellow winger Sancho, whose recent career has included loan spells at Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea and Aston Villa before he was released.
Sancho has continued training independently and has used the facilities at Flixton FC to maintain his fitness. He was the subject of an enquiry from Qatari club Al Rayyan, although no transfer has materialised so far.
Experienced players still waiting
The remaining names on the list include Yves Bissouma, Reiss Nelson and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who all continue to wait for their next clubs.
Former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez is also without a side, alongside Dani Carvajal, Mauro Icardi and Alaba. The group includes players with significant experience at the highest level of domestic and international football, but none has yet secured a new contract after the main window closed.
Bissouma, Nelson and Zinchenko have all been associated with Premier League football, while Mahrez, Carvajal, Icardi and Alaba have also built lengthy careers at major clubs. Their continued availability underlines how movement can remain possible even after the traditional transfer deadline has passed.
The free-agent market operates beyond the close of the summer window, giving unattached players the opportunity to continue negotiating with interested clubs.
For Pogba, Sterling, Sancho and the other six players, that means there is still a route back into competitive football. With the season already under way, they will remain hopeful of finding new clubs in September and preserving their careers.