The window shopping is in full swing and the bargain hunters are out in force.
Premier League clubs have, as their lord and masters decree, submitted their released lists, and they will be pored over by Football League counterparts looking to pick up a bit of quality.
But just because they are on a released list, doesn't mean to say they can be had on the cheap... far from it.
Take Norwich City: would they be able to satisfy the wage demands of a player who has just waved goodbye to Premier League team-mates? Perhaps a look at what is actually 'on offer' will answer that.
Take West Ham: they have released two players – James Collins and Patrice Evra. Collins' name was linked with City in the dim and distant past, but in 2018, he is well beyond their means – he played a dozen top-flight games last season so you are not going to get him for £10,000 a week.
A lot of the names on the released list are out of contract and have their next move already planned – and without a transfer fee involved, players' wage demands increase.
So who else is 'up for grabs'?
City have, according to reports, been looking for a keeper: Tim Krul has left Brighton, but with Fulham wanting him then Championship clubs are unlikely to have a chance. And former City stopper Robert Green is leaving Huddersfield...
At Burnley, Scott Arfield has gone to Rangers while a one-time Canaries loan player, Dean Marney is available - but will cost (sounds familiar). Brighton's Steve Sidwell has, finally, admitted his playing days are over.
Experienced Damien Delaney has been released by Palace – there's bound to be takers.
If you are in the market for big defenders, then Robert Huth is leaving Leicester.
But the underlying theme is, of course, money: how much these players will cost you each week, how much you have, how much you are prepared to gamble.
If the answers to the above are, too much; not enough; not really, then your scouting network will have to get out their notebooks and give you the lowdown on the young lads who are being allowed into the big wide world. That is where clubs like Norwich earn their beans: knowing the market inside out. The scouting network will have the name of every player who might be a possible signing - myriad factors come into play. Not least the cost.
But, just in case you happen to be running a football club with limitless resources, here's the list if released players ... the challenge is to select a team from it.
2017/18 Free Transfers
AFC Bournemouth: Ryan Allsop, Baily Cargill, Ollie Harfield, Sam Matthews, Patrick O'Flaherty, Joe Quigley, Rhoys Wiggins.
Arsenal: Marc Bola, Santi Cazorla, Alexander Crean, Aaron Eyoma, Ryan Huddart, Chiori Johnson, Hugo Oliver Keto, Per Mertesacker, Tafari Moore.
Brighton & Hove Albion: David Ajiboye, Jonah Ayunga, Tom Dallison, Tyler Hornby-Forbes, Uwe Hunemeier, Dessien Hutchinson, Rohan Ince, Mamadou Kone, Tim Krul, Reece Meekums, Rian O'Sullivan, Liam Rosenior, Steve Sidwell.
Burnley: Tom Anderson, Scott Arfield, Jordan Barnett, Arlen Birch, Josh Ginnelly, Bradley Jackson, Samuel Layton, Harry Limb, Christopher Long, Dean Marney, Khius Metz, Rahis Nabi, Jamie Thomas.
Chelsea: Mitchell Beeney, Isaac Christie-Davies, Cole Dasilva, Matej Delac, Eduardo Carvalho, Jordan Houghton, Renedi Masampu, Wallace Oliveira, Tushaun-Tyreese Walters.
Crystal Palace: Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong, Yohan Cabaye, Diego Cavalieri, Andre Coker, Damien Delaney, Victor Fundi, Lee Chung-yong, Bakary Sako, Joel Ward.
Everton: Jose Baxter, Sam Byrne, Calum Dyson, Conor Grant, Louis Gray, David Henen, Joel Robles.
Huddersfield Town: Jack Boyle, Denilson Almeida Leonel Carvalho, Dylan Cogill, Luca Colville, Robert Green, Dean Whitehead.
Leicester City: Joshua Debayo, Robert Huth, Sammie McLeod, Dylan Watts, Cameron Yates.
Liverpool: Emre Can, Toni Gomes, Yan Dhanda, Andrew Firth, Jon Flanagan, Paulo Alves, Mich'El Parker, Jordan Williams.
Manchester City: Sadou Diallo, Demeaco Duhaney, Will Patching, Erik Sarmiento, Pawel Sokol, Yaya Toure, Marcus Wood.
Manchester United: Michael Carrick, Max Johnstone, Jake Kenyon, Ilias Moutha-Sebtaoui, Devonte Redmond, Theo Richardson, Joe Riley, Charlie Scott.
Newcastle United: Yannick Aziakonou, Kyle Cameron, Yasin El-Mahanni, Stuart Findlay, Owen Gallacher, Jesus Duarte, Macauley Gillesphey, Alex Gilliead, Curtis Good, Massadio Haidara, Mackenzie Heaney, Tom Heardman, Jack Hunter, Benjamin Kitchen, Oliver Long, Lewis McNall, Brendan Pearson, Callum Smith, Liam Smith, Craig Spooner, Daniel Ward, Callum Williams, Paul Woolston.
Southampton: Richard Bakary, Oliver Cook, Florin Gardos, Armani Little, Olufela Olomola, Jeremy Pied, William Wood.
Stoke City: Olusola Adeola Ayoola, Lewis Banks, Jordan Greenidge, Ryan Hill, Stephen Ireland, Glen Johnson, Eddy Lecygne, Luis Marques De Almeida.
Swansea City: Leon Britton, Causso Darame, Mael Davies, Ki Sung-yueng, Matic Paljk, Lewis Thomas, Angel Rangel.
Tottenham Hotspur: Ryan Loft, Christian Maghoma, Luke O'Reilly, Joe Pritchard, Nicholas Tsaroulla.
Watford: Nathan Gartside, Dennon Lewis, Brandon Mason, Louis Rogers, Charles Rowan, Maximillian Ryan, David Sesay, Connor Stevens, Carl Stewart.
West Bromwich Albion: Tahvon Campbell, Gareth McAuley, Robbie McCourt, James Morrison, Glyn Myhill, Evan Pierce, Ethan Ross, Claudio Yacob.
West Ham United: James Collins, Patrice Evra.
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