Euro 2008 Scout – 5 young stars to watch for
The Euro 2008 shop window opens in a week’s time – managers across Europe will have their scouting scopes trained at the 8 Euro 2008 stadiums looking for the best and brightest young talent to bring in during the following transfer window.
Here’s a look at the 5 hottest prospects traveling to Euro 2008 this summer:
Jakub Blaszczykowski (Poland & Borussia Dortmund)
The 22-year-old right winger has been rested from Poland’s recent friendlies while he recovers from a thigh strain, but will start the Group A opener against Germany. A technically-gifted wide man who invites challenges and has been criticised for simulating fouls in the Bundesliga. Blaszczykowski was sent off in the German Cup final in April for two yellow cards – the first of them for diving. ‘Kuba’ admits he’s always fancied a move to Spain but Borussia’s price-tag may put off a few clubs as he is only one year into a four-year contract.
Clubs interested: Lazio
Clubs that should be interested: Werder Bremen, Schalke, Villarreal, Racing Santander
Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart & Germany)
Tall, technical striker who has forced his way onto the international scene and the shopping lists of some of Europe’s biggest clubs during his meteoric rise in the past two seasons. The son of a Spaniard from Granada is of the most clinical finishers in Germany and wins more than his fair share of aerial balls. Gomez is tied to Stuttgart until 2012, but they didn’t qualify for the Champions League and the Bundesliga may not be hold him for long.
Clubs interested: Real Madrid, Arsenal
Clubs that should be interested: Manchester United, Tottenham, Barcelona
Vassilis Torosidis (Olympiakos & Greece)
The bright young hope of Greek football has nailed down a regular starting berth in the national team at left-back, despite having played as a right-back for both his clubs, Skoda Xanthi and now Olympiakos. The 22-year-old, who celebrates his next birthday on the day Greece meet Sweden, is known for his attacking instincts and pace.
Clubs interested: Rangers, Newcastle, Benfica, Porto
Clubs that should be interested: AC Milan,
Gokhan Inler (Switzerland & Udinese)
A tactically adept, disciplined, holding midfielder who wins the ball back in the modern style – by closing down oppnents and picking off poor touches and passes. Inler, who is of Turkish origin, was a revelation in his first season in Serie A with Udinese. The 23-year-old was named second best foreign player in the league by Gazzetta dello Sport and looks set for a starring role at Euro 2008 as the first choice in Switzerland’s engine room.
Clubs interested: Barcelona, Juventus, Lazio, Liverpool, Manchester City
Clubs that should be interested: Inter, Arsenal, Tottenham,
Bafetimbi Gomis (France & St Etienne)
At 22, Gomis appears to have the raw ability to become another Didier Drogba and has been a regular scorer in Lige 1 for the past two seasons, with tallies of 10 and 16. His strength and finishing prowess were underlined when he recentkly became the first French player to score two goals on his international debut since Zinedine Zidane. The St Etienne star appaers to have a mature head on his young shoulders and is known for his team play and hard-work ethic on the training pitch. He has also stated he’d prefer a move to Italy over a switch to a lower-placed English club.
Clubs interested: Aston Villa, Bolton, Newcastle, Marseille, Sevilla, VfB Stuttgart
Clubs that should be interested: AC Milan, Arsenal, Barcelona, Fiorentina, Manchester United
Who do you think managers should be watching this summer?
Written by Simon Barlow, a professional sports writer who blogs about Euro 2008 betting at Betfair.
Dica, the Romanian playmaker who plays Steauea Bucharest. He’s a minute wizard in the mould of Diego and Deco. Of course Benzema is the best young player around, David Odonkor of Germany who’s a very pacy and skilful winger, Finisher supremo Klaas Huntelaar of Holland and Russia’s Arshavin.
NIKLAS BENDTNER FOR ARSENAL AND DENMARK!! How can you possibly leave him out!? He’s going to be huge for club and country both at the Euros and in the not too distant future. Mark my words.
No bull We all Watch Bendtner play for arsenal week in week out,,got talent but nuting more den average compared
I can believe benzeema and huntelaar have been left out. Along with other youngsters like nasri and babel then you have Italian youngsters like Di natale and Quagerilla.
You say Di Natale is a youngster, when hes actually 30. Check for yourself on Wikipedia.
I think he’s just trying to show players which not many people have heard of. The likes of Benzema and Hunterlaar are very well known already
This is a page about lesser known youngsters that, unlike Benzema, Bendtner, Babel and Nasri, aren’t talked about in the papers on a daily basis, don’t play in the Premiership or Champions League and aren’t particularly news worthy, jesus.
I’d add;
Ivan Rakitić, Schalke 04 and Croatia.
Nikola Kalinić, Hajduk Split and Croatia.
P.S. I’m not Croatian, at all it’s just most of the promising youngsters are already talked about or stated in your article, these two are neither.
Almost all of us will be watching Euro 2008 as football fans rather than as managers. The experience is there to enjoy, so football should be appreciated. Why spoil and generally devalue the experience?
Guys…everyone knows about benzema,huntelaar and nasri(though if gomez has been mentioned…so can nasri).This page is about the lesser known ones
Dica is another one
Kuba is not even worth mentioning, while Gomez can easily be the hit of the tournament.
And don’t get me started on Rakitic – a ridicuously overrated balloon
Kuba Blaszczykowski is definitely worth mentioning and he will prove a promising star during the tournament, of course, if he is fit, which I hope he will be.
just watch him carefully…
Kuba soon will be great player. You will see. I thing that he may be one of the stars of EURO 2008
What about Christiano Ronaldo. He’s still a young player..