Some football’s biggest names are entering the final year of their contracts, leaving Europe’s top clubs with crucial decisions over whether to offer new deals or risk losing their stars on free transfers in 2027.

Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior headlines the list after speculation linked him with a potential move away from the Santiago Bernabéu.

The Brazilian international has reportedly attracted interest from Arsenal, making his contract situation one of the most closely watched in the transfer market.

England captain Harry Kane is another high-profile player whose future will be under the spotlight.

Despite links with Barcelona, the Bayern Munich striker has expressed his desire to remain in Germany, saying he is happy at the club and open to extending his stay.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri is also approaching the final year of his deal amid reports linking him with Real Madrid.

The Spanish international has maintained that discussions over his future will take place after the appropriate time.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes and defender Lisandro Martínez are also among the notable names whose contracts expire in 2027.

While Fernandes remains central to United’s plans, Martínez’s injury record could influence the club’s decision over a new deal.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Atlético Madrid’s Marcos Llorente, Inter Milan full-back Federico Dimarco, Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabián Ruiz and AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic are all entering the final year of their current contracts.

With clubs keen to avoid losing valuable assets without receiving a transfer fee, the coming months are expected to bring a series of contract negotiations that could shape the next transfer window.

In a post obtained from Planet Football on Wednesday, these are the players out of contract in 2027:

Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)

Marcos Llorente (Atlético Madrid)

Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United)

Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan)

Rodri (Manchester City)

Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain)

Christian Pulisic (AC Milan)

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)

Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

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Nigeria’s quest for a record-extending 11th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title suffered a major setback on Tuesday as tournament debutants Malawi stunned the defending champions 3-2 in their Group C opener.

The Scorchers produced a spirited display to hand the record 10-time African champions a losing start to the defence of their continental crown.

After a closely contested opening half, Malawi broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute through Temwa Chawinga before captain Tabitha Chawinga doubled the advantage six minutes later to leave the Super Falcons with a mountain to climb.

Nigeria pulled one back in stoppage time when captain Rasheedat Ajibade calmly converted from the penalty spot in the 90+2nd minute, raising hopes of an unlikely comeback.

Those hopes were short-lived as Temwa Chawinga struck again three minutes later to restore Malawi’s two-goal cushion and put the result beyond doubt.

The Super Falcons, however, refused to give up, with substitute Uchenna Kanu scoring in the ninth minute of stoppage time to reduce the deficit to 3-2.

However, there was no time left to salvage a result as Malawi held on for a famous victory.

The result ranks among the biggest upsets in the history of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, with Malawi marking their tournament debut by defeating Africa’s most successful women’s national team.

Nigeria will now have to bounce back in their next Group C fixture to revive their campaign, while Malawi’s historic victory has significantly boosted their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

In the pre-match press conference, coach Lovemore Fazili set the tone from the outset: “Getting this far means that we are ready for this match.

“People may underestimate us but we are a good team, capable of causing an upset. We are not resigned victims.”

Captain Tabitha Chawinga approaches this historic encounter with boundless enthusiasm.

“It was my dream to play in the WAFCON. The time has come. We know Nigeria’s worth.

“They are a great nation but we must focus on ourselves. Our players need to compete without any inferiority complex,” she stated before the game.

Tough or easy road ahead?

PUNCH Online reports that Nigeria’s Super Falcons are currently sitting third in Group C with zero points, just ahead of bottom-placed Egypt thanks to a superior goal difference after their opening 3-2 loss to Malawi.

Despite the rocky start, the defending champions still have a strong path to revival, as both the top two teams in the group and the two best third-placed finishers tournament-wide will advance to the quarter-finals.

Zambia currently leads the group on goal difference with three points after thrashing Egypt 6-0 on Tuesday earlier.

The teams captain Barbra Banda netted four goals.

Zambia are followed closely by Malawi, who also holds three points.

The Super Falcons will face group leaders Zambia next on Saturday, 1 August 2026, at 9:00 PM WAT.

This match is a crucial, must-win fixture for Nigeria if they want to regain control of their destiny and climb up the standings.

Facing a clinical Zambian side that won their opener 6-0 means the Falcons must tighten their defense and capitalize on every attacking opportunity.

Nigeria will then wrap up their group stage campaign against Egypt on Wednesday, 5 August 2026, also kicking off at 9:00 PM WAT.

A commanding victory in this final match could prove vital in securing automatic qualification or locking down a spot as one of the best third-placed teams.

Six points are still up for grabs, leaving plenty of room for a dramatic turnaround.

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Nigeria and Egypt have booked their places at the 2026 ITTF World Youth Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, after emerging victorious in the team events of the Africa Youth Championships held in Accra.

Egypt’s U-15 boys and girls teams, along with its U-19 girls’ squad, will represent the continent at the global tournament scheduled for November 21–28.

Nigeria’s U-19 boys’ team will also fly Africa’s flag, completing the continent’s representation at the prestigious event.

Reflecting on the standard of play in Accra and the quality of teams heading to Turkey, ITTF Africa Deputy President, Alfred Bagueka, expressed satisfaction with the growing competitiveness of the championship.

“I am particularly impressed with the outcome of this year’s tournament. More teams and players took part, making the competition tougher and more exciting. I can see significant improvement across all teams, especially from lesser-known sides whose players added to the competitiveness,” he said.

Looking ahead to the World Youth Championships, Bagueka acknowledged the progress but stressed the need for African players to rise further on the global stage.

“In the last five years, we have had Omar Assar and Quadri Aruna among the best in the world. But lately, how many African players are in the top 20 globally? We must redouble our efforts to ensure our players reach that level. I am hopeful that these young talents can break through at the world stage,” he added.

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