Joshua Kimmich, Leroy Sane and Alphonso Davies
The biggest upheaval this summer could be at FC Bayern, where, in addition to icons Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer, three players in their prime are also due to make decisions on their future direction. Midfield engine Joshua Kimmich has worked his way back as a leading player since the arrival of Vincent Kompany and is seen as the logical captain after Neuer.
However, in view of the stalled contract negotiations and the memory of recent years, in which Kimmich was frequently and quickly criticised, the 29-year-old could move elsewhere. FC Barcelona have been repeatedly rumoured to be interested in recent seasons, and the appointment of Kimmich supporter Hansi Flick has not made the transfer any less likely.
While the club is clearly willing to extend Kimmich's contract, Leroy Sane and Alphonso Davies are in a more difficult situation. Sane is still only a rotation player under Kompany and is suffering from the strength of new signing Michael Olise in his position. As he is expected to earn around 20 million euros per season (£16.6m), the record Bundesliga champions could want to take him off the payroll.
Money is also the sticking point with Alphonso Davies. His advisors have been negotiating with Bayern bosses for many months over an extension to his contract, which expires in June, but the Canadian is not expected to break the 20 million mark. Should they fail to reach an agreement, Real Madrid would probably be a grateful buyer.
Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold
Only Liverpool FC are currently in a similarly precarious position to Bayern for the summer. The Premier League leaders are enjoying their place in the sun under new coach Arne Slot and everything could be so good if it weren't for the questions about the future of key personnel.
In Mohamed Salah, they currently have arguably the best forward in the world in their ranks, who is already scratching the mark of 40 goal contributions in competitive matches. In 2023, the Reds rejected a rumoured 150 million offer from Saudi Arabia for the "Egyptian King" and his contract is now due to expire. Liverpool will do everything in their power to keep their biggest attacking weapon.
The situation looks better for Virgil van Dijk, who is once again one of the best defenders on the planet this season. Liverpool have made a contract offer to the Oranje international and are expected to reach an agreement in the coming weeks. It would probably be the last big contract in the 34-year-old's career.
The situation is different for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is a real figure of identification as vice-captain and a home-grown talent. The 26-year-old can well imagine staying with his boyhood club, although he has long been tempted by an offer from Champions League winners Real Madrid. This could be a painful loss for Liverpool
Heung-min Son
Since his arrival in London in 2015, Heung-min Son has blossomed into an absolutely key figure at Tottenham Hotspur. With more than 250 goals to his name for Spurs, the South Korean is a club legend, but his future beyond the summer is also open.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported in November that the club had a clause to extend his contract until 2026, but so far there has been no news of this being activated. It is quite possible that the parties will part ways after ten years together and Son will sign a final, major contract with another club at the age of 32.
Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne is currently one of the faces of the crisis at Manchester City. As one of the greatest players ever to wear the City shirt, he enjoys endless credit with the fans, but this season has been one to forget. After a reasonably good start to the campaign, De Bruyne has found himself as a rotation player in Pep Guardiola's team due to a combination of injury problems and a lack of form.
Shortly before his contract expires, the former Wolfsburg player will turn 34. An extension in England currently seems unlikely due to the necessary upheaval at City; there is much more interest from PIF-supported clubs in Saudi Arabia, while the MLS is also one of the Belgian international's options.
Jonathan David
While his compatriot Davies could well stay, the time seems to have come for Jonathan David to move to a top European club. The attacker has been playing consistently at a high level for Lille and the Canadian national team for several years, but has made another significant leap forward this season.
The 24-year-old has scored six goals and provided three assists in 10 Champions League games, as well as 11 goals in Ligue 1, an outstanding record that has attracted the attention of several Premier League clubs, including Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Aston Villa. Juventus and Inter in Italy and Atletico Madrid in Spain are also rumoured to be interested in the striker's services.
Jonathan Tah
Jonathan Tah, who was one of the cornerstones of Bayer Leverkusen's magnificent 2023/24 season, is also all but certain to leave. The centre-back was already on the verge of moving to FC Bayern last summer, but his contract is now expiring, and a transfer to FC Barcelona is said to be a done deal, according to media reports.
Under Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, the 28-year-old has finally realised his full potential over the last two seasons and is now regarded as one of the most reliable and solid defenders in Europe. Tah was also a regular at the European Championships in his home country and now looks set for a big move to the European elite.
Neymar
Neymar is still one of the most important players in the world in terms of reputation and marketing, but his move to Saudi Arabia was not a success. The 32-year-old Brazilian moved to Al Hilal in 2023 after six years with Paris Saint-Germain. After just five games for his new club, Neymar suffered a cruciate ligament injury in October 2023 with Brazil, and a thigh injury later set him back again for a long time.
He has since been rumoured to be close to retirement, but Neymar has attracted the attention of MLS clubs. In particular from Inter Miami, where he would be on the pitch with his former teammates Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets - as well as with Javier Mascherano, who is now their head coach.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
It is only fair to mention the outstanding players of the last two decades in this list. At 37 and 39 respectively, Messi and Ronaldo are in the late autumn of their respective careers. "The end is near and I'm savouring and appreciating every moment as much as possible," the Argentine recently told Spanish newspaper Marca.
In the past MLS season, Lionel Messi scored a fantastic 21 goals in 22 competitive appearances for Inter Miami, but he was repeatedly hampered by minor injuries. Whether he will continue his career is still up in the air. "We'll see when the time comes. I don't want to say anything, I'm enjoying every day," said the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
As the US professional league is played in the calendar year, "La Pulga's" contract runs until the end of 2025 - in stark contrast to his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese has also settled in superbly in Saudi Arabia with 19 goals in 19 games this season, but his future is also up in the air.
According to The Mirror, Ronaldo has made it clear that his time in European football is behind him. It is therefore conceivable that he will remain with Al-Nassr, with whom he has not yet been able to celebrate a major title, beyond the end of his contract in June.
The soon-to-be 40-year-old has recently ruled out a coaching role or a position as club president, hinting at the possibility of club ownership after his career.