Thank you, UEFA, for ensuring that the football season continues even after Saturday’s Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. Remember how entertained we all were by the 2022 World Cup and AFCON 2023? We’d like to believe that EURO 2024 will deliver similar delights. The tournament itself kicks off on June 14, just two weeks after the UCL final, and we’re already looking forward to seeing several of our favorite players back in action with the impact of this summer’s tournament expected to extend beyond the pitch, with interesting implications for the summer transfer window. Stay with us, as we explore how EURO 2024 will shape the summer transfer market.
**EURO 2024 – A Scout’s Dream** The transfer window opens on June 14th, coinciding with the first game of EURO 2024. And for the ever-watchful club executives that are sure to be in attendance, hopes of unearthing the next diamond in the rough will be paramount. What do Mesut Ozil, Enzo Fernandez, Wayne Rooney, and El Hadji Diouf all have in common? Their performances at the biggest stage earned them big money moves to the biggest clubs in the world. And that is exactly what several players at EURO 2024 will be aiming to do; perform well and earn a desired move. However, international tournaments can also go the other way. Bad performances can tank player values, while good performances can inflate the value of a player beyond the budget of a dawdling club executive. That’s football! **Factors that will affect player value at EURO 2024** Let’s face it; in 2024 there are no undiscovered talents. Which means that most clubs will be watching to see which players are good enough to command a spot on a contender and how they fit into a modern tactical setup. Here are the three players we think have the potential to go from near-unknown to breakout star at EURO 2024 Since we’re discussing players on contenders, players like Benjamin Sesko who, while very talented, are already well-known will not be discussed in this section.
- Nico Williams: Despite being a fully-fledged Spanish international, the Athletic Bilbao winger is still an unknown quality for many football fans due to the club he plays for. Pacey, strong, skillful, and able to play off either wing, his ability to beat his man and deliver a telling contribution is reflected in another successful season where he racked up 17 G+A in 31 appearances. Now, he heads to EURO 2024 with a legitimate chance of being La Furia Roja’s starting left-winger, opposite Lamine Yamal on the other wing. His quality is reflected in the calibre of heavyweights (Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and more) fighting for his signature. If, as expected, he has a good EURO 2024, his value will skyrocket before the end of the tournament.
- Antonio Silva: The 20-year-old centre-back was in the squad for the World Cup in Qatar where he became the youngest player ever to represent his country at a World Cup. This time around, he’ll be aiming for more than a record and will push for a starting spot after an excellent season at Benfica where he helmed a defense that conceded just 28 goals in 34 league games this season. The youngster’s composure, excellent 1v1 defending and quality on the ball belie his age and he’s another that will interest the watching scouts at EURO 2024.
- Arthur Vermeeren: Playing time has been hard to come by for this talented 19-year-old since his January switch from Royal Antwerp to Atletico Madrid, but the Belgian has shown flashes of brilliance in the limited playing time he has got. While Belgium still has a lot of attacking and midfield talent, their defense is far off what they had when the likes of Thomas Vermaelen, Vincent Kompany and Jan Vertonghen ruled the roost. Vermeeren has already got three caps for Belgium under his belt, and his strong defensive skills combined with an ability to create chances mean he could be in line for a starting place that could elevate his profile in the eyes of the fans and watching team scouts.
- Connor Gallagher: Yes, we know he is Chelsea captain and not exactly an unknown player. However, hear us out. After a very strong season where he was one of the few bright spots for Chelsea, Gallagher is expected to start in midfield, alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham. If he can replicate his performances for Chelsea, then England has a chance to go one step better than the last EUROs where they lost on penalties in the final to Italy. And for Gallagher, it will bring him to the attention of the best clubs in the world. After all, as Angel di Maria put it so eloquently, “It hurts when you're always doing your best for your club and then you hear that you might be going to Tottenham.”
**Domino Effect** The EUROs can be the trigger of a transfer window domino effect as top performers become hot commodities. Kylian Mbappe is one of the best players in the world and if, as expected, he signs for Real Madrid, some players will need to be moved out to free up some space in the squad. PSG will be on the lookout for a replacement so attention will be on EURO 2024, as well as the Copa America tournament where players like Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr etc will be expected to light up that tournament and might be viable replacements for the departing Les Blues captain. Over in the Saudi Professional League, attention will also be on players at EURO 2024 and the Copa America. Last summer, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, and several others moved to the middle east. This summer, several players will be playing with one eye on the opportunity to move to the SPL, raise the profile of the league and retire with a windfall. Luka Modric, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Rafael Varane and Antony Martial all fall into this category. The first three, in particular, will have a stronger bargaining position if any of the SPL clubs come calling. **Bet on:**
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