21 SPFL Premiership stars at free transfer risk as Jack, Turnbull, Roos and Baningime free to kickstart exit talks

While it's natural for fans to obsess over which new faces might be pitching up to their club in January, the flipside is who wants their existing stars?

Landing top targets in January is notoriously difficult. You're halfway through the season so clubs naturally want to keep their best performers. Therefore, interested parties are quoted a higher price and first-team regulars aren't going to be loaned out. That's not to say deals aren't there to be done during the winter window, but the trend now is for out-of-favour players to move on to create space in squads.

The big danger, however, especially for Premiership clubs, is pre contracts. Anyone whose deal is up next summer is free to speak to anyone they wish to from January onwards. Realistically, anyone who hasn't penned a contract extension by now is unlikely to do so. It does happen – see Connor Goldson's shock new four-year Rangers deal at the end of the 2021/22 season – but with bigger wages and signing on fees up for discussion, it's often too late by the time Hogmanay has been and gone.

Of course, not everyone who is out of contract will be offered fresh terms to stay. But Record Sport looks at who from each top flight club is on course to leave for nothing despite their current club's best efforts.

Kelle Roos

The big Dutch keeper has proven a shrewd addition between the sticks. Joe Lewis' popularity at PIttodrie meant he wasn't going to be an easy man to replace, but Roos managed it seamlessly since joining from Derby County 18 months ago. Sure he's been part of some shocking results at the Dons, but also helped guide them to third in the table last season and into the Europa Conference League stage, where they’ve held their own in a tough draw. Barry Robson