Bernardo Silva to Chelsea? Predicting where the best 2026 free agents will go | OneFootball

The 2026 free agent market is strong, which means there are some big bargains to be had.

Including a couple of Manchester City legends and two players leaving Manchester United, we predict where 10 of the best free agents will end up in the summer transfer window.

Players like Marcos Senesi – who has essentially agreed his next move – and Andy Robertson – who has agreed his next move – do not feature, because that would hardly be a prediction, would it?

Bernardo Silva to Chelsea

There is nothing to suggest Chelsea want Silva, nor is Silva expected to play for another Premier League club after eight years at Manchester City. But he would be perfect for the Blues and may well fancy it after Xabi Alonso was appointed the Blues manager.

Chelsea are suddenly quite exciting again. Alonso is a major coup and the first ‘manager’ appointed in the Clearlake era, which means the Spaniard will have plenty of authority across the board, which obviously includes transfers.

Not only does Alonso have influence on transfers, but his presence changes the game and means players who previously had no intention of moving to Stamford Bridge are now at least a little bit intrigued.

Chelsea are clearly in dire need of more experience and Silva would provide that in abundance. He would not just be a leader on and off the pitch, but someone who makes the Blues a stronger football team.

It makes an incredible amount of sense so will obviously never happen.

John Stones to Everton

Ahh, the romance of it.

A return to Everton would not just be lovely, but a very smart decision for everyone involved. Michael Keane has improved and James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite are fine, but Stones would be an upgrade on all three, assuming he is more available than he was for Man City in 2025/26, when he only played 439 minutes and started five times in the Premier League.

Everton are a solid option. Maybe not the absolute best, but Stones’ ties make them a nice choice. Crystal Palace is another very good option after they qualified for the Europa League and lost Marc Guehi in January.

Brighton and Bournemouth also make sense after they qualified for Europe. Furthermore, the former could lose Jan Paul van Hecke and the latter are definitely losing Marcos Senesi – another top free agent but someone who has all but agreed a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.

Jadon Sancho to Borussia Dortmund

Back-to-back returns, is it? Sancho could be set for a third stint at Dortmund following the expiry of his Manchester United contract.

Sancho spent a productive, if not a little underwhelming, year at Aston Villa, winning the Europa League to complete the European trophy trifecta. We can’t see the Villans signing Sancho permanently and another top Premier League club is unlikely to sign him now.

That opens the door to a Dortmund return and not only do we think it makes sense, the German side are reportedly interested in a reunion.

Sancho’s best football was played in Germany and while there’s little chance he replicates the performances from his first stint at Dortmund, this transfer offers him the best chance of getting somewhere close to his best again.

Harry Wilson to Aston Villa

After a career-best campaign for Fulham, Wilson is a wanted man. He might absolutely stink of being a one-season wonder, but that will not stop him from earning a lucrative contract, which, at the age of 29, is fantastic timing.

Wilson is extremely likely to remain in the Premier League and a transfer to Villa has been in the works for a few months. Clubs in England are restricted by pre-contract rules, meaning negotiations with Wilson’s camp have not been permitted, but with Wales not at the World Cup, this should be resolved pretty quickly.

Villa need more in attack to continue their immense progression under Unai Emery and with Sancho gone and unlikely to be signed on a free transfer, Wilson would be a very sensible addition.

Casemiro to Saudi Arabia

Two years on from Casemiro’s nightmare at Selhurst Park, he leaves Manchester United with his reputation more intact than it has been in English football. In fact, supporters wanted him to stay.

He now gets the chance to move to Saudi Arabia on his own terms and we fully expect him to do so.

Robert Lewandowski to Chicago Fire

Lewandowski is the biggest name on the free-agent market and if anyone deserves to sail off into the sunset and enjoy a semi-retirement, it’s him.

The Polish legend is expected to make the move to Major League Soccer and Chicago Fire appears to be his most likely destination. The Fire have started the 2026 season well and if Lewandowski joins, he will help form one of the best attacks in MLS with Hugo Cuypers.

MLS is not a sure thing for Lewandowski, who could move to Saudi Arabia or perhaps a Champions League club. He has never played in the Premier League, so that would be fun. Unrealistic, but fun.

Andreas Christensen to AC Milan

Yep. Checks out. Sometimes there’s no need to say or think any more.

Dusan Vlahovic to Saudi Arabia

There are so many clubs linked with Juventus striker Vlahovic, yet we are unsure how much of the reported interest is genuine. Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Napoli, AC Milan, Roma, Inter, Fenerbahce, Everton and Arsenal are among those said to be interested. It really is anyone’s guess where this guy ends up.

His €27million-a-year Juventus contract expires this summer and those ridiculous numbers will hold him back when finding a new club more than any performances on the pitch could.

Vlahovic is restricted to a certain calibre of club unless he significantly reduces his wage demands, and that will never happen to the extent that allows Everton or the vast majority of Juve’s Serie A rivals to sign him.

With that in mind, we predict Vlahovic to struggle for realistic and ambitious options, resulting in an eventual transfer to the Saudi Pro League.

Julian Brandt to Galatasaray

Manchester United, Aston Villa and champions Arsenal are the Premier League clubs reportedly interested in signing Brandt, which tells us how good he is. Not good enough for a place in Germany’s World Cup squad, mind.

We don’t see Brandt coming to England. The 30-year-old has spent his whole career in Germany and if he doesn’t stay there, he will take on a semi-retirement. That means the United States, Saudi Arabia or Turkey.

Undoubtedly, Saudi Arabia and the USA are far less ambitious moves than Turkey, and especially Galatasaray, who have won each of the last four Super Lig titles. The 27-time Turkish champions have made some big signings in recent years, such as Victor Osimhen, Gabriel Sara and Leroy Sane, meaning Brandt would fit right in and would be a player Gala can afford to sign.

Leon Goretzka to Juventus

Goretzka is another player Arsenal are reportedly looking at, with it being reported in March that Andrea Berta was plotting a good old double swoop.

Never going to happen.

Arsenal are not signing Goretzka but a Premier League transfer is not out of the question. Manchester United? Maybe. That ship may well have set sail, though.

Juventus have a strong record of signing free agents and a year on from landing Jonathan David, we can see Goretzka joining the Canadian in Turin.