As clubs head into the second half of the 2025/26 season, transfer talk is increasingly shifting from immediate January business to what happens in 2026, when a new wave of high value contracts is due to run out. For Europe’s biggest sides, letting a key player enter the final year of his deal is always a gamble – one that can end either with a lucrative extension or the risk of losing a major asset below market price, or even for free.

With that in mind, Winsportsonline examined the current market values of players whose contracts expire in 2026 and identified the 11 most valuable names in that bracket. Together, they are worth €381 million, led by Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano at €70 million. The list is dominated by players from the Premier League and Serie A, with only five leagues represented in total and no players from La Liga or Ligue 1.

Key Takeaways:

• The 11 most valuable players with contracts expiring in 2026 have a combined market value of €381 million
• Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich) is the most valuable player on the list at €70 million and the only one above €60 million
• Premier League clubs account for 5 of the 11 players (Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Manchester City, Everton, Bournemouth), close to half of the total
• Serie A provides 3 players (Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie from Juventus, plus Mike Maignan from Milan), making it the only club league with multiple representatives besides the Premier League
• Bayern Munich hold the single most valuable expiring asset (Upamecano), while Juventus are the only club with two players on the list
• The remaining three players come from the Bundesliga (Bayern Munich), Eredivisie (Feyenoord) and the Saudi Pro League (Al-Hilal), with no representatives from La Liga or Ligue 1 among the top 11

The Most Valuable Players with Expiring Contracts in 2026

Dayot Upamecano – Bayern Munich – €70 million

Dayot Upamecano heads the ranking as the most valuable player with a contract expiring in 2026, with an estimated market value of €70 million. As a key figure in Bayern Munich’s defence, his situation will be one of the most closely watched in the coming months. Allowing such a valuable player to move into the final year of his deal would leave Bayern facing a difficult choice between cashing in early or risking a cut price exit further down the line.

Marc Guehi – Crystal Palace – €55 million

Marc Guehi sits second on the list at €55 million and is the highest valued Premier League based player with a 2026 expiry. A central pillar of Crystal Palace’s back line, he represents one of the club’s most important assets on and off the pitch. Palace sold him to Manchester City for €23 million.

Ibrahima Konate – Liverpool – €50 million

Ibrahima Konate completes an all-defensive top three with a market value of €50 million. As one of Liverpool’s main options at the heart of defence, his 2026 contract situation adds another layer to the club’s medium term planning. Whether Liverpool prioritise an early renewal or keep their options open will be a major talking point as his deal moves closer to its final year.

Dusan Vlahovic – Juventus – €35 million

Dusan Vlahovic is the highest valued forward on the list at €35 million. Leading the line for Juventus, he remains one of Serie A’s most prominent attacking names. With his contract expiring in 2026, Juventus face a familiar dilemma: commit to a new long term agreement on top striker wages, or consider a sale before his value is eroded by contract length.

Bernardo Silva – Manchester City – €27 million

Bernardo Silva is valued at €27 million and is Manchester City’s lone representative in the ranking. A versatile and technically gifted midfielder, he has been an important part of City’s success in recent seasons. His 2026 contract end date will be closely monitored across Europe, as any uncertainty over his future would be enough to attract interest from multiple top clubs.

Mike Maignan – Milan – €25 million

Mike Maignan is Milan’s key contribution to the list with a market value of €25 million. As first choice goalkeeper, his importance goes beyond raw transfer value, given the difficulty and expense involved in replacing a top level number one. Milan will come under pressure to secure clarity on his future well before his contract ticks into its final year.

Ruben Neves – Al Hilal – €25 million

Ruben Neves is the only Saudi Pro League based player in the top 11, also valued at €25 million. Operating for Al Hilal, he remains one of the most recognisable midfield names in the league. His 2026 contract expiry means that both European and Gulf clubs will be watching for any sign that he might be open to a change of direction as his deal winds down.

Vitaliy Mykolenko – Everton – €25 million

Vitaliy Mykolenko represents Everton on the list, with a market value of €25 million. As a regular in the Premier League, he has become one of the club’s most valuable assets. With his contract due to expire in 2026, Everton must balance their financial situation with the footballing need to keep a settled back line, especially if interest from elsewhere grows.

Quinten Timber – Feyenoord – €25 million

Quinten Timber is Feyenoord’s entry in the ranking, also valued at €25 million. As a central figure for the Dutch champions, his 2026 contract end date puts Feyenoord in a familiar position for Eredivisie clubs: deciding whether to extend the deal of a key player or accept that a transfer might be inevitable once he nears the final year of his agreement.

Weston McKennie – Juventus – €22 million

Weston McKennie is Juventus’ second representative, valued at €22 million. His presence alongside Vlahovic makes Juventus the only club with two players in the top 11, underlining how much contract work the Turin side has ahead of 2026. Whether he remains part of their long term plans or becomes a saleable asset will shape their transfer strategy over the next two windows.

Marcos Senesi – Bournemouth – €22 million

Marcos Senesi completes the list with a market value of €22 million and gives Bournemouth a place among the clubs with high value contracts running out in 2026. As a core part of their defensive structure, his contractual situation will be crucial for a team that cannot afford to lose important players for less than their true worth once they move into the final year of their deals.

The Buffalo Bills have fired Sean McDermott following their overtime AFC Divisional Round playoff loss to the Denver Broncos, ending a nine-year tenure defined by sustained regular-season success and lingering postseason disappointment.

Multiple reports confirmed the decision Monday, just days after Buffalo’s 33–30 overtime defeat in Denver: a game overshadowed by a controversial interception on the Bills’ opening possession of extra time. Quarterback Josh Allen’s pass to Brandin Cooks was ruled an interception after Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian ripped the ball free, despite questions over whether Cooks was already down.

McDermott did not hide his frustration afterward, publicly defending his team and the fan base.

“I’m saying it because I’m standing up for Buffalo. I’m standing up for us,” McDermott said. “What went on is not how it should go down.”

The loss proved to be the final blow in McDermott’s tenure, which began in 2017 after six seasons as the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator. He leaves the Bills with a 98–50 regular-season record and an 8–8 mark in the playoffs, guiding Buffalo to postseason appearances in eight of his nine seasons. Under his leadership, the Bills reached the AFC Championship Game twice — in 2020 and 2024 — but never advanced to the Super Bowl.

McDermott’s era will forever be linked with Josh Allen, whom the Bills selected seventh overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. The pairing helped transform Buffalo into a perennial contender and long-standing power in the AFC East. Allen, now 29, won league MVP honors last season and remained in the conversation again this year.

Expectations were high entering the 2025 season, particularly after Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was lost for the year with a knee injury. Many believed the window was wide open for Buffalo to finally break through. Instead, the Bills endured a shifting AFC East landscape, finishing 12–5 and second in the division behind a resurgent New England Patriots team led by first-year head coach Mike Vrabel.

Buffalo reached the playoffs as a wild card and edged the Jacksonville Jaguars before falling in overtime to Denver, a defeat that ultimately sealed McDermott’s fate.

General manager Brandon Beane will remain with the organization and is expected to lead the search for the franchise’s next head coach. That hire will be tasked with maximizing the prime years of Allen’s career while addressing clear roster needs, including the pursuit of a true No. 1 wide receiver this offseason.

The Bills now join a growing list of teams seeking new leadership, including the Ravens, Steelers, Dolphins, Browns, Titans, Cardinals and Raiders, as the league enters one of the most active coaching cycles in recent memory.

For Buffalo, the move signals both the end of an era and a pivotal crossroads: one where championship expectations remain unchanged, even as the path forward becomes uncertain.

CGB Spender curse continues for Bills

Every NFL fan base, for the most part, has had its share of misery.

Jets fans have gone 15 years without a playoff appearance, but if they’re old enough they remember Broadway Joe and the Super Bowl III guarantee.

Eagles fans had to watch 51 Super Bowls before their team won one. And now they have doubled that.

Packers fans have so many heartbreaking postseason experiences that would have just added to their four Super Bowls and league-best 13 NFL titles.

The list could go on and on. And then there’s the Buffalo Bills.

Bills Misery Continues

If memories of the four straight Super Bowl losses during the 90s had begun to fade there is the new misery of not even getting back to a Super Bowl despite chance after chance after chance.

This year looked to be the best opportunity for the Bills. Their personal boogeyman Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes wasn’t around. Neither was Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson or Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow. It was going to be Josh Allen against a bunch of kids (Buffalo was not going to face Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh).

Allen wasn’t just the AFC’s most experienced playoff QB; he was the best. Sure, as a wild-card team the Bills had to go on the road. But they were facing newcomers. Jacksonville had a first-year coach and a still unproven playoff QB in Trevor Lawrence. Denver had second-year Bo Nix under center. And Houston and this New England team were new to the dance as well.

This was Buffalo’s year.

Finally.

Until it wasn’t.