DURBAN – Stars are always born at every major tournament such as the World Cup and Euros. It is a good hunting ground for big clubs in world football and they use them to recruit their next star player.
The following are five players whose performances will increase the chances of them securing a “big move”.
Jack Grealish (England)
A boyhood Aston Villa fan, Grealish has given his all to his beloved club since becoming a professional footballer in 2012. Now 25, the time is right for him to embark on a new challenge. While Grealish has been Villa’s main player for the past few years, it’s unlikely that they will be trophy contenders any time soon.
The Englishman has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester City.
Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands)
Things did not go according to plan for the Dutch in the Euros as the Czech Republic stunned them in the last 16 but Dumfries was their best player.
The right-back impressed with his marauding runs and notched two goals. Dumfries would have attracted a lot of attention and with his PSV Eindhoven deal expiring in two years, his club may look to sell him now to cash in as much as possible.
Renato Sanches (Portugal)
The breakout star of Portugal’s Euro 2016 winning campaign, Sanches endured a challenging three years after, failing to establish himself at Swansea City and Bayern Munich.
Sanches’ stock has risen yet again. He helped Lille sensationally win the Ligue 1 last season and while Portugal failed to retain their European Championship, he was arguably his side’s best player in the competition this year due to his exceptional work rate.
Lille probably will not win the title again next season, so much so that title-winning coach Christophe Galtier left the club to join Nice. The time is right for Sanches to challenge himself at a so-called “big club” again.
Patrik Schik (Czech Republic)
Schik has been the star player for the Czech Republic who have surpassed expectations in the tournament. His 45m stunning goal against Scotland in the group stage of the tournament may prove to be the goal of the tournament.
Schik is dangerous in the air and also has a thunderous left foot. He is capable of scoring all types of goals and can also drop deep to help his defensive teammates.
The 25-year-old joined Bayer Leverkusen less than a year ago but they will probably sell for the right price.
Mikkel Damsgaard (Denmark)
After Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest earlier in the tournament, the inexperienced Damsgaard was thrust forward to fulfil the Denmark captain’s duties.
Damsgaard announced himself in style by scoring the opener in his team’s 4-1 win over Russia. In doing so, he became the first player born in the 2000s to score at a European Championship.
Judging by how the 20-yearold has made his presence felt, it’s hard to tell that he boasts less than 10 international caps. Hailed as Eriksen’s successor, he has kickstarted his journey on a good note.
IOL Sport