20 Players Who Could Win Big Moves with Huge End to the Season
Here are 20 footballers who could win big moves in the 2015 summer transfer window should they finish the rest of this campaign strongly.
Besides the likes of Alexandre Lacazette, Memphis Depay, Paulo Dybala et al., which other footballers will be aiming to have dominant ends of the seasons?
The 20 footballers will be subjectively ranked via current playing ability, upside and transfer stock.
Honourable Mentions
- Roman Burki, 24, Freiburg's Swiss goalkeeper.
- James Ward-Prowse, 20, Southampton's English central/right attacking midfielder.
- Khouma Babacar, 22, Fiorentina's Senegalese centre-forward.
- Kevin Diks, 18, Vitesse's Dutch right-back.
- Caio, 20, Kashima Antlers' Brazilian left-winger.
20. Saido Berahino (West Bromwich Albion)
1 of 20
West Bromwich Albion's English centre-forwardย Saido Berahino, 21, is a mercurial talent.ย
There are only two English footballers who have outscoredย Berahino (12 goals) in the Premier League this season:ย Harry Kane (19 goals) andย Charlie Austin (15 goals).
Berahino would be ranked higher on this list if not for his inconsistent stretches during the season and his wayward attitude problems.
19. Jonny (Celta Vigo)
2 of 20
Celta Vigo's Spanish left/right-backย Jonny, 21, is flying into tackles and charging forward to intercept passes.
He jumps out to you as the type of no-nonsense full-back you want.ย
Ifย Cesar Azpilicueta can make the grade at Chelsea, then there is no reason thatย Jonny can't do a job for a big club.
18. Danny Ings (Burnley)
3 of 20
Burnley's English centre-forwardย Danny Ings, 23, has proved he can bring his success in the Championship to the Premier League.ย
He has scored nine goals and registered four assists in 27 games this season.ย
He is ready to play for a bigger club thanย Burnley.
17. N'Golo Kante (Caen)
4 of 20
Caen's French central midfielderย N'Golo Kante, 23, must be one of the most-improved footballers in Europe's elite leagues.ย
Kante is a workhorse having completed 143 tackles and intercepted 80 passes.
He is not a one-dimensional ball-winning-only footballer. When he is in possession, he can make defence-splitting passes and contributes whenย Caen go forward.
16. Nikola Maksimovic (Torino)
5 of 20
Torino's Serbian centre-backย Nikola Maksimovic, 23, is supposed to be a defender.
Yet he spends a portion of the game as a quasi-midfielder, controlling the tempo of play and spraying passes around.ย
Maksimovicย has the passing ability of an elite midfielder: completes 86.80 percent of his 53.30 passes per game.ย
His defensive positioning is still a work in progress, but he should contemplate a positional change to become a central midfielder.ย
15. Marc Stendera (Eintracht Frankfurt)
6 of 20
Eintracht Frankfurt's German central attacking midfielder Marc Stendera, 19, could become a household name in the next few years.ย
He is extremely talented, he possesses vision, his incisive passing is excellent and he works hard to win back the ball.ย
He averages more tackles per game (2.90) than key passes per game (1.40), which tells you how industrious he is.
14. Morgan Sanson (Montpellier)
7 of 20
Montpellier's French utility playerย Morgan Sanson, 20, plays multiple positions, can adjust to different formations and is a team-first footballer.ย
He is the Frenchย James Milner.
Sanson would be an invaluable addition to most major European teams.
13. Sven Van Beek (Feyenoord)
8 of 20
Feyenoord's Dutch centre-backย Sven van Beek, 20, is outstanding when it comes to being a passing outlet at the back.
He completes 89.20 percent of his 66.90 passes per game.
Vanย Beek is a safe tackler (averages 0.90 fouls per game), but he needs to be more assertive in winning back possession.
If Manchester United do not sign a world-class centre-back, don't be surprised ifย Louis van Gaal takes a look at Vanย Beek.
12. Raphael Guerreiro (Lorient)
9 of 20
Lorient's Portuguese left-winger/left-backย Raphael Guerreiro, 21, is fleet-footed, gritty and has great positional sense.ย
He may not have the natural talent of compatriotย Bernardo Silva, butย Guerreiro is productive and finds ways of impacting games.ย
Guerreiro has now scored seven goals and provided three assists in 29 Ligue 1 games.ย
He has transformed his game from inconsistent left-back to a wide threat.
11. Jose Gaya (Valencia)
10 of 20
Valencia's Spanish left-backย Jose Gaya, 19, is on the same path asย Juan Bernat andย Jordi Alba.
This leads you to speculate thatย Gaya could end up at a major club with the same gravitas asย Bayern Munich orย Barcelona.
It gives you an idea of how phenomenal Valencia have been in giving extended starting runs to young left-backs.ย
The only problemย Gaya has is a tendency to commitย unnecessaryย fouls.
10. Johannes Geis (Mainz)
11 of 20
Mainz's German defensive midfielderย Johannes Geis, 21, is such a talented passer.
When you watch him drop deep and emulateย Andrea Pirlo, you react: "Wow!"
However,ย Geis can be a turnover machine when he is not in form.
He only completes 73.50 percent of his passes.ย
Despite being aย distributorย and playing in his team-mates,ย Geis at times hurts his own team with his reckless passing.ย
If he is more proficient in possession, he will be a highlyย sought-after midfielder in the summer transfer window.
9. Tony Jantschke (Borussia Monchengladbach)
12 of 20
Borussia Monchengladbach's German centre/right-backย Tony Jantschke, 24, is Mr. Reliable.ย
He is toย Borussia Monchengladbach whatย Philipp Lahm is toย Bayern Munich.
Jantschke is a big reason whyย Borussia Monchengladbach have the second-best defence in theย Bundesliga (20 goals conceded from 26 league games).
8. Anwar El Ghazi (Ajax)
13 of 20
Ajax's right forwardย Anwar El Ghazi, 19, has everything you want in a wide forward.
He possesses pace, strength, dribbling proficiency, goal scoring ability and is a creative outlet.ย El Ghazi is second at Ajaxย in Eredivisie goals (nine) and assists (eight) this season.ย
He is one of the best teenage footballers in Europe right now.
7. Timo Horn (Koln)
14 of 20
Koln's German goalkeeperย Timo Horn, 21, has extraordinary reflexes which have enabled him to record 94 saves in 26ย Bundesliga games.
He is just one of a plethora of German goalkeepers with world-class upside.ย
Horn may not be the biggest name, but he is headed in the right direction, so don't be surprised if he is courted by major European clubs in the summer transfer window.
6. Abdul Rahman Baba (Augsburg)
15 of 20
Augsburg'sย Ghanaian left-backย Abdul Rahman Baba, 20, has risen to prominence.
He should be a viable alternative toย Ricardo Rodriguez.
When you factor in Volkswagen increasing their funding inย Wolfsburg, it seems unlikelyย Rodriguez will be let go any time soon.
Baba isย Rodriguez pre-Wolfsburg, except withย Bundesliga experience.ย
If a major European team is interested inย Rodriguez, then they should also targetย Baba, who is a better defender.
5. Roberto Firmino (Hoffenheim)
16 of 20
Hoffenheim's Brazilian central attacking midfielderย Roberto Firmino, 23, possessesย Djalminha's trickery andย Mauro Silva's tenacity.ย
What you have inย Firmino is a complete footballer.
When you watch him, you instantly know he is a special player. However, he needs to be more consistent and has to continue to improve.
Otherwise, he will just be another good player, rather than a great one.
4. Memphis Depay (PSV Eindhoven)
17 of 20
PSV Eindhoven's Dutch left forwardย Memphis Depay, 21, is wired to score likeย Cristiano Ronaldo.
Unlikeย Ronaldo, there are question marks overย Depay's durability, and he has yet to play out 50 total games in a season.ย
Fitness issues aside,ย Depay is a natural scorer, netting 17 goals in 24ย Eredivisie games this season.
He is a difference-maker and has the X-factor major European teams want.
3. Paulo Dybala (Palermo)
18 of 20
Palermo's Argentine centre-forwardย Paulo Dybala, 21, resuscitated a European career that was headed for failure.ย
Instead of being to Palermo what Ezequiel Gonzalez was to Fiorentina, Dybala erased two wasted campaigns and approached this season bent on becoming a star.
Twelve goals and seven assists later,ย Dybala has reclaimed his reputation but lost his friendship with Palermo presidentย Maurizio Zamparini, who feels betrayed.
"I had treated [Dybala]ย like a son ...ย I will not speak to [him] again,"ย Zamparini said, perย Tuttosport (h/t Sky Sports). "I will appoint a company to negotiate Dybala's sale."
Howย Dybala finishes this season might dictate the stature of club he signs for in the summer transfer window.
2. Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon)
19 of 20
Lyon's French centre-forwardย Alexandre Lacazette, 23, is the most prolific No. 9 in Europe's first-tier leagues this season.
Lacazette has scored 23 goals in 26 Ligue 1 games this season.
If Lacazette sustains his world-class form, expect Lyon to be open to inflated transfer bids, a la selling Florent Malouda, Florian Maurice, Karim Benzema, Mahamadou Diarra, Michael Essien et al.ย
1. Allan Marques (Udinese)
20 of 20
Udinese's Brazilian central midfielderย Allan Marques, 24, is one of the most dominant footballers in Europe.
Whenever he plays, he runs the show forย Udinese.
He tackles hard, he can zip past opposing players and he has the capability of completing incisive passes.
He possesses the mentality ofย Arturo Vidal but lacks the goals and assists, which would increaseย Allan's reputation.
When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com.
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