John Terry, Claudio Marchisio and football's other big name free agents

The season has started but many familiar players are yet to find a new club

Apart from a loan spell at Empoli early in his career, Claudio Marchisio has been a one club man, the sort of which if you cut him open he would bleed the colours of Juventus. It's time for new colours though as he's moved on after almost 400 appearances and seven Serie A titles. Where will the midfielder end up? I reckon we'll see the 32-year-old in a Chelsea shirt before the end of the season. Reuters

A colossal presence in Manchester City's midfield for seven seasons before his career at the Etihad petered out during the last campaign as new faces arrived. Toure has 100 career goals and surely there's a few more in the locker. Just remember to buy him a birthday cake for his 36th next May. EPA

It felt strange seeing John Terry turn out in the English second tier last season for Aston Villa. Surely he could do better than that after his sterling career at Chelsea? It now remains to be seen whether the 37-year-old will play again, though a link up with former teammate Frank Lampard, now manager of Derby County, would not be unimaginable. Getty Images

Dogged midfielder Mathieu Flamini made a name for himself at Arsenal more than a decade ago before moving on to AC Milan where he was in and out of the team during a five-year stint. A three-year return to Arsenal was followed by a flurry of appearances for Crystal Palace. He played eight times for Getafe in La Liga last season before departing. He is better known these days for his biochemicals company. AP

How good would Giuseppe Rossi have been had it not been for a host of injuries? Still only 31, he enjoyed his best spell at Villarreal where he scored 82 goals before joining Fiorentina. Only once in five years there did he make more than 11 Serie A appearances. He played nine times for Genoa last season before being released. Reuters

Hatem Ben Arfa, 31, could have been a footballing legend with the skills he possesses. Instead, he has made his name as an expensive luxury who is now without a club. The Frenchman showed flashes of quality while at Newcastle United, and enjoyed a stellar season at Nice which earned him a move to PSG in 2016. He failed to play a game for them last season. Reuters

Samir Nasri couldn't play for anyone at the moment even if he was wanted by a club as he's serving a doping ban which was extended from six months to 18 after receiving an intravenous treatment at a Los Angeles clinic in breach of the World Anti-Doping Agency's rules. He is allowed to start training with a club from November 1 but will anyone want him? His best days were at Arsenal and Manchester City but he's often been in trouble for one reason or another. His last club was Antalysapor in Turkey. AFP

Patrice Evra is one of the best left backs of the Premier League era in England, having won five league titles and the Champions League at Manchester United. It's fair to say the twilight of his career hasn't been full of joy. A spectacular bust up with fans at Marseille saw him end up at West Ham earlier this year but he played just five times and was then released. Now 37, will he return? Reuters

Available: Big, strong Premier League-winning central defender. Caveat: Didn't play at all last season due to injury. Robert Huth has had a decent career but time is running out for the 34 year old. Getty Images

Fifty-four England caps and 200 appearances for Liverpool, Glen Johnson comes with a fine CV. However, he only played 10 times last season as Stoke City were relegated. Now 34 years old. Michael Regan / Getty Images

There's mixed feelings when looking through the latest list of football's free agents, which includes the likes of John Terry, Claudio Marchisio and Yaya Toure.

Amid the twang of sympathy, there's the reasoning that some of these players are blessed with wonderful talent which should be displayed in front of thousands of adoring fans for a more years yet. As it stands, some of them are simply unwanted, like a toy that fell out of favour soon after Christmas.

But then there's the reality check, that mullti-millionaire footballers in their 30s financially don't really need to play again as they're sorted for life, so maybe it is best they don't put pen to paper on a new contract which will see them earn another seven figures in wages in return for a flurry of appearances before injury sidelines them for another six months.

Still, without an official retirement announcement, we must take it that the fires of desire are burning and the love of the beautiful game remains strong for these individuals.

Veterans

An obvious trend among the players selected in the slideshow above is their age. Is there no longer a place for the experienced leader in top flight football? Granted, pace was never the strongest attribute of Yaya Toure and John Terry, but you would expect players of such know-how to be of value to many clubs in top divisions around Europe.

Increasingly though, we are seeing players, unworried by the season having already started and financially unburdened, waiting for what they consider to be the right move. Who would have thought Claudio Marchisio would start a Serie A season without a club at the age of 32?

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