Who can discuss a free transfer in January?

A host of Premier League clubs are now at risk of losing players for free as they enter the closing months of their contracts.

Since 1 January, players whose deals expire this summer have been able to start talking to foreign clubs over a move.

Teams like Crystal Palace, who sold Marc Guehi to Manchester City, may choose to cash in now rather than risk losing their player for no transfer fee in the summer.

Here are some of those players who can begin negotiations...

The Brazilian midfielder will leave Manchester United when his contract expires at the end of this season.

The 33-year-old joined from Real Madrid for £70m in 2022 and has made 146 appearances.

United chose not to trigger an additional year's option for the five-time Champions League winner to stay.

Wilson's talks with Fulham over a new deal are on hold amid growing Premier League interest in the Wales forward.

Wilson, 28, is out of contract at the end of the season, and Fulham are yet to reach an agreement over an extension despite making a priority of securing his future.

It is understood that Wilson would prefer to have clarity on the future of head coach Marco Silva, who is also out of contract in the summer, before making a final decision over any new deal.

The Liverpool and France centre-back had been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid before the start of the season, with his contract expiring in the summer.

The defender has started 22 league games this campaign alongside Virgil van Dijk and the club opted not to pursue Marc Guehi's signature in January.

Team-mate Andy Robertson's current deal also ends in June and Tottenham have opened talks with Liverpool to bring in the 31-year-old Scotland captain this month.

The Manchester City and England defender is contracted at the Etihad until June but has only started seven Premier League games in this campaign.

His manager Pep Guardiola has strengthened in defence with the signing of Guehi in January.

Stones, 31, also faces competition for places from Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov and Nathan Ake.

Bournemouth defender Senesi has rejected several contract offers and is expected to leave in the summer.

The 28-year-old's deal runs until June 2026, but he will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs from January.

The Argentina international has shown no interest in renewing his contract and has turned down at least three lucrative offers.

Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva said he knows "exactly" what he is going to do when his contract ends, but he has yet to make those plans public.

The 31-year-old is in his ninth season with City and was linked with possible moves to Juventus and Benfica last summer.

Under rules established by Fifa, a footballer can enter discussions with another team once their contract has ended or when it is due to expire in six months.

However, the six-month period for discussions is only applicable for clubs wanting to sign a player from abroad.

It means a Premier League club can now enter pre-contract discussions with a La Liga player in January before a permanent move takes place in the summer transfer window.

Last season, England and Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold entered talks with Real Madrid in the last six months of his deal before sealing a move to the Bernabeu in the summer.

However, if a Premier League club wants to have discussions with a player in England, they can only do so in the last month of their existing contract.

For example, Jefferson Lerma signed a pre-contract agreement to join Crystal Palace on a free transfer in June 2023, a month before his Bournemouth deal ended.

Footballers who sign pre‑contract agreements or leave a club for free can thank Belgian former player Jean‑Marc Bosman.

The Bosman ruling, made by the European Court of Justice in 1995, lets players move to another club on a free transfer once their contract ends.

The rule came about after Bosman tried to move from Belgian side Liege to French club Dunkerque when his contract expired. Liege demanded a transfer fee, the move collapsed, and the club then cut his wages by 75%. Bosman fought this in a legal battle that lasted five years and ultimately transformed football.

Prior to the ruling, a player could not leave at the end of their contract unless the club agreed to a free transfer or if they received a fee.

This ruling now differs slightly when a player is moving to a club in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union (EU) in 2016. Players from inside the EU now need a work permit.

If a footballer in England chooses to leave a club on a free transfer or a pre-contract agreement before the age of 24, his former team is entitled to compensation from their new club.

This system, run by the Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC), protects young players' freedom to move while ensuring clubs are compensated for training them.

If the two sides cannot decide on a suitable payment agreement, the case is then referred to a transfer tribunal.

When assessing a case, the PFCC typically considers:

The tribunal then decides how much money the club is entitled to.

In 2016, Liverpool were ordered to pay £6.5m, plus £1.5m in add-ons, to sign Burnley striker Danny Ings from Burnley at a tribunal.

Liverpool also had to pay up to £4.3m to sign then 16-year-old forward Harvey Elliott from Fulham in 2021 after the clubs failed to agree a compensation package.

Thanks to Dave in Bristol and Martin in Newcastle for the questions.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.