The 2021-22 football season is expected to kick off with a bang when top players across Europe hit the transfer market in the summer window. With the window only six months away, the free agents will start negotiating with the best options; the flower of no transfer fee attracting the whole of beehives. On top of the list will be Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi’s trade card followed by the likes of Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero and Arsenal’s David Luiz in line.

Here is Opoyi’s list of the top 10 free agents that will hit the transfer market in Summer 2021:

1) Lionel Messi:

Let’s take a trip down memory lane. Barcelona losing 8-2 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals followed by Quique Setién’s sacking, Luis Suarez leaving Camp Nou and Josep Maria Bartomeu getting fired. The only man standing in the centre of the Catalan giants’ big fall from finishing 2019 at the top of the La Liga table to being placed sixth by January 2021– Lionel Messi. The No 10 expressed his desire to finish his Barcelona career last window but a contractual situation asked him to wait for a year more. However, now a free agent, Messi would be measuring distance to Etihad, Paris and as reports suggest Milan.

2) Sergio Aguero:

Photo credit: Twitter/@aguerosergiokun

While Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola have already expressed their wish to continue with the Argentine’s services, Sergio’s form on return (from an injury) will play a key hand in his contractual situation. Sergio Aguero has been a part of the City camp since 2011, amassing 180 goals in 267 appearances. He is the highest goal scorer for the club. Given the statistics, the likely situation is a contract extension.

3) Memphis Depay:

Photo credit: Twitter/@Memphis

Having earned Barcelona’s attention in the he previous transfer window, Lyon’s Memphis Depay is going to be a player to watch out for in the coming season. The Netherlands national, would be enticed by the presence of his former manager Ronald Koeman in the Camp Nou and vice versa. He has already scored eight times and assisted four goals in the Ligue 1 this season. Depay’s Champions League statistics from 2019-20 (six goals in eight games) also speak wonders for his case.

4) David Alaba:

A key member of an all-conquering side, David Alaba is right on the money when it comes to frustrating the strikers. With the English Premier League teams hungry for quality defenders, Alaba might see high bids coming from the UK. However, Zinedine Zidane’s statements off lately have also brought Real Madrid to the Austrian’s table.

5) Angel Di Maria

“I want to end my European career here, but it’s not only up to me,” Di Maria told Canal +, expressing his desire to continue at Paris. However, with Tuchel no longer in the scene, there is a considerable chance that the 32-year-old might have to see deals from Manchester United and Real Madrid lure him.

Other big agents who are set to make big noise in the summer window are:

Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Hakan Calhanoglu (AC Milan), David Luiz (Arsenal) Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli) Juan Mata (Manchester United).