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International tournaments like the Euros have always been the perfect stage for upcoming talent to make their mark in the footballing world. An ideal example of this phenomenon was the 2014 World Cup, where James Rodriguez burst onto the scene with a Puskas-winning goal against Uruguay. The Colombian sensation was crucial to his nation's run to the quarter-finals, which earned him a £71m move to Real Madrid.
Transfers and Euro 2020
The summer transfer window has been underway for over a month now. Apart from a few expensive signings, clubs have mostly focused their attention towards completing thrifty deals. Even so, the tide can change drastically once the Euros are consummated. A good international tournament always manages to surge up the asking price of the player in question.
Nevertheless, in some cases, these performances just confirm how good a player has been throughout his career, by rightfully putting them in the spotlight. Here, we take a look at 5 such footballers who, through their impressive outings at Euro 2020, showed the world exactly why they deserve a big money move.
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5. Manuel Locatelli
The former AC Milan wonderkid experienced an up-to-par season at Sassuolo last year. However, he really turned up the ante when it mattered the most. Locatelli put in an eye-catching performance against Switzerland, scoring twice to seal a comprehensive win against the Red Crosses.
The fact that Roberto Mancini has chosen to name Marco Verratti, Jorginho and Nicolo Barella as the mainstays in his midfield is a testament to the abilities of the said technicians and not a question over Locatelli's obvious talent. Regardless, his 4 apperances at Euro 2020 proved to be enticing enough for a string of clubs. The 23-year-old playmaker is currently on the shopping list for both Arsenal and Juventus.
According to Calciomercato, the Gunners have already put forward a €40m bid in hopes of signing Locatelli. However, they will face tough competition from the Bianconeri, who are still the frontrunners in securing his signature.
Locatelli was recently in the news after he removed bottles of Coca-Cola in a post-match interview, two days after Ronaldo's snub at the beverage giants.
4. Alexander Isak
Having recently penned down a 5-year contract extension with Real Sociedad, Isak is still being hunted by many clubs across the continent. Many would question the Swede's decision to tie up his future at Anoeta, since he has no shortage of more lucrative suitors. An electric performance against Spain garnered a lot of praise for the 21-year-old striker.
Isak was instrumental in his side's success at Euro 2020. Despite failing to score at the Euros, his two assists, coupled with his galvanizing pace, propelled Sweden to first place in Group E, ahead of favorites Spain.
Isak had a disappointing spell at Dortmund, making just 5 appearances for Die Borussen's senior squad with no goals to show for his efforts. This led to many people writing him off at a very young age. Nevertheless, the eccentric forward has bounced back in style, scoring 17 times in 34 league appearances for the Basque club. According to AS, the youngster is now a target for Premier League giants such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.
His €70m release clause might put off potential bidders, but a collection of classy performances at Euro 2020 would definitely attract any top club looking to strengthen their attacking options.
3. Leonardo Spinazzola
Our second player from the Azzurri on the list, the 28-year-old Italian has always been criminally underrated throughout his career. Having spent 6 of his 7 years contracted to Juventus out on loan with 7 different clubs, Spinazzola finally left the Old Lady to join their Serie A rivals Roma in 2019, for a fee of €29.5m. The Foligno-born wing-back has had a difficult time with injuries but he finally showed his true class at Euro 2020. Ironically, a rupture in his achilles meant that Spinazzola had to exit the tournament prematurely.
His athletic stature and ability to beat players on the run makes him an offensive threat to the opposition team. Spinazzola combined brilliantly with Lorenzo Insigne on the left flank for the 4 games that they played together at Euro 2020. If reports are to be believed, his stunning form tempted none other than Los Blancos to make a move for the versatile defender.
In addition to Real Madrid, Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea side are also looking to bring the Italian to Stamford Bridge as they look to offload an out-of-form Marcos Alonso.
2. Joakim Maehle
The Danish side have had a turbulent Euro 2020. They began their tournament with 2 losses on the trot, which included a tragic incident in their opening match against Finland. Christian Eriksen collapsed on the ground after suffering a cardiac arrest mid-game. But Denmark came back against all odds and qualified for the knockout stages, losing out to England in the semi-finals under controversial circumstances at Euro 2020.
One of the key players behind their resurgence was Atalanta full-back Joakim Maehle. Primarily featuring on the left for his country, Maehle helped the Danes on an unlikely semi-final run.
His first 6 months for Atalanta might have gone slightly under the radar but a remarkable Euro 2020 ensures that the Italian side will receive a lot of calls regarding the versatile defender's future. Reportedly, Southampton and Chelsea are sniffing around Atalanta to finalize a potential deal for Maehle.
However, Maehle recently reconfirmed his intention to extend his stay in Italy after Euro 2020. He stated:
“I have just switched to an insanely good Italian club, so I am sure that I will also play for Atalanta after the European Championships."
This may complicate matters for any club aiming to sign the 24-year-old defender. Nevertheless, interest in Maehle remains eminent.
1. Robin Gosens
How differently would've things ended in Munich had Robin Gosens decided to move forward with a career in the police, one has to wonder. The third fullback on the list with ties to Atalanta, Gosens was playing in the Dutch 2nd division during Germany's 2014 World Cup triumph. Working steadily through the ranks, he arrived at the Italian middlings in 2017 where he put in silent but stellar performances, on a consistent basis. The German tank subsequently earned a call up from Die Mannschaft for Euro 2020.
Gosens was particularly impressive against Portugal. He turned out to be too exorbitant for the Portuguese defense, scoring once and creating a further two in the game. Even though Germany had just about scrapped through Group F and crashed in the first round of the knockout stages, the 27-year-old defender bowed out, having proved his worth. So much so that links with Barcelona started surfacing, not long after.
Gosens is likely to be in high demand, especially after his showings at the Euros, as a lot of top clubs are looking for offensive fullbacks now. As of now, it is too soon to comment on his future. But one thing remains undeniable - he has earned his right to be at the center of a bidding war.
Honorable mentions
Some players who could've easily made the list include the likes of Renato Sanches, Mikkel Damsgaard, Mykola Matviyenko, Jeremy Doku, Denzel Dumfries and many more such Euro 2020 stars.
