Besides the already established football stars who were expected to deliver great performances in the World Cup, the tournament also gave some other players the opportunity to break through and showcase their talents in the world’s greatest stage, getting the attention of European powerhouses. With the tournament already over, clubs will now focus their attention on bolstering their squads during the current transfer window in anticipation to the start of the domestic leagues.
Here are five players
expected to get big transfers thanks to their World Cup performances.
Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco)
The 18-year-old midfielder ended up his World Cup performance with an astounding 90% of his passes completed according to Sofascore. Several teams, including Manchester City, Arsenal FC and Manchester United have been in contact with Bouaddi’s camp, per The Athletic’s David Ornstein.
The youngster began the World Cup with a statement performance against Brazil, completing 86 passes with an accuracy of 91%, contributing to his team’s draw against the South American powerhouse (WhoScored). The Ligue 1 team will reportedly ask for a transfer fee of around €100 million, according to David Ornstein.
Bradley Barcola (France)
The Paris Saint-Germain winger had a superb performance in his country’s World Cup fourth place run. He ended the tournament with three goals and one assist, and, given the fact that he has not established himself as a surefire starter with the Parisians, there have been rumors of a likely transfer out of the back-to-back UEFA Champions League champions.
Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has recently reported that Liverpool FC is keeping tabs on the French attacker, while RMC Sport claims PSG has openly offered the player to several teams, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona (via TEAMtalk).
Maxence Lacroix (France)
The French center-back most recently featured in France’s clash against England for the third place of the World Cup, and while his team was ultimately defeated, the defender showcased a remarkable level, finishing the match with 10 defensive contributions, four blocked shots and two recoveries per Sofascore. TalkSPORTLive commentator Ben Jacobs reports that Chelsea FC has inquired Crystal Palace over a transfer. The transfer fee is expected to be at least £55m.
Yan Diomandé (Ivory Coast)
RB Leipzig attacker Yan Diomandé has been on Paris Saint-Germain’s radar for a couple of months, with RMC Sport’s journalist Fabrice Hawkins reporting a verbal agreement between the Bundesliga player and the French giants last month.
Moreover, journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed today that the holding UCL champions have agreed to terms with the player, while emphasizing that a deal between both teams is yet to be reached.
Andreas Schjelderup (Norway)
The Norwegian squad was one of the tournament’s revelations, earning the support of neutral fans with its now famous Viking Row celebrations, and displaying an astounding level led by Manchester City’s striker Erling Haaland. One of the most important players in the Scandinavian squad was the Benfica’s winger, who helped his team defeat Brazil in the Round of 16 by assisting Haaland’s two goals, launching the Norwegians to their first-ever quarterfinal (WhoScored). A Bola reports that Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur have shown interest in the winger, with an expected transfer fee of around €40 million (via ESPN).
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