One World Cup player for every Premier League club including Kone to Man Utd
They say you shouldn’t buy a player on the back of a World Cup, but with more than a thousand players at this year’s tournament, avoiding them is harder than ever before.
Now the dust has settled on Spain’s second World Cup triumph, unsettled players will be switching their focus back to the transfer market.
We’ve picked out one potential target who was at the World Cup – whether they played a big part there or not – for all 20 Premier League clubs.
Arsenal – Bruno Guimaraes
An easy one to begin. It’s already known that Guimaraes is a serious target for Arsenal, with a chance he becomes the next big name out of a very busy exit door at Newcastle.
It was a summer of disappointment for Guimaraes with Brazil at the World Cup. Will he face similar disappointment as he tries to leave Newcastle?
Arsenal are hoping to add Guimaraes’ steel and drive to their midfield but he won’t come cheap. It’d still be worth it.
Aston Villa – Pervis Estupinan
Losing Lucas Digne to PSG means Villa need more depth at left-back, so they’ve been looking at Ecuador’s Estupinan.
AC Milan might let him go just a year after they signed him from Brighton.
Bournemouth – Jhon Lucumi
Bournemouth are set to sign Antonio Silva as a new centre-back to account for the loss of Marcos Senesi, but the new man’s a right-footer and the old one’s a left-footer.
That could leave room for another defender to add into the mix and Colombia’s Lucumi ticks the left-footed box to address the balance.
Bournemouth need strength in depth with European football on the horizon and Lucumi should be well adapted after his spell with Bologna.
Brentford – Pape Matar Sarr
Brentford have been backed to offer Spurs midfielder Sarr a cross-London move after his time at the World Cup with Senegal.
He’s had four seasons with Spurs now. Is it time for a change? Maybe. Brentford have shown themselves to be an ambitious club that could suit him well.
Brighton – Azzedine Ounahi
Brighton were reportedly keen on Moroccan midfielder Ounahi last summer before he joined Girona from Marseille instead.
Girona have since been relegated from La Liga, before Ounahi sent a reminder of his qualities with a brace against Canada at the World Cup.
There could be an opening for the Seagulls to revisit their interest in the 26-year-old.
Chelsea – Maxence Lacroix
This one has been bubbling away for a few weeks while Lacroix has been on duty with France.
Chelsea are crying out for experience at the back and Lacroix ticks the boxes. His prime is still ahead of him at 26 but he can lean upon two years of grounding in the Premier League with Crystal Palace.
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Coventry City – Patrick Berg
One from our friends at TEAMtalk here after their recent story on Coventry being in the mix for Berg.
The newly promoted side aren’t alone in the chase for Bodo/Glimt’s Norwegian midfielder, but he could be an astute signing if they can secure his services.
Berg, who played the full game and all of extra time against England, would bring some solidity in midfield.
Crystal Palace – Arthur Theate
If Lacroix is Chelsea-bound, Palace will need a new defender and the solution could be Belgium’s Theate.
He’s currently playing for Eintracht Frankfurt but reports in Germany have tipped Palace as potential suitors for the 26-year-old, who made three World Cup appearances this summer.
Everton – Djed Spence
He became a bit of a cult hero for England at the World Cup, but Spence’s future with Spurs is still up for debate.
Everton are among the clubs tipped to test their resolve for the versatile full-back and it might be a more suitable level for him. Unless Liverpool get there first.
READ: Arsenal and Man Utd targets in 10 World Cup stars set to earn massive transfers
Fulham – Ricardo Pepi
Fulham were close to signing Pepi from PSV in January and now must decide whether to revive their interest in the American striker or focus elsewhere for new boss Alvaro Arbeloa.
If Arbeloa can’t bring some of the top prospects he helped develop at Real Madrid, Pepi would remain an option worth looking at.
The 23-year-old played in all five of USA’s World Cup games this summer.
Hull City – Elliot Stroud
Premier League newcomers Hull have been expecting to sign Sweden left-back Stroud, but there’s been a slight hold-up and he’s still active for his current club, Mjallby.
They will be hoping for a breakthrough soon. If not, owner Acun Ilicali will surely find a player from Turkey’s World Cup squad to sign instead.
Ipswich Town – Daizen Maeda
Fresh from promotion, Ipswich have agreed a deal to sign Maeda from Celtic after his time at the World Cup with Japan.
The striker has been decent in Scotland but it remains to be seen how he’ll fare in the Premier League.
Leeds United – Zion Suzuki
A new keeper is needed for Leeds after the exits of Illan Meslier and Karl Darlow on frees to Arsenal and Manchester United respectively.
They’ve been linked with Japan’s Suzuki, who plays for Parma at club level.
At the age of 23, Suzuki could be a long-term solution in goal for Leeds if they can get a deal done.
Liverpool – Bradley Barcola
Barcola is the dream target for Liverpool as they look for a new winger after Mohamed Salah’s exit.
He was in and out of the France side at the World Cup but still scored three goals, just like he’s in and out at PSG and still scored 13 goals last season.
The price for Barcola will be very high but he’s exactly the right level for Liverpool if they are to adequately replace Salah.
Manchester City – Ayyoub Bouaddi
One of the shouts for break-out stars of the World Cup we actually got right, at least sort of, Bouaddi shone against Brazil in Morocco’s opening game.
Still only 18, the midfielder is destined for big things. They could come to him soon with Man City linked with a substantial bid for his services.
City reportedly see Bouaddi as someone ready to fit into their evolving midfield already.
Manchester United – Manu Kone
We’ve already warned why Man Utd might be targeting Kone for the wrong role but that’s not to say he isn’t capable of making an impact.
Kone stood out for France after doing the same for Roma over the past couple of years and it’s caught United’s attention.
They hope he can add ball-winning qualities and energy into their midfield – which he can – but he’s best when driving his team up the pitch.
Newcastle United – James Trafford
Newcastle were set to sign Trafford last summer until he opted for a return to Man City instead.
After spending the summer sat on the bench for England, he needs a move to make sure the same doesn’t happen for another season at club level.
With Gianluigi Donnarumma in his way of starts for City and Newcastle’s alternative only being a temporary solution, there’s still time to reconsider.
Nottingham Forest – Lucas Bergvall
Forest seem serious about signing Sweden international Bergvall as he pushes for a bigger role than he’s getting at Tottenham.
He was the youngest player in Sweden’s World Cup squad but played in all four of their games and now wants that kind of responsibility at club level.
It might be tough to convince Spurs to give up on the 20-year-old midfielder so soon, but Forest are trying.
Sunderland – Folarin Balogun
Balogun is set to be the subject of a transfer battle between multiple Premier League clubs if he leaves Monaco this summer.
The USA striker’s options will include Sunderland, our friends at TEAMtalk have reported, as they build a squad that can juggle European football.
Tottenham Hotspur – Andreas Schjelderup
Spurs have been busy early in the transfer window, but their two biggest signings weren’t at the World Cup, with Sandro Tonali’s Italy not qualifying and Mateus Fernandes not making Portugal’s squad.
Attacking reinforcements have to be next on Tottenham’s to-do list. On that front, they’ve been brought into the conversation for Norway winger Schjelderup, who plays on the left wing for Benfica.
It’s a position Spurs have needed to upgrade for a while and Schjelderup’s stock is high after a goal and three assists at the World Cup – after a 10-goal season for his club, too.
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