Benzema, Kante and the expiring stars who could still stay

Carlo Garganese

• 1 Mar 2023 15:45 CST
• 4 min read

There are now less than four months to go until all footballers whose contracts expire at the end of the season will be able to leave their current clubs on a free transfer.

Every player who sees their contract expire on June 30 are already able to negotiate a pre-contract - a Bosman Transfer - with a new club.

Out of contract players who could stay

The vast majority of players whose contracts expire will leave their current clubs on a free transfer.

READ MORE: The players out of contract in 2023

But there are a small group of players who could yet extend their current deals and stay.

N’Golo Kante is the most high-profile example. According to multiple reports, the Frenchman has agreed a new, long-term Chelsea contract, with official confirmation expected in the near future.

He is said to have agreed on a new deal until 2026 with the option to extend it for a further year to 2027. The deal is said to have all been done, with Chelsea making the offer in January and Kante initially requesting time to think it over before accepting.

Another player who is expected to extend is Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema.

Benzema is now in his 14th season at Madrid, scoring almost 350 goals and leading the club to multiple titles.

He won the Ballon d’Or last year after leading Madrid to another Champions League title.

There has been some concern recently about the number of injuries he has received this season but the 35-year-old is expected to pen a one-year renewal.

Luka Modric is now 37 but is still playing at a world-class level and for that reason he is expected to stay for another year also. Modric and Madrid will discuss a new deal in the closing weeks of the season, as they usually do.

Toni Kroos is 33 and his future is much more in doubt than his long-term central midfield partner. There have been reports that Kroos may even contemplate early retirement at the end of the season. It is expected that discussions on his future will begin in the next month but there is still the possibility he could stay on.

Juventus have a host of players whose contracts are expiring at the end of the season, including Adrien Rabiot, Juan Cuadrado, Alex Sandro and Angel Di Maria.

From this quartet, Alex Sandro will almost certainly activate a one-year renewal option in his deal to extend. Juventus also still want to extend Rabiot and Di Maria. The Frenchman will likely move to the Premier League for financial reasons, but there is a good chance Di Maria could stay another year as he wants to play the 2024 Copa America.

Also in Italy, Olivier Giroud will almost certainly extend his contract at AC Milan with the two parties in advanced talks.

Elsewhere, Lionel Messi sees his contract expire at PSG and is in talks over a new deal. The feeling is he will probably stay on for at least another year, although there are no guarantees.