X-Nico

unusual facts about Free transfer



Allan Johnston

At the end of the 1999–00 season, having not featured for Sunderland in the entire campaign, Johnston moved to Rangers on a free transfer, scoring on his debut in a Champions League qualifying match against FBK Kaunas.

Chris Iwelumo

2. Fußball-Bundesliga side Alemannia Aachen signed Iwelumo on a free transfer in July 2004, after rejecting the offer of a two-year contract from Brighton.

Ian Patterson

Born in Chatham, Kent, Patterson started his career at Sunderland before moving to Burnley on a free transfer at the start of the 1993–94 season.

Idan Tal

The fact that he had acquired a European passport, along with his contract with Maccabi being due to expire at the end of the season, allowed him to renegotiate a return to Europe on a free transfer, where he would not count as a foreign player.

Jesús Seba

After a loan in Segunda División with Villarreal CF, Seba was released by Zaragoza and moved on a free transfer to England's Wigan Athletic, for the start of the 1995–96 season.

Sercan Sararer

After the end of his contract with Fürth on 1 July 2013, Sararer moved to VfB Stuttgart on a free transfer.

Vic Woodley

Woodley briefly resumed his playing career with Chelsea after the War, playing in their famous friendly match against Soviet side, Dynamo Moscow, but left on a free transfer shortly afterwards and joined Bath City.


see also

2009–10 Luton Town F.C. season

Kenyan international striker Taiwo Atieno, who started his career when Money was manager of Walsall and had most recently played football in the USA, was signed on a free transfer until the end of the season.

Andrejs Rubins

He started the 2010/2011 season in another Azerbaijan Premier League club FK Qarabağ from Agdam, joining on a two-year contract on a free transfer.

Bandung F.C.

When they signed midfielder Lee Hendrie on a free transfer on 27 January 2011, Bandung became the first Indonesian club to obtain an Englishman or a player with experience of the Premier League.

Big Ron Manager

However Bleasdale overruled Atkinson and instead snapped up Lloyd Opara on a free transfer from a local team.

Chris Bennion

Just one month later in April 2002, he left Glanford Park for League of Ireland side Shelbourne on a free transfer.

Colin Stewart

After leaving Central Park, Stewart signed for Airdrieonians after a free transfer on 8 June 2013 and signed a one year contract.

Dario Bodrušić

After a short stint with the Reds Bodrusic was released on a free transfer along with youngsters Francesco Monterosso and Joe Costa.

Darko Vukašinović

He moved to Slavia on a free transfer, as he had a contract with the FK Zeta, helping them to win the league.

Darren Powell

In July 2005 he was out of contract and signed for Harry Redknapp at Southampton on a Bosman free transfer.

David Raine

He joined Neil Franklin's Colchester United on a free transfer in September 1965, and played 25 league and cup games in the 1965–66 season, as the "U's" won promotion out of the Fourth Division.

David Woozley

He finally joined Torquay in March 2002 on a free transfer and quickly re-established himself in Torquay's defence, playing alongside either Steve Woods or his former Palace teammate Sean Hankin.

Dean Gordon

Gordon signed with Football League Two side Grimsby Town on a free transfer on August 2004, his first club outside of the top two tiers of English football, but despite holding down a regular place in the team he was released in March 2005 by Russell Slade.

Francesco Carratta

In April 2007 he returned to Belgium, on trial with Sint-Truidense, before signing on a free transfer on 25 May on a two-year contract, with an option for a further two years.

Free agent

A notable case of this being Sol Campbell who in September 2009 was released from Notts County, just after a month from signing on a free transfer.

Gábor Gyepes

On 4 December 2013, Gyepes signed an one-year deal with Malaysia side Sarawak FA, on a free transfer.

Gary Gillespie

On 23 August 1994 he returned to Coventry City on a free transfer, making three Premier League appearances during the 1994–95 season.

Graham Branch

Having made 109 appearances for them, with loan deals at Bury and Wigan Athletic along the way, he was released on a free transfer to Stockport County for the beginning of the 1998–99 season, and quickly arrived at Turf Moor around Christmas in 1998 when signed by the colourful manager Stan Ternent, following a falling-out with then Stockport manager, Gary Megson.

Hendrik Helmke

After a spell with the Finnish club Jaro, Helmke joined the Norwegian Tippeligaen side Tromsø on a free transfer in August 2013 and signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the club.

Jamie Mulgrew

It was reported by the Belfast Telegraph on 8 February 2011 that Scottish Premier League clubs Kilmarnock and Hibernian, along with Major League Soccer club Portland Timbers, were interested in signing Mulgrew on a Bosman free transfer when his contract expires in the summer.

Jason Tindall

Tindall was an apprentice at Charlton Athletic, but was released and joined Bournemouth on a free transfer in 1998 as a midfielder, becoming a regular in the side after being switched to central defence when Sean O'Driscoll replaced Mel Machin as manager.

Joey O'Brien

He featured in pre-season friendlies against BSC Young Boys and F.C. Basel before being signed on 30 July on a free transfer, after penning a two-year contract.

Jonathan De Falco

Following that season, he was released and moved on a free transfer to Deinze, playing in the same division.

Josh O'Keefe

He then signed for Walsall on a free transfer and made his debut on 12 September 2009, coming on as a substitute for Richard Taundry, in the Football League One clash with Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park, which ended in a 3–2 win to Walsall.

Kasey Keller

In August 2001, Keller returned to England and the Premier League, joining Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer.

Les Chapman

He spent four seasons at Valley Parade making 139 league appearances, before leaving on a free transfer for Rochdale where he spent two seasons, playing nearly 100 games for the Spotland side.

Luca Toni

Following his fall out with Bayern manager Louis van Gaal, Bayern's President, Uli Hoeneß, stated on DSF Doppelpass that the player will be allowed to leave the club on a free transfer.

Nick Daws

Daws signed for The Millers on a free transfer at the start of the 2001–02 campaign and slotted straight into his usual position, playing under his new manager Ronnie Moore.

Nick Liversedge

On 10 May 2013, over a year since his first trial for Burnley reserves, it was confirmed that Liversedge would join the Championship side on a free transfer after the Lancashire Club released both Brian Jensen and Lee Grant at the end of the 2012–13 season.

Nicola Berti

After George Graham replaced Christian Gross as manager of Tottenham, Berti was allowed to leave the club and join Deportivo Alavés on a free transfer.

Nicolás Blandi

On 13 January 2014, it was confirmed that Blandi joined San Lorenzo on a free transfer.

Onisiforos Roushias

In 2012-2013 season, Roushias sidelined by Enosis manager Ton Caanen having only 8 appearances (7 as a substitution), something that made him to ask for a free transfer.

Paul Wratten

1993-94 saw Hartlepool finally relegated to Division Three, and at the end of the campaign new manager David McCreery decided that Wratten was no longer part of the clubs plans and gave him a free transfer.

Rolf-Christel Guié-Mien

However, after the appointment of Hanspeter Latour as manager, the club decided to release him early, and put him up for free transfer immediately after the 2005–06 winter break training.

Russell Beardsmore

He did not feature in a single competitive game when United won the first Premier League title in 1992–93, and at the end of the season signed for Bournemouth on a free transfer.

Ryan Kidd

He made one league start and three cup appearances as a substitute in the 1991–92 season, but was given a free transfer in May 1992 and moved on to Les Chapman's Preston North End, also of the Second Division.

Slobodan Slović

He was recruited together with two fellow-countrymen, Saša Antunović and Milan Nikolić, but they would be released on a free transfer only a few weeks later.

Sykehuset Levanger Station

Nord-Trøndelag County Municipality is considering re-routing one of the city buses to run from the station to the hospital, and perhaps having a free transfer service.

Tom Boere

Returning to KAA Gent, where he spent much of his youth during the winter transfer window of the 2011-12 season as a free transfer, Boere made his senior debut in Belgium coming on as an 86th minute substitute for Rafinha in the Gent - Zulte Waregem home match on 21 January 2012.

Tom Newey

On 17 March 2009, Newey was told he could leave the club on a free transfer along with goalkeepers Phil Barnes and Gary Montgomery.

You Yuanwen

Half way through the 2011 league season top tier side Shanghai Shenhua would decide to bring You Yuanwen in on a free transfer after the club needed a striker after losing Duvier Riascos and Dong Xuesheng to other teams as well as Luis Salmerón to injury.