Two Brazilian teenagers, a giant Italian centre-half, yet another Chelsea target and a £52.8m Arsenal dream. This lot have done well to fly under the radar.
It’s not just that we haven’t watched a match in which these players featured. We haven’t seen their YouTube highlights or even a quick Twitter clip. In essence, we’ve not witnessed these expensive Premier League targets kick a ball in association football even once.
Previous stars of this genre include Darwin Nunez, Kai Havertz and Bruno Fernandes so this lot have plenty to live up to.
Vitor Roque
Considering the way in which David Moyes has used – and crucially not used – Lucas Paqueta, the claim from Brazil that West Ham offered £12.3m for Vitor Roque might well actually be sarcastic. It fell someway short of Athletico Paranaense’s valuation of £35.1m in any event.
Barcelona, Man Utd, Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain have also been mentioned as parties interested in the ‘new Ronaldo’, whose record of 14 goals in 52 games last season does that moniker a disservice. But the great man himself once declared that the current top scorer at the ongoing South American U20 Championship in Colombia “is going to fly so high”. Athletico director Luiz Felipe Scolari acknowledges that the 17-year-old “will probably be sold” yet the asking price must be met first. And the WELCOME TO… | SKILLS AND TRICKS | highlight packages can be produced soon after for a first actual glimpse at the kid.
Giorgio Scalvini
Gian Piero Gasperini’s second iteration of Atalanta promises to be every bit as exciting as the original. In place of Duvan Zapata, Josip Ilicic and Luis Muriel in attack, Jeremie Boga, Ademola Lookman and teenager Rasmus Hojlund are leading the way, while unheralded Brazilian Ederson now patrols the midfield. Behind him, 33-year-old Jose Luis Palomino and Rafael Toloi, nine months younger, are the elder statesmen guiding Giorgio Scalvini through his development.
The 19-year-old barely seems to need it. All 6ft 4ins of the centre-half has taken to the senior game effortlessly and Scalvini’s interests are best served at the club he joined aged 12. He will move on eventually but if Spurs, Inter Milan or any other club wish to expedite that process then €40m at the very least would be required – almost €1m for each of his 41 senior career appearances.
Matheus Franca
An eclectic list of known Premier League admirers takes in Arsenal (1st), Newcastle (3rd)…
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