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The World Cup is so often used as a springboard for footballers to get themselves a big-money move to one of world football’s elite clubs. Throughout the history of the tournament, that has so often been the case – most recently in how James Rodriguez signed for Real Madrid based on his exploits in Brazil back in 2014.
With this year’s World Cup now at its mid-way point, there are plenty of names who have caught the eye of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, and it could well be that a whole host of transfers are completed once the competition comes to a close on July 15th.
Here, we’re going to highlight 10 players who could well get themselves a major move based on how well they’ve performed in Russia:
#10 Santiago Arias
Colombian right-back Santiago Arias has turned heads for the past few years in the Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven. And now, it looks as if the energetic full-back could be set to get a big move once the World Cup is done and dusted.
In recent months, Arias has been linked with a move to Serie A powerhouses Juventus, and the recent exit of Stephan Lichsteiner from Juve to Arsenal has left a vacant spot in the Old Lady’s backline.
Adding further fuel to this particular fire, Arias – the winner of the Eredivisie’s Player of the Season in 2017-2018 – has publicly discussed how playing for Juventus would be a dream come true.
Matteo Darmian has been a longtime target of Juventus, but with it proving difficult to agree a fee with Manchester United, Arias makes for a perfect alternative. And even if the Juventus move doesn’t materialise for the Colombian, some of Europe’s other big hitters will surely be looking at snapping him up.
#9 Aleksandr Golovin
Many casual football fans had host nation Russia pegged as not even making it out of Group A during the 2018 World Cup. Having got off to a flier with a 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia, Russia would go on to finish second in their group and progress to the knockout stages – and key to that was CSKA Moscow’s creative midfielder, Aleksandr Golovin.
Before the World Cup even began, Golovin had been linked with a who’s who of European football, and his impressive performances at the tournament will see him in even further demand.
At just 22 years of age, Golovin has the world at his feet – as reflected by the likes of Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, and Chelsea having all shown reported interest in the playmaker. With an electric, creative approach to his play, and with an impressive eye for goal, the World Cup could prove to be the perfect launching pad for a huge move for Aleksandr Golovin.
#8 Ever Banega
Many a football fan have been a long-time admirer of Argentine playmaker Ever Banega, and the influence that the creative midfielder had in his country’s vital win over Nigeria highlights just what a difference he can make to a team.
Having been dropped from the team for Argentina’s humiliating defeat against Croatia, Banega was handed a starting place against Nigeria – and he pulled the team’s creative strings throughout.
It appears that Banega’s time at Sevilla is coming to an end – particularly with the club’s recent signing of Roque Mesa – and there will be no end of suitors for the classy midfielder who cites Boca Juniors, Valencia, Atletico Madrid, and Inter Milan as his former clubs.
With Banega having worked with new Arsenal boss Unai Emery at Sevilla, the current rumour is that the Argentinian will link up with his former manager at the Emirates. Worryingly for Sevilla, the 29-year-old midfield maestro has a reported release clause of £17.6 million – which make his signing an absolute steal!
#7 Lucas Torreira
To the casual football fan, the Uruguayan national team may be anchored by the forward line of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani and the backline of Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez, but there’s a whole lot more to the Uruguay side – such as holding midfielder Lucas Torreira.
Aged just 22, Torreira is already emerging as one of the most exciting defensive midfielders in the game, and he’s just had a fantastic season for Sampdoria in Serie A. A calming presence on the ball, Torreira is a ball of unrelenting energy when it comes to tracking down the opposition and regaining possession.
While he’s currently playing for Sampdoria, he’s yet another name to have been linked with some of the biggest sides in the world, with Arsenal seemingly looking like the most likely location should Torreira depart the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. In fact, some reports in Italy claim that the midfielder has already agreed to a deal to leave Samp behind in favour of a switch to the Emirates.
#6 Harry Maguire
One of the surprise packages of the past few seasons in the English Premier League is the emergence of Harry Maguire as a genuinely great defender.
Having started his career with hometown club Sheffield United, Maguire moved to Hull City before a move to Leicester City followed ahead of the 2017-2018 season. And since then, Maguire has gone from strength to strength, marking himself out as one of the best centre-halves in the country – as reflected by becoming a starting player for the England national team.
Maguire may only have been at Leicester for one solitary season, but he’s already been a reported transfer target for heavy hitters such as Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, and Chelsea. That’s pretty much a who’s who of English football these days, and, with good central defenders hard to come by right now, it would be no surprise to see him get a big money move away from the King Power Stadium once the World Cup comes to a close.
#5 Cristian Pavon
For any Argentinian attacking player, they’ve had the unfair shadow of expectancy placed upon them for decades now. Previously, any creative player was labelled as “the next Diego Maradona”, and now we’re at a point where players are being weighed down as “the next Lionel Messi”. Where Cristian Pavon is concerned, though, he could well be the real deal.
At just 22 years of age, the Boca Juniors winger impressed as an impact substitute in all three of his countries group stage games as they just about made their way through to the knockout stages. Where so many of the team’s more seasoned players stumbled, Pavon has proved to be one of the few bright sparks of the Argentina side during this World Cup.
South American players tend to make the move to a big European team at a relatively young age, and this summer – and following his impressive World Cup appearances – could well be the perfect time for one of Europe’s big guns to take a chance on the exciting and enthralling Pavon.
#4 Mateo Kovacic
It’s not often that a 24-year-old, three-time Champions League-winner is available for transfer, but it appears that Mateo Kovacic is keen to bring his time at Real Madrid to an end.
Having impressed for Croatia at the World Cup, midfielder Kovacic has openly stated how he wants to leave Los Blancos if he doesn't get more first-team assurances. Given that Real Madrid have arguably the best midfield trio on the planet – Casemiro, Toni Kroos, and Luka Modric – you can understand why the hugely talented Kovacic is struggling for game time.
Manchester United are one of the teams eyeing up a move for the Croatian, and his ability both as an attacking option and a deep-sitting playmaker would make him an attractive proposition for any team in the world. For Kovacic, he would literally have the footballing world at his feet should he go through with his plans to leave the Bernabeu.
#3 Kalidou Koulibaly
Despite impressing in the World Cup, Senegal were unfortunately knocked out at the group stage due to their disciplinary record. And amongst their most impressive performers was Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly.
Strong, quick, and with a great reading of the game, the 6’5” Koulibaly is the perfect centre-half for any team. Having impressed in France with Metz and in Belgium with Genk, the Senegalese has marked himself out as one of the best defenders in the world since signing with Napoli in 2014.
In the past several seasons, Koulibaly has been linked with a move away from the Stadio San Paolo, and, at 27 years of age, now could be the perfect time for the powerful defender to finally make the move. With current Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri hotly tipped to become Chelsea’s new manager by the time the 2018-2019 season starts, a move to Stamford Bridge could well be on the cards for Koulibaly.
#2 Sergey Milinkovic-Savic
It would be no understatement to say that there really is no other midfielder on the planet that’s similar to Sergey Milinkovic-Savic.
What makes the Lazio player so unique is that he’s built like a bruising centre-half or powerhouse midfield enforcer, yet he’s an attacking playmaker of the highest quality, with his passing and finishing a constant threat to any opposition.
Serbia may have been knocked out in the group stages of the 2018 World Cup, but Milinkovic-Savic starred for his national side. Before the tournament, he was being targeted by mega-powers such as Manchester United, Juventus, Real Madrid, and Barcelona, and you have to think that his World Cup performances will have only enhanced his reputation – and his hefty price tag!
#1 Hirving Lozano
One of the greatest things about the World Cup is that each and every edition of the tournament usually unearths a new global superstar or two. Back in 2014, that superstar was Colombia’s James Rodriguez, and many had tipped PSV Eindhoven’s Hirving Lozano to have a breakout tournament for Mexico this time around.
For Lozano, it’s so far, so good, with him making an explosive mark by netting the winner as the Mexicans destroyed Germany in their opening group game.
Unfortunately for Mexico, they had a major blip as they went down 3-0 to Sweden in their final group game, but Lozano has undoubtedly impressed in their games to date. The knockout stages await Mexico, and a major summer move could then be ahead for Lozano – with Barcelona just one of a slew of footballing superpowers showing an interest in the rapid, direct, and explosive Hirving Lozano.
