What do Paulo Dybala, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe, Gareth Bale and Luis Suarez have in common? They entered 2022 unsure of where they will play football next season. Not only them but there has also been a noticeable rise in the number of players choosing to terminate their contracts.
Arrivabene, CEO of Juventus, on Paul Pogba: “Pogba’s player in Manchester United, I respect him and Manchester United. Pogba’s agency has Kane, Pellegrini … Paul was not the main topic of today’s meeting.” 🇫🇷 #MUFC
Pogba will take his time to decide his future. Nothing is agreed upon yet.
– Fabrizio Romano May 16 2022
The “soon to be free” clients leave the security and safety of the haven they knew so well… what exactly is it? The mindset of testing your luck as a free agent is a common concept in the NBA. Football has been grappling with this whole problem for some time now. Well, there are several reasons why players should feel comfortable not signing an extension to their ongoing deal. These can range from being cash to all over pasture.
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However, not all of them are so straightforward. The upcoming summer of 2022 is scheduled to witness one of the largest free agents markets with star names in all fields. Where will they end up? Who knows. There’s a lot to wonder about and discover over the next few months. More importantly why players take this route so frequently.
Show me the money!
Tom Cruise’s immortal streak is definitely one of the main reasons players don’t want to stay at their current clubs. Antonio Rudiger’s move to Real Madrid was a media frenzy, given what is allegedly happening behind the scenes.
The star defender has been asked to become one of the highest paid players in the world. Chelsea weren’t budging, so the weight of the penalties made the whole discussion redundant.
🚨 broken 🚨
Antonio Rudiger has agreed to join Real Madrid on a free transfer and will be paid close to €400,000 per week. 💰 pic.twitter.com/H4MYh2Xh2P
– Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 10, 2022
However, the Blues were unlikely to acquiesce to the Germans’ demands even earlier. A similar example can be seen in Naples and their captain Lorenzo Insigne. The Italian striker had a fantastic run at Euro 2020 and had just entered his thirties.
Instead of continuing his career at the highest levels in Europe, Insigne joined MLS Toronto FC. Moreover, players also get a huge login fee apart from the pay increase.
Lorenzo Insigne played his last home game during his 15-year stint at the Napoli boyhood club.
Understandably, it was an emotional day. https://t.co/0vdqcxnvYH
– FotMob (FotMob) May 15 2022
Therefore, many clubs falter under the pressure of retaining their stars. A similar situation is also part of the reason why Dybala left Juventus after nearly a decade.
Thejoya He is 29 years old and will find his place among the best clubs in Europe. However, it remains a shy way of how his career with Juventus ended and another example of how players handled market appeal.
The grass is greener…
The old saying is true in all kinds of sports. There are several reasons why players get tired or frustrated with their current surroundings. Paul Pogba’s former agent Mino Raiola was famously in a feud with Manchester United. Gareth Bale’s last years at Real Madrid were just sitting on the bench.
Gareth Bale will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season
A return to English football seems a possibility for the Welshman 🏴 pic.twitter.com/C61RaBb3DD
– DAZNFootball May 16 2022
Same case with Isco. A fresh start is necessary to get your directions. Therefore, the players are willing to cut their salaries in their new clubs. The harmony between the players and their surroundings needs a lot of things to go in the right direction.
This cannot always be the case in today’s highly stressful environment. Even players who have been to their clubs can claim a change of scenery because of this.
New and old challenges
Sometimes, a player wants to experience the rigors of a new league or team. Robert Lewandowski’s request to move from Bayern Munich definitely falls into this category. Over the past several years, one of the best strikers in world football has been assigned to a new club soon. Edinson Cavani left PSG after becoming their all-time leading scorer in 2020.
Read alsoPossible stars who could replace Robert Lewandowski at Bayern Munich
Kylian Mbappe is ready to join Real Madrid. However, there are also various examples that go the other way. It is widely rumored that Fernandinho is returning to Brazil after the 2021-22 season.
Suarez is also set to return to Uruguay, given his advanced age and unlikely situation in wanting to become a secondary option. This part of thinking can also affect the state of money, but that’s just part of the texture.
Trust is the key
One of the main reasons players have increased confidence in becoming free agents. They are completely confident in their abilities and strength on the field. This knowledge is essential in making these types of difficult decisions. This can be seen in a variety of examples from the current era.
Dybala, Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Alexandre Lacazette and more are counting on restoring their old flame for the new teams. So, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they enjoyed some strong bounce seasons soon.
Thus, the reasons why players want to become free agents are complex and diverse. They rarely follow a linear path, and often end up getting mixed up.
