With the transfer window open and many clubs looking at various avenues to improve despite not having the financial muscle of years past – except for Chelsea, apparently – teams need to make every penny count. With that in mind, here are some under-the-radar signings each of Europe’s biggest sides should consider in the coming months.
Premier League
Arsenal – Edmond Tapsoba
- Club: Bayer Leverkusen
- Age: 21
- Position: Center-back
It’s no secret Arsenal (still) need defensive help. With William Saliba already on his way, the Gunners can move for the elegant Tapsoba to solidify their backline. He only needed half a season at Bayer Leverkusen to prove he can be a dominant presence at a top club.
Chelsea – Ozan Kabak
- Club: Schalke
- Age: 20
- Position: Center-back
Speaking of needing help defensively: Chelsea badly need reinforcements to balance out what’s becoming an attack-heavy team following recent additions. Kabak, the imposing Turkish international, would provide the leadership the Blues have been lacking at the back.
Liverpool – Jeremie Boga
- Club: Sassuolo
- Age: 23
- Position: Winger
Another player on the growing list of those who Chelsea shipped off too early, Boga has been sensational at Sassuolo this season, turning defenders inside out with his superlative dribbling ability. Liverpool simply need to add depth, and they could do much worse than the French-born Ivorian winger.
Manchester City – Marc Cucurella
- Club: Getafe
- Age: 22
- Position: Left-back
Less than a week after the Premier League season ended, Manchester City are already close to signing Ferran Torres and Nathan Ake. Left-back remains an obvious problem area, though. Cucurella, whom Pep Guardiola has eyed in the past, possesses the skill set to fit in at the Etihad.
Manchester United – Boubacar Kamara
- Club: Marseille
- Age: 20
- Position: Defender
Instead of buying multiple players to fill various roles, Manchester United could invest in a versatile youngster who’s comfortable in multiple positions. Kamara can play center-back, full-back, and in defensive midfield, all areas where the Red Devils need either cover or a full-blown upgrade.
Tottenham Hotspur – Marash Kumbulla
- Club: Hellas Verona
- Age: 20
- Position: Center-back
Following longtime stalwart Jan Vertonghen’s departure, Tottenham needs to fill a clear hole. Jose Mourinho views himself as a champion for young players – even if recent history shows otherwise – and in Kumbulla, he’d get another chance to help foster an impressive talent.
La Liga
Atletico Madrid – Marc Roca
- Club: Espanyol
- Age: 23
- Position: Midfielder
With Espanyol dropping down to the second division after a truly miserable campaign, Roca would likely come at a relative bargain for Atletico Madrid this summer. If one of his suitors nabs Thomas Partey, adding a deep-lying midfielder would become a priority for Diego Simeone.
Barcelona – Patson Daka
- Club: Red Bull Salzburg
- Age: 21
- Position: Striker
It’s unlikely that Barcelona, with all their financial issues, will be able to pry Lautaro Martinez away from Inter Milan. He’s simply too expensive, so enter Patson Daka. The Zambian was a scoring machine for Red Bull Salzburg this year, with the tools to be Luis Suarez’s successor at the Camp Nou.
Real Madrid – Martin Odegaard
- Club: Real Sociedad (on loan)
- Age: 21
- Position: Midfielder
Alright, fine, this is a cop-out, but what’s “sneakier” than recalling your own player from a loan spell and reaping the benefits? Especially when you consider Odegaard was quickly – and unfairly – written off prior to this past season, a campaign when his creativity was the driving force for Real Sociedad.
Serie A
AC Milan – Emerson
- Club: Real Betis and Barcelona
- Age: 21
- Position: Right-back
Despite AC Milan’s incredible form since the Serie A restart, upgrades are required in some areas to keep the resurgence rolling into next season, and right-back jumps off the page. Emerson would likely prove a tricky negotiation – Real Betis and Barca co-own him – but a worthwhile one.
Inter Milan – Robin Gosens
- Club: Atalanta
- Age: 26
- Position: Left wing-back
One of the many underappreciated players helping to push Atalanta to new and dizzying heights, Gosens almost makes too much sense for Inter Milan. With Achraf Hakimi already on board, the German wing-back would be an ideal complementary piece on the opposite flank for Antonio Conte.
Juventus – Dominik Szoboszlai
- Club: Red Bull Salzburg
- Age: 19
- Position: Midfielder
After successive years spent strengthening other areas, it’s beyond time for Juventus to address their issues in the center of the pitch. Midfield creativity, dynamism, and athleticism are seriously lacking in Turin, and Hungarian teenager Szoboszlai would go a long way toward rectifying those problems.
Bundesliga
Bayern Munich – Luis Alberto
- Club: Lazio
- Age: 27
- Position: Midfielder
Ciro Immobile is on the verge of breaking the single-season Serie A scoring record, but Luis Alberto remains the fulcrum at Lazio. The Spaniard has been spectacular in recent seasons, and his ability to dictate the tempo makes him an ideal replacement if Thiago Alcantara leaves Bayern Munich.
Borussia Dortmund – Mert Muldur
- Club: Sassuolo
- Age: 21
- Position: Right-back
In the great Borussia Dortmund tradition of plucking lesser-known youngsters from relative obscurity and turning them into high-priced stars, Muldur offers a prime opportunity. The Turkish defender loves to burst forward with the ball, and he’s been a key element of Sassuolo’s uber-attacking, joyful style.
Ligue 1
Paris Saint-Germain – Owen Wijndal
- Club: AZ Alkmaar
- Age: 20
- Position: Left-back
For a team with very real Champions League-winning aspirations, rolling out Layvin Kurzawa and Juan Bernat at left-back is pretty underwhelming. Wijndal still needs to develop defensively, but he already provides an exciting, intelligent attacking force, and he’ll only get better.
