✍️ Former stars from European giants now free agents, see the list | OneFootball

The closing of the transfer window in Brazil and Europe does not mean that clubs are prevented from strengthening their squads. Some players remain without a contract and are available to sign with any team.

In Série A, for example, clubs in the Brasileirão can register free agents until October 3rd.

Among the "free agents" on the market are Guillermo Ochoa, Hakim Ziyech, Rafinha Alcântara, Diego Costa, Jean, Jamal Lewis, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Christian Eriksen.

Check out our list below*, which also includes names like Sergio Reguilón, former Real Madrid, and Oriol Romeu, former Barça.

*According to information from Transfermarkt.

Guillermo Ochoa

A legend of the Mexican national team, with appearances in five World Cups, he left the Italian club Salernitana in July. He even negotiated with Burgos, from Spain’s second division, but backed out at the last minute—he literally went out for a coffee and never returned to sign the contract.

Hakim Ziyech

A standout at Ajax with stints at Chelsea and Galatasaray, the Moroccan midfielder terminated his contract with Al-Duhail, from Qatar, in May 2025 after just four months. He has struggled with injuries in recent seasons.

Rafinha Alcântara

Son of Mazinho, world champion in 1994, the 32-year-old midfielder built his career in Europe (Barcelona, Inter Milan, Celta, PSG, and Real Sociedad) and was at Al-Arabi, in Qatar, until July 2024. Since then, he has been without a club.

Diego Costa

At 36, the striker has not played since leaving Grêmio in December 2024, after being the top scorer and best player of the Campeonato Gaúcho. He was approached by some clubs but remains without a team.

Jean

Former goalkeeper for São Paulo, Bahia, and Atlético-GO, he had been at Cerro Porteño since 2021. He terminated his contract with the Paraguayan club in May and is now available on the market.

Jamal Lewis

The left-back was released by Newcastle in July. The previous year, he was loaned to São Paulo, where he played only six matches before suffering an ankle injury that required surgery.

Takehiro Tomiyasu

The Japanese player left Arsenal after his contract ended in July. A knee surgery in February 2025 limited his last season to just six minutes on the field. He is still recovering.

Christian Eriksen

After three seasons at Manchester United, the Danish midfielder did not have his contract renewed in May. Free since then, he has yet to decide on a new destination and was left out of Denmark’s latest call-up.

Kurt Zouma

The French defender left West Ham at the end of June and, at 30, is looking for a new destination in Europe.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

The English midfielder terminated his contract with Beşiktaş and is trying to regain his place in European football after an unremarkable spell in Turkey.

Sergio Reguilón

The full-back, developed by Real Madrid, became a free agent after his contract with Tottenham ended in July.

Karl Toko-Ekambi

The Cameroonian striker, who has played for Lyon and Villarreal, did not renew in Arab football and is awaiting offers.

Emmanuel Dennis

The Nigerian striker, formerly at Nottingham Forest, became a free agent at the end of August and is seen as an affordable option on the market.

Josh Brownhill

The English midfielder, who played for Burnley, ended his contract in July and could be an important addition for Premier League teams.

Jason Denayer

The Belgian defender, formerly of Manchester City and Lyon, ended his contract in the Middle East and is still without a club.

Oriol Romeu

The 33-year-old defensive midfielder had his contract terminated with Barcelona at the end of August, making him free to sign with another club. The agreement was reached by mutual consent.

Rafael Carioca

The Brazilian midfielder ended his nearly decade-long stint with Tigres (MEX) and did not have his contract renewed at the end of June 2025. He officially said goodbye to the club and is now a free agent—rumors indicate that Grêmio, his formative club, is considering a possible return.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

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