The Serie A free agents available in 2022 - ranked

The transfer market is done and dusted for another summer, and it was a tough few months for domestic football in Italy.

Serie A saw the departure of some of its biggest names, following Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku's fairytale returns to the Premier League, and Gianluigi Donnarumma opting to leave boyhood club Milan for Paris Saint-Germain.

The further bad news for calcio lovers is that although the window is now closed, there is a list of brilliant players entering the final 12 months of their contract, and they could leave for free next summer.

The clubs involved will be doing everything in their power to make sure this doesn't happen of course, but as Milan found out this summer, even the pull of being a player's boyhood club isn't enough to stop them following the money.

So, who are the 10 most valuable players in the final year of their contract in Serie A?

10. Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus)

Well, this deal has been a huge disappointment. Juventus paid €40m for Federico Bernardeschi back in 2017, but his four years in Turin have gone pretty disastrously.

The winger has suffered due to the amount of talent in the squad, and the subsequent lack of consistent playing time available to him. There is a good player in there, but perhaps more suited to a club at a slightly lower level.

It'll be a surprise if Juve renew his contract, although they may want to try and recoup some of the big fee they paid four years ago.

9. Luiz Felipe (Lazio)

Lazio owner Claudio Lotito is known for his ability to drive a hard bargain, and he has upset several stars with his refusal to reward them with better contracts.

Centre-back Luiz Felipe is a key player in this team, but with no deal on the horizon, he could be off in the summer of 2022. Atalanta made a bid of €20m for the Brazilian, but the Eagles rejected their advances.

Whether Lotito will dig deep into his pockets remains to be seen, but if he doesn't, Lazio could lose one of Serie A's most highly-rated defenders.

8. Jeremie Boga (Sassuolo)

This guy is the business. Jeremie Boga has been tearing it up in an exciting Sassuolo team for several years now, and he has demonstrated all the ability required to make another step up.

The 24-year-old held talks with Crystal Palace over the summer, but clubs as important as Chelsea have also been in touch over the possibility of a deal.

A return to Stamford Bridge is unlikely, but Boga has the skills to test himself at the highest level of European football. An unbelievable coup for whichever club lands the Ivorian.

7. Alessio Romagnoli (Milan)

Alessio Romagnoli is in a very strange position in his Milan career. The 26-year-old is the captain of the Rossoneri, and has been an important figure at the club since arriving in 2015.

But arguably, he's no longer one of the two best centre-backs at San Siro. Fikayo Tomori and Simon Kjaer are Stefano Pioli's preferred pairing, reducing Romagnoli to a rotational option.

For a player who is captain of his club however, that is far from ideal, and he'd want a deal to reflect the value a skipper should carry. Will Milan be prepared to offer him that type of contract? Time will tell.

6. Andrea Belotti (Torino)

If there's one man who deserves a move, it's Andrea Belotti. The forward is captain of a Torino side that is only going backwards, as the quality of teammate around him decreases every season.

The 27-year-old has sparked bids from Serie A's biggest clubs in the past, but Torino were holding out for offers of €100m. Those bids never arrived, and Belotti's value has decreased with each passing transfer window.

They have missed the boat in trying to cash in on Il Gallo, and onlookers are primed, waiting for the moment to strike and offer him a deal he can't refuse. Belotti has given Torino everything, but it's time to part ways.

5. Lorenzo Pellegrini (AS Roma)

Lorenzo Pellegrini has caught the eye of Barcelona in recent months, and had the Catalan giants been in a more financially stable position, the AS Roma captain may have landed a move away from the Italian capital.

The 25-year-old has started the season like a house on fire under Jose Mourinho, and could be set for a real breakthrough season on the European stage.

Roma won't want to lose their captain and a son of their city, and contract talks will be top of the list for both parties. He could become a legend in the eternal city, but he'll need a new contract first.

4. Marcelo Brozovic (Inter)

Inter's financial restraints are probably the cause of the lack of a new contract on the table for Marcelo Brozovic. The midfielder is arriving into his prime years as a midfield orchestrator, but he could leave San Siro for zilch.

The 28-year-old was an inspirational figure behind the Nerazzurri's title success last year, and he could do that job anywhere in the world (Manchester United, take note).

The holding midfielder's contract is a priority for Inter this year, but time is running out to find a resolution.

3. Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)

A bandiera of Neapolitan football, Lorenzo Insigne is beloved by his home city. The Italian star has written his name into his nation's folklore with his Euro 2020 antics, and he is a Serie A title away from becoming immortal in Naples.

However, the 30-year-old could be on his way out of Stadio Diego Armando Maradona before he's fulfilled his legacy. Insigne's contract negotiations had initially progressed, but it's all gone very quiet.

Insigne has been a target for Premier League clubs and La Liga giants Barcelona in the past, and they will undoubtedly rear their heads in January, when they are able to negotiate a contract offer with the winger.

2. Franck Kessie (Milan)

Milan find themselves on this list yet again, and this time, their most valuable asset is on the line. Franck Kessie has grown to become a star of the game over the past 18 months, and he is now playing the best football of his career.

The 24-year-old has made it clear that he wants to stay in Milano, but the club have been burned before by the free transfers of Donnarumma and Hakan Calhanoglu.

Losing Kessie would be the biggest crime of all however, since the player has admitted he doesn't want to leave. Give him what he's worth, or the Ivorian may find himself fielding lucrative calls from all over the continent.

1. Paulo Dybala (Juventus)

Paulo Dybala is the jewel in Juventus' crown, and we can only imagine that now Ronaldo has finally departed, the Bianconeri have the finances available to offer la Joya the contract he merits.

The player and club have been locked in negotiations for years, trying to come to an agreement, and the forward has been on the verge of an exit more than once.

Dybala is Massimiliano Allegri's guy though, and he'll want him front and centre of his team. If they fail to tie him down, there will be an endless queue of Europe's elite waiting to lure him away from Turin.