Getting to Know the Premier League-Bound Stars of Euro 2008

With Spain and Germany about to put Euro 2008 to bed, the focus will soon return to the transfer window.

With English Premier League teams being linked with players left and right, the Bleacher Report wanted to shine the light on Euro 2008’s brightest stars who are set to enter the world’s best league.

Though rumors are swirling around the likes of David Villa, Andrei Arshavin, David Silva, and Lukas Podolski, this will focus on the three biggest stars of Euro 2008 who have already signed on for Premier League football.

Luka Modric
Age: 22
Country: Croatia
Former Club: Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)
Current Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Price Tag: £15.8 million

Background: Luka Modric was very much the “hot name” floating around news sources and football fans. The diminutive (5-foot-8) central midfielder seemed destined to leave Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb, in search of greener pastures. 

Modric was courted by Premier League heavyweights Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea but spurned them for a ticket to White Hart Lane. This move suits Modric well, because, at Spurs, he will be guaranteed a place and likely will grow into the maestro of Spurs’ midfield.

At the big three, he could have been one of many highly talented, inexperienced, and rarely used players.

Positives:  As he has shown over his young career that he is one of the finest young, creative midfielders in the world. He has the ability to play just behind the forwards and feed them pinpoint, cutting passes. 

He can also, as he does for Croatia, sit in just ahead of the fullbacks and use his quick touch, pace, and dribbling skills to control possession for his team. He also can be a lethal finisher, but I expect that he will be doing more creating for Keane, Bent (maybe), Berbatov (unlikely), and whichever new forward Juande Ramos brings in. 

With top class strikers in front of him, expect Modric, if he stays healthy, to be one of the leading assist men in the EPL next year.

Negatives: Some worry that he is too small to excel in the physically demanding EPL. True, his build is more Terri Hatcher than John Terry, but there have been many undersized players to flourish at his position. 

He’s about the same size as rival Arsenal playmaker Cesc Fabregas, as well as Liverpool’s tough tackling Javier Mascherano. However, these men have proven that they are tougher than their stature indicates, we’ll have to see if Luka can follow suit.

Performance at Euro 2008: Many have called him one of the players of the tournament. I agree. If it were not for a fluke loss against Turkey, Croatia would have tried their luck against Germany in the semis.

Also, if Croatia had any sort of quality in their strike force, Modric easily could have led the tournament in assists (i.e. the perfect ball he laid out to Ivica Olic against Turkey, right in front of goal, that he somehow put over the bar). 

Coach Slaven Bilic was so pleased with his performance he claimed; “Only Kaka is better than Modric. He’s unstoppable, hard even to foul.”

The Bleacher Report is eagerly awaiting a response to Bilic from Cristiano Ronaldo. We hear he might be on permanent holiday in the Spanish capital….

Overall: While not likely on the same level as Ronaldo, Modric looks like a player who could pay serious dividends for Spurs next year. His ability to control a game from the midfield and his willingness to tackle will be vital if Spurs hope to challenge the "Big Four."

See Him in Action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZtYsLvRO1c&feature=related

Jose Bosingwa
Age: 25
Country: Portugal via Zaire
Former Club: FC Porto
Current Club: Chelsea
Price Tag: £16.3 million

Background: Bosingwa, a right back who loves to get forward, brings a winning pedigree to Stamford Bridge. He was a (small) part of the megalomaniacal Jose Mourinho’s F.C. Porto side that won the Champions League in 2003 and was, arguably, the best player in a side that won three straight Portuguese Championships. 

He is also the first choice right back for Luis Felipe Scolari’s Portugal side.  Bosingwa’s signing came as a surprise to most, as Chelsea had not even named their coach at the time. However, once Scolari was brought in, it all made sense.

Positives: He is a prototypical attacking right back. He loves to get up the flanks and can often cause match-up nightmares for opposing coaches. He is capable of pinpoint crosses stemming from his signature high-paced runs. 

He also has outstanding ball skills for a defender and is capable of taking on opposing defenders. His ability to get forward is reminiscent of Sergio Ramos and Roberto Carlos. He also sports a phenomenal unibrow, which is reminiscent of the baby from the Simpsons and Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

Negatives: Like Ramos and Carlos, his propensity to go forward can often lead to problems in the back. He tends to get caught going too far forward, which can leave his club susceptible to the counter-attack.  With counter-attacks being one of the trademarks of English football, he is going to have to be a little less selective with the runs he makes. Also, for a guy his size, I think he is a little soft. 

He will have to prove his toughness, while not committing silly fouls, if he hopes to make regular appearances for Chelsea. Luckily, he will likely get lots of support from notorious “hard men” John Terry and Michael Essien and one of the classiest central defenders in the EPL, countryman Ricardo Carvalho.

With capable defenders like Juliano Belletti and Paulo Ferreira (don’t forget Essien can play right back) waiting in the wings, if Bosingwa does not produce early, expect him to be another star who is lost in the shuffle.

Performance at Euro 2008: I was highly disappointed with Bosingwa’s performance. In the group stage, he appeared solid, but that was only because he did not have to play a Premier League caliber striker (Nihat and Baros do not count). His first real test came against the Germans, where he was exposed. To be fair, the whole Portuguese back four was exposed (which is made up of three Chelsea players). 

He was run ragged by Podolski and Klose, and was definitely at fault for the first goal. When he ventured forward he looked dynamic, but when called into defense he was inadequate. If that performance is any indication of how he does against classy strikers, Chelsea fans may be looking at another expensive disaster.

Overall:  I just don’t think this will be a good fit. They already have Ashley Cole to fly up the left wing. They should have pursued a more defensive-minded right back. Chelsea has enjoyed its greatest success when they have played a more defensive minded game, and for that style, Bosingwa looks a square peg. 

I think you will see more of Essien in the back, and I’d bet on Chelsea being in the market for a true right back come midseason.

See Him in Action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvjAirOULxc

Samir Nasri
Age: 20
Country: France
Former Club: Olympique de Marseille
Current Club: Arsenal
Price Tag: Around £13 million

Background: Nasri, a Marseille native, was another one of the most sought-after signatures in the EPL this year. At just age 20, the attacking midfielder oozes potential. He beat out French rising star, Karim Benzema, for French young player of the year in Ligue 1. 

Though he has not technically signed for Arsenal, all sides claim that it is a done deal and has been for weeks. Arsenal was in need of help in the midfield after losing Alexander Hleb (probably to F.C. Barcelona) and Mathieu Flamini (AC Milan).

Nasri will be expected to help fill the hole left by the departing stars.  Not to worry, though, he will still be aided by the services of Cesc Fabregas, who seems like a perfect mentor for the Frenchman.

Positives: Like Modric, Nasri is a wizard with the ball. In France, he constantly showed a deft touch, as well as the desire to make others around him better.  He is a well-built kid, who will likely be unfazed by the tough tackles he will likely encounter.

He also gives Arsenal another player who can create chances by his own sheer brilliance, as he is adept at taking on defenders. 

He is almost the prototypical Wenger midfielder, whose selfless attitude and deft touch should turn him into a hit at the Emirates. He also stopped bleaching that horrific, wannabe Beckham Mohawk into his hair, which rivaled David Bentley’s for the worst Mohawk in Europe.

Negatives:  While he has done well at Marseille, he has yet to make a large impact on the senior French National Team. However, that is not necessarily his fault. Many in the French media were shouting for French coach Raymond Domenech to start Nasri over 68 year-old Claude Makelele. 

However, Nasri only saw the field for 32 minutes, and was unable to make an impact. Also, some are worried that the media and fans have set expectations that are too lofty for a twenty year-old to achieve.

Replacing a guy like Hleb isn’t easy, especially for someone who can’t drink in the States. However, many think that the “new Zidane” will be up to the task.

Performance at Euro 2008: Thanks, Raymond… (see above).

Overall: This is another strong signing by Arsene’s men. Nasri, like Modric, will be playing against much stiffer competition than he faced in his domestic league, but I think that he will be a hit at the Emirates.

For the Gunners’ sake, let’s hope he shows The Emirates a little more loyalty than Flamini and Hleb. 

See Him in Action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dmtNB61Vxc&feature=related

I will be back in the next couple of weeks, as guys like Villa, Podolski, and Polish keeper Artur Boruc sort out their futures.  Until then, lets hope that the world’s second best midfielder, Roberto Carlos 2.0, and the “new Zidane” are as good as some claim them to be. 

While reality rarely lives up to hype, an EPL fan can dream…right?