Three players Liverpool could sign for free in 2026 include Champions League-winning midfielder - opinion
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Liverpool could take advantage of the free agent market to strengthen their squad in 2026.The Reds are well aware there are players who could end up leaving clubs for nothing at the end of 2025/26, as they themselves could lose Ibrahima Konate.Konate has been in contract talks with Liverpool, but at present, there has been no confirmation of fresh terms being agreed.Join our newsletter for news & smart analysis. Who has been Liverpool’s best player in 2025?
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images 👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say As a result, foreign clubs could sign the Frenchman to a pre-contract agreement as early as January.Now, we have taken a look at some players who are due to be out of contract at the end of June next year, whom Liverpool could sign.Marc GuehiLiverpool tried to sign Marc Guehi in the summer transfer window, seeing their reported £35m offer knocked back.It has since emerged at the back end of 2025 that the Premier League champions could move for Guehi again.Jamie Carragher doesn’t think Liverpool will sign the centre-back, but if he is still available in the summer, it would be hard to turn down signing such a player for free.Of course, the Englishman may not be available later next year as Bayern Munich have spoken to Guehi, and they can sign him to a pre-contract next month.Dayot UpamecanoHowever, if that does happen, it could open the door for Liverpool to sign another reported target.Dayot Upamecano has been linked to Anfield this season amid his contract expiring next summer.The Frenchman is an experienced centre-half, an area in which the Reds are light right now.Should Konate leave, Slot would have just two fit senior central defenders available, as well as Joe Gomez covering two positions, so a move for Upamecano does make some sense.Leon GoretzkaSticking with Bayern Munich, experienced central midfielder Leon Goretzka is due to become a free agent next year.The 30-year-old has dominated in Germany for many years, winning six league titles and helping Bayern clinch the Champions League in 2019/20.He is an excellent box-to-box option and could provide good competition for the likes of Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch.And with Slot seemingly not keen to hand any sort of regular playing time to Wataru Endo, a new midfielder signing would be a wise decision in the long term.
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