Here are 15 big names who are almost six months away from being free agents, including wantaway FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and Arsenal outcast Mesut Ozil.
Click through the gallery above to see some big players who will soon enter the last six months of their contracts, according to Transfermarkt.
With the turn of the year fast approaching, several high-profile players across Europe are close to entering the final six months of their deals, including 33-year-old Messi, arguably the biggest name on the list.
The Argentine is just a few weeks away from being able to legally open talks with interested clubs, although Barcelona will be doing everything they can to tie him down to a new deal once their supporters have voted for a new president.
Messi would only be allowed to leave the Blaugrana for free at the end of this season, however, as it would still take a transfer fee to lure him away from his boyhood club in the January window.
Los Blancos captain Ramos is in the same boat as the six-time Ballon d'Or winner, as is Arsenal No. 10 Mesut Ozil, who was not named in the Gunners' Premier League squad for the current campaign.
The German could still be re-registered in January, however, but that might not stop the 2014 FIFA World Cup winner from listening to offers from other clubs should there be any.
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Bayern Munich defender David Alaba is also less than a month away from being allowed to negotiate a future with other teams, as is Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa, Manchester City's Sergio Aguero and Olympique Lyon's Memphis Depay – click through the gallery above to see more high-profile players who are soon set to enter the final six months of their contracts!
