€210m market value 

©TM/IMAGO

Premier League clubs have garnered a reputation for splashing the cash in transfer windows, but the best-value signings this summer could be ones that cost nothing at all. The international break in March often gives clubs a chance to sit down and discuss contracts and potential deals for the summer with league football on pause. And concerning players set to become free agents in June, it’s very much make-or-break time – especially for Liverpool and Manchester City – with the top 10 most valuable players combined representing a combined market value of €210 million.

Ibrahima Konaté has been linked with both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich as the 26-year-old ponders his Liverpool future. At the start of March, report suggested the Reds had held ‘constructive’ talks with the centre-back without reaching a resolution. With a market value of €50 million, it would be far from ideal for Arne Slot to have to replace Konaté without receiving a fee. But with just three months left to run on his current deal, that seems a distinct possibility at this stage.

As for City, Bernardo Silva has been coy in announcing what lies ahead for him. The playmaker has spent his entire Etihad career playing under Pep Guardiola and his future could well be tied to what the Catalan coach decides to do at the end of the season. In September, Silva said he knows “exactly” what he is going to do when his deal comes to an end, but the Portuguese did not publicly divulge what his plans actually were.

The same goes for John Stones, another City stalwart who no longer enjoys automatic starter status, as the 31-year-old could leave after 11 years in Manchester. All signs point to an emotional exit for the pair this summer as City continue their rebuild.

Fulham could lose a key duo in Harry Wilson and Ryan Sessegnon if they are unable to find an agreement with the pair. Wilson has put himself in the shop window with his best-ever return in a Premier League season, scoring 10 goals and assisting six for the Cottagers, while Sessegnon made a courageous return from a spate of injuries to play an important role and keep Antonee Robinson out of the team earlier this season.

Likewise, their west London rivals Brentford also face losing two long-serving players in Rico Henry and Mathias Jensen. Henry has been used primarily as a bit-part player since recovering from a knee injury, while Jensen is billed as a rotational player under Keith Andrews. With both players approaching what could be their final big contract of their careers, they may feel like exploring a free transfer could lead to a fresh challenge.

Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi is one name to keep an eye on this summer, with several big-name clubs monitoring his situation. The Argentina international, 28, looks set to depart the Vitality Stadium this summer and a number of teams, including Chelsea and Manchester United, have been credited with an interest. Names such as Yves Bissouma and Daichi Kamada are poised to leave Tottenham and Crystal Palace respectively, with likely interest from Turkey.