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Clubs from the top-five leagues have incurred heavy financial losses due to the global pandemic. As a result, the transfer window has looked a bit different this time around. The teams are slowly coming to the realization that they no longer possess the kind of spending power they did pre-COVID. It's now important to consider cheaper alternatives while still keeping an eye on quality.
To that effect, it's not such a bad idea for them to look outside the top-five European leagues, comprising of the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1.
While the overall talent gap between the top-five leagues and the rest of European football is significant, it doesn't mean the latter is entirely devoid of quality football players. After all, names like Luis Suarez, Virgil van Dijk and even Cristiano Ronaldo have all come from outside these big leagues.
We take a look at a few more such hopefuls who might make the switch this transfer window.
#10 Noa Lang
Noa Lang graduated from the famous Ajax academy but unlike many other compatriots, he wasn't quite able to make his mark in the first team. He went on loan to Club Brugge in Belgium, where he impressed enough that they ended up buying him permanently for €6m last summer.
Lang has managed 15 goals and seven assists in the Belgian Pro League this season, while also giving a great account of himself in U21 Euros. Although he prefers being on the left, he is capable of playing on both wings.
Linked with - Leeds United
#9 Mislav Orsic
Mislav Orsic shot into the limelight after his high-quality hat-trick in Dinamo Zagreb's comeback win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League. Although it was his moment of crowning glory, he has been excellent all season long, scoring 16 times in the league while assisting a further seven. His exploits on the left of the attacking trio in a 4-2-3-1 formation for the Croatian champions-elect have piqued the interest of several clubs.
Linked with - Arsenal, Sevilla
#8 Sergio Oliveira
Although Porto failed to win their domestic competition, their Champions League exploits have been notable. They reached the quarter-final stage, denying Juventus in the process while giving eventual finalists Chelsea a run for their money before getting knocked out.
Their best player during this run was midfielder Sergio Oliveira. The Portuguese central midfielder made 17 goal contributions in the Primeira Liga and five in the Champions League. His performances might have given him a chance of a big move but whether they get him on the plane for the Euros remains to be seen.
Linked with - Wolves, Juventus
#7 Pedro Goncalves
Sporting CP had a hugely impressive season. They clinched the Primeira Liga title and are yet to lose a game, and 22-year-old Pedro Goncalves has been their best player. He has ensured that they do not miss the talisman that Bruno Fernandes was. Operating behind the striker, Goncalves managed 18 goals and three assists in the league. He played in the first part of the U21 Euros and is destined to find himself in the Portugal National Team setup sooner rather than later.
Linked with - Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal
#6 Marcos Senesi
Although it has been a pretty ordinary season for Feyenoord, the emergence of Marcos Senesi has been a huge positive. The left-footed Argentine central defender is a good fit for teams that play a high defensive line. His ball-playing abilities are highly rated as well and it will be interesting to see whether Lionel Scaloni includes him in the squad for Copa America.
Linked with - Barcelona, Real Madrid
#5 Owen Wijndal
AZ Alkmaar boasts a fantastic batch of young talent, many of whom are ready for a big move, and left-back Owen Wijndal is one of them. Already a regular for the Dutch national team, Wijndal compares quite favorably with other full-backs of his age in terms of dribbling and passing. And at 21, he still has a lot to learn.
Wijndal will be hoping to perform well at the Euros next summer in order to attract bigger clubs and win the competition with the Oranje.
Linked with - West Ham
#4 Lisandro Martinez
Another left-footed Argentine central defender playing in the Netherlands is Lisandro Martinez. While he isn't the most physical center-back, he ranks incredibly high in terms of his passing, ball-carrying, and interception numbers; all indicators of a very intelligent young player. The 23-year-old was a very important part of the Ajax side who won the Eredivisie this season.
Linked with - Barcelona, AC Milan
#3 Patson Daka
As a forward from RB Salzburg whose numbers are similar to that of a certain Erling Haaland, it's not difficult to understand why a lot of teams want Patson Daka. He has a whopping 26 goals in 26 games in the Austrian Bundesliga this season, and recently scored an eight-minute hat-trick.
The 22-year-old Zambian can be a great investment for several big clubs who may not be able to afford others like Haaland or Harry Kane.
Linked with - Liverpool, Arsenal
#2 Alejandro Grimaldo
Hailing from the famous La Masia academy, Alejandro Grimaldo has gone on to build a solid reputation for himself in Portugal, playing for Benfica. Great at dribbling with excellent creative numbers, he is the definition of a modern full-back. A long-time captain of Barcelona's youth teams, things didn't work out for him at the Camp Nou but given how he had reestablished himself, a big move is certainly due. It might even be one back home as Jordi Alba's successor.
Linked with - Manchester City, Barcelona
#1 Ryan Gravenberch
The latest sensation from the Ajax Youth Academy, Ryan Gravenberch is among the best teenagers in world football at the moment. He is a box-to-box midfielder who is very active, be it in dropping deep to creating numerical superiorities in the midfield, or driving forward with the ball linking play.
His 6'2" stature means he's no slouch on the physical side of the game either, often drawing comparisons with Paul Pogba. Gravenberch will most definitely play for the Netherlands in the Euros next month and will continue to do so for years to come.
Linked with - Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester United
