9 Players Who Could Earn Big-Money Transfers After Euro 2024
Real Madrid must have been licking their lips throughout Euro 2024.
Normally, this type of article would include Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler as headline acts. It's frightening to think the two most exciting young players in the competition were already snapped up by the Spanish giants and already have a Champions League trophy to their name in their debut seasons with the club.
Euro 2024 was full of excellent performances from other names who could be on the move. There is no shop window quite like an international tournament, where one memorable performance can catapult a career as the summer transfer window beckons.
Here are nine players who have done themselves no harm in any major deal...
Georges Mikautadze, Georgia
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Hands up; who had Georgia forward Georges Mikautadze to be among Euro 2024's top scorers?
Here's where it gets interesting. Mikautadze scored an excellent 13 goals in 20 matches on loan at Metz last season. They were relegated to Ligue 2, but on July 1, the French side confirmed his permanent move from Ajax for just €13 million. He is going to move without playing another game for the club, so Metz are absolutely quids in.
Mikautadze is currently in the middle of a Ligue 1 tussle, with Lyon and AS Monaco pushing for his services. It seems the former will come out on top in a deal that should be confirmed very soon.
Giorgi Mamardashvili, Georgia
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At the other side of the pitch for Georgia is the brilliant Giorgi Mamardashvili. If you watch La Liga, you know about this man's qualities. He's a rare breed for such a young goalkeeper; commanding, aggressive, and a brilliant shot-stopper who is a natural leader at the back. Both his nation and Valencia would be far worse off without him.
The 23-year-old's string of excellent saves at Euro 2024 will have alerted those who hadn't already spotted him. Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Bayern Munich are reportedly interested in a £35 million move, although Mamardashvili has made it clear he doesn't intend to join a huge club only to sit on the bench.
That self-confidence could bolster any side.
Dani Olmo, Spain
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It's surprising to think Dani Olmo is 26 years old and has never played for a truly elite-tier club. No disrespect to Dinamo Zagreb and RB Leipzig, but the former Barcelona youth star is more than capable of representing the very best.
He had three goals at this year's tournament, including the winner against France in the semifinals and a trophy-saving header off the line against England in the final. Olmo's versatility across midfield and the forward line is complemented by his excellent ball control and ability to sneak away from his nearest mark to link play.
Both his goal and assist against Germany reaffirmed that he is so incredibly useful at impacting matches. Manchester City and Liverpool are reportedly lurking, two teams in which he could be an immediate success.
Nico Williams, Spain
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It feels like Nico Williams has been around forever. Blessed with incredible pace and dribbling ability, the 21-year-old is beginning to add real consistency to his game.
His goal in the Euros Final against England only tells part of the story. Teams are having to set up individual plans to deal with him, often pulling two men across and allowing Spain greater control in central midfield areas, which in turn has given the likes of Olmo, Fabian Ruiz and Rodri space to dominate.
Williams headed into the competition with five goals and 11 assists in 31 La Liga appearances for Athletic Club. His dovetailing with Lamine Yamal for the national team has obviously caught Barcelona's eye, with president Joan Laporta refuting claims La Blaugrana doesn't have the cash to trigger his £49 million buyout clause. Better activate another one of those financial levers…
Marc Guehi, England
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England's defence was heavily examined before Euro 2024. One of the big questions surrounding Marc Guehi, with many wondering if he's the right person to replace Harry Maguire at centreback alongside John Stones. Surely Lewis Dunk is the more natural replacement?
To put it simply, Guehi was one of England's best players during the run to the Final. His excellent reading of the game, calmness on the ball and willingness to step up kept England together in moments where it looked like they'd disintegrate.
He has essentially played Maguire out of the team permanently, and if he keeps it up, will likely play himself into a major move to a Premier League giant.
Riccardo Calafiori, Italy
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Riccardo Calafiori's quality is not a secret to regular Serie A watchers. However, interest in him has boomed since Euro 2024 began as the social media crowd get on board with a classy young defender whose appearance calls back to Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta.
Calafiori has managed to show his quality despite playing in a poor Italy side and scoring an own goal against Spain. That takes some doing. He's got Rolls Royce written all over him; excellent at stepping forwards and starting possession with an incisive pass. Comfortable in the middle or at left-back, he has the brilliant capability of slotting in where needed without dropping his performance level.
There's no wonder Arsenal are expected to pick him up. What's one more quality defender in arguably the best defence in world football?
Tijjani Reijnders, Netherlands
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Granted, Tijjani Reijnders is already representing a huge club. The Milan midfielder ranks up there with the best of the tournament so far and has been the heartbeat of the Netherlands' run to the semifinals.
Reijnders' ball-carrying skills gave Gakpo and Memphis Depay time to run beyond defenders and stretch play. He almost seems like he's casually walking through people, winning the ball back and just brushing opponents aside with close control.
There's a combativeness to his play that works well alongside midfield partner Jerdy Schouten, whose penchant for mopping up slightly deeper allows Reinjders to stomp about full-blooded, working off his excellent instincts to close down.
A low-key superstar who will certainly gain a few sniffs of interest despite Milan being ahead of the curve by signing him in 2023.
Diogo Costa, Portugal
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Already a massive name expected to move on from Porto, who often sell their biggest stars. One huge save to bail out Pepe's mistake against Slovenia, followed by three penalty stops in a row to win the game on spot-kicks. Enough said.
Baris Yilmaz, Türkiye
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May you go about your daily work like Baris Yilmaz goes about his.
Coffee cups would be smashed to smithereens, desks flipped and keyboards punctured to oblivion. The Galatasaray star is 'we gave it 110%' embodied. He is fearless and doesn't care about your reputation.
Much of Türkiye's wonderful run to the quarters was built on enthusiastic chaos and their ability to keep opponents honest by never, ever stopping the fight. Yilmaz led the charge.
He is a nuisance, built on technical ability and Red Bull, ready to jink past you or kick your legs out in equal measure. Unsurprisingly, he's now linked with a move to Liverpool, a club whose fans would absolutely love his effort levels.
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