Two Premier League phenoms will soon leave the glitz and glamour of English football behind, one to a rousing reception from his current fanbase and other to more unsavoury reactions.
Liverpool local lad Trent Alexander-Arnold confirmed the worst-kept secret a few weeks ago, announcing that he would be departing his boyhood club at the end of his contract ahead of an expected free transfer to Real Madrid.
While Liverpool fought tooth and nail to keep Alexander-Arnold, the Manchester City hierarchy decided that Kevin De Bruyne had outlived his usefulness at the Etihad, opting not to offer the Belgian playmaker a new contract.
As a result, De Bruyne will soon close his 10-year-long Citizens chapter, and the ex-Chelsea starlet is now believed to be on the verge of signing for newly-crowned Serie A champions Napoli, having been able to resist the pull of MLS and Saudi Arabia for now.
Ahead of the exits of two of the finest Premier League talents of the past decade, Sports Mole selects its 10 best free transfers of all time, including only confirmed deals - meaning no De Bruyne or Alexander-Arnold just yet.
10. Cafu to AC Milan (2003)
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Already in the second half of his career by the time he was picked up by AC Milan in 2003, the best was yet to come from Brazil legend Cafu, who swapped Stadio Olimpico for San Siro after being released from his Roma contract.
The explosive full-back went on to win six major honours during his five years in the red and black stripes, including the 2006-07 Champions League, and he produced 26 goal contributions from 166 matches for the Rossoneri.
Named in the UEFA Team of the Year and FIFPRO World XI in 2005, Cafu proved that age can certainly be just a number on the football pitch, and he hung up his boots after five unforgettable years in Milan.
9. Luis Enrique to Barcelona (1996)
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Before becoming the maverick manager that *could* lead Paris Saint-Germain to their first-ever Champions League title, Luis Enrique was a stalwart at Real Madrid, but he departed acrimoniously in 1996 after admitting he never felt truly loved by Blancos fans.
The threatening wide man made the controversial switch to Barcelona on a free transfer and quickly won the hearts of the Blaugrana faithful, winning eight major trophies - including two La Liga titles - and conjuring up 108 goals and 40 assists in 300 appearances.
Enrique donned the Barcelona strip for eight years until his retirement in 2004, the same year he was voted one of the 100 greatest living footballers by Pele.
8. Andrea Pirlo to Juventus (2011)
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A transfer that Gianluigi Buffon labelled the "signing of the century", Andrea Pirlo swapped black and red for black and white in 2011, moving to Juventus for zero pennies after achieving everything there was to achieve at AC Milan.
Pirlo had just turned 32 by the time he arrived in Turin, but he was still the same silky midfield maestro that graced the Milan turf, setting up 14 goals in his first season at Juventus and registering 19 strikes and 38 assists over the course of four seasons.
Pirlo's fourth and final year with the Old Lady saw the ex-Italy international come oh so close to leading Juventus to Champions League stardom, but the Bianconeri were bested by Enrique's Barcelona in the final.
7. Sol Campbell to Arsenal (2001)
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Now is the time for Tottenham Hotspur fans to look away, although any member of the Lilywhites faithful perusing this list knew that this was coming.
In the summer of 2001, a small group of journalists gathered at Arsenal's training ground, expected to be introduced to Arsene Wenger's new goalkeeper Richard Wright; those members of the media that turned up instead witnessed one of the most astonishing transfer shocks of the 21st century.
Disillusioned with a lack of success at White Hart Lane, Campbell soon won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups in his first spell as an Arsenal player, as well as scoring the opening goal in their heartbreaking Champions League final loss to Barcelona in 2006.
6. James Milner to Liverpool (2015)
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A word of appreciation for Joel Matip - another former favourite of Jurgen Klopp's at Liverpool - but a coveted spot on our list goes to another man who won everything that there was to win at Anfield.
Already a two-time Premier League winner with Manchester City, Milner brought invaluable experience, versatility and penalty-taking abilities to Liverpool upon his arrival in 2015, registering 72 direct goal contributions in 332 matches.
The epitome of a utility man, Milner conquered England, Europe and the world - at least in the club sense - with Liverpool, and the midfielder/right-back/left-back/right-midfielder/left-midfielder hybrid will always be welcomed back to Anfield with open arms.
5. Paul Pogba to Juventus (2012)
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It takes a brave or foolish man to risk Sir Alex Ferguson's wrath, and that is exactly what Paul Pogba did when he snubbed a new contract at Manchester United to join Juventus on a free transfer in the summer of 2012.
Thirty-four goals and 34 assists later, Pogba was evidently right to turn his nose up to staying at Old Trafford, although he was lured back in 2016 in a lucrative transfer that made Juventus' money men very happy.
Pogba had become an all-conquering, all-action midfielder while donning the Juventus kit, but to describe his second stint at Man United as turbulent would be an understatement, and he is now on the hunt for his next landing spot after his doping ban ran its course.
4. Esteban Cambiasso to Inter Milan (2004)
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While Real Madrid may now be considered the kings of the free transfer, they do not have the best track record of letting players go for zilch, from Barcelona legend Enrique to Inter Milan icon Esteban Cambiasso.
The tough-tackling Argentine never made the grade at Los Blancos, who sanctioned his exit to Inter in 2004, but he blossomed into one of the planet's finest number sixes during a 10-year spell with the Nerazzurri.
As much of a threat going forwards as he was in a deeper role, Cambiasso scored over 50 goals in 431 appearances for Inter and won a staggering 15 pieces of silverware, including the 2009-10 Champions League.
3. Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain (2021)
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One tearful press conference later, the unthinkable had occurred; Lionel Messi had left Barcelona.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner would have had no qualms paying out of his own pocket to continue at Camp Nou, but at the height of Barcelona's financial crisis, they had no choice but to sever ties with their GOAT.
Then came the most challenging two years of Messi's professional career at Paris Saint-Germain, but his powers did not wane at all, amassing 67 direct goal involvements from 75 matches.
Messi also collected another Ballon d'Or and two FIFA Best Men's Player prizes while at PSG - although his feats in an Argentina shirt had a huge part to play in that too - and as a club, the Ligue 1 champions' coffers skyrocketed thanks to a sensational number of shirt sales.
2. Robert Lewandowski to Bayern Munich (2014)
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Flash back to the 2012-13 Champions League final, where a Borussia Dortmund-clad Robert Lewandowski sported a look of anguish and acceptance after Arjen Robben won Europe's top club competition for Bayern Munich.
Seven years later, the prolific Pole would finally achieve his continental dream with the same club, whom he joined on a free transfer in 2014 and left eight years later as their second-greatest goalscorer of all time.
Only the unparalleled Gerd Muller scored more goals than Lewandowski's astounding 344 for Bayern, where he won seven Bundesliga Golden Boots and two European Golden Shoes, but criminally, never the Ballon d'Or.
1. Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid (2024)
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Recency bias may be playing its part in this one, but Real Madrid must have been thanking their lucky stars that PSG rejected two bids north of £100m for Kylian Mbappe in the summer of 2021, not long before he agreed to extend his stay in Paris.
However, the Frenchman was forced to watch Los Blancos conquer the continent twice more in 2022 and 2024 while his PSG side were flattering to deceive in the Champions League, and he ultimately wanted a slice of what Real Madrid were having.
Picking up one of the best players on the planet without paying PSG a penny, Real Madrid's patience paid off, as the former Monaco wonderkid broke records left, right and centre during his maiden year in the Spanish capital.
Mbappe managed 31 goals in 34 La Liga matches in 2024-25, the most for any Real Madrid player in their first season - not even Cristiano Ronaldo or Alfredo Di Stefano struck that many - and only two other players in the history of the competition bagged more in their inaugural campaign.
A terrific total of 43 goals in 56 games in all competitions also represented a new record for a Real Madrid player in their debut season, and while the club's 2024-25 was one to forget from a team perspective, the Mbappe and Xabi Alonso-inspired Blancos will have their eyes on every prize next term.
Ben Knapton
