It would be an understatement to say that Malta loves football. Many people get excited when their local or national team makes it to the big leagues, and some even bet on sports online! Why go to a bar when you can watch and wager from the comfort and convenience of home and bet on sports from Malta at Lottoland?
But you may only have so many days left to enjoy your favorites; times change, and so do sports teams. Several popular clubs may lose their contracts with famous players in the next few months.
But What Does That Mean?
All football players make contracts to play with a given club. These contracts usually last 4 years. During that time, the player cannot play for another club except in certain situations that the parent club permits.
When a football player’s contract expires, they can join whatever team they want. That’s why it’s so tense when those contracts are about to end! This site keeps track of all the player loans, transfers, and free agents in Europe so you don’t have to.
Without further ado, we present to you 6 football players with contracts expiring this summer or 2023 —and why you should be watching them!
1. Zach Muscat
The first player to watch on our list is Zach Muscat. He has been playing since 2010 and currently plays for the Portuguese club Casa Pia. His contract expires at the end of June 2022.
The reason to watch him is simple: market value. He’s worth an astounding €413,000! Muscat also seems to change clubs via transfer or loan frequently, so he’s worth watching for that reason, too. Maybe he’ll transfer to a Maltese club next!
2. Ferdinando Apap
Apap is a little newer than Muscat. He started in 2013 but is still a veteran player going strong. He is worth around €310,000. Unlike Muscat, however, Apap is loyal to Malta. No matter where he bounces, he never leaves the local clubs. His contract also expires on June 30th, 2023 (like most entries on this list).
3. Kurt Shaw
Kurt Shaw is a relatively fresh face, having started in 2018. He is currently on the Sliema Wanderers as a centre-back defender. Like Muscat, his contract expires at the end of June. His current market price is around €207,000, which is true of most other players on this list.
Note that Shaw’s value is declining. He is also currently on hiatus due to a ligament rupture and is expected to return in October. Get well soon!
4. Jean Borg
Jean Borg started playing for the Maltese club Valletta in 2017 and shows no signs of leaving. If you love your locals, he’s probably sticking around. His current market price is around €155,000 and is on the decline.
5. Ryan Scicluna
Ryan Scicluna played for Birkirkara, Balzan, Sirens and Birkirkara once again. Of particular interest, however, is his price chart: if you look at it, you can see it going up in mountainous peaks! That €207,000 might go up!
6. Carlo Zammit Lonardelli
Carlo Zammit Lonardelli also stays pretty local. However, since he also gets loaned a lot, maybe it’s worth exploring how loans work.
According to Goal.com, when a player is loaned, they do not technically leave their original (“parent”) club. A loan can happen for many different reasons, including the player not being able to pay their parent club, internal disputes within the club, training with another team, and even as a way of replacing an injured player.
He’s new, but his value is steadily increasing. (He’s currently worth around €207,000.) Keep your eyes on this rising star; something interesting is going on!
Conclusion
If you love sports, including football, sometimes it’s worth learning how things work off the field. There are a lot of contracts behind your favorite teams and players. These can affect your favorite teams, especially when a player gets injured or retires. We hope you enjoyed this list of players who played for Malta but may change places later this year!