Rasmus Højlund - Denmark/Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio
The most talked about youngster during the current international break, Atalanta forward Rasmus Højlund announced himself on the international stage with Denmark in rip-roaring fashion. A hat trick on his full debut against Finland for Kasper Hjulmand’s De Rød-Hvide was a spectacle to behold while becoming the first Dane to ever achieve the feat. He followed that up yesterday with a brace in a shock loss to Kazakhstan in Astana, but with five goals in five international appearances, the 21-year-old striker has now propelled himself up the shortlist for long-term strikers that could be on the market this summer.
A host of top clubs are already being linked with the København native, with Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Juventus among the leading potential destinations for a player already being likened to Erling Haaland and Dušan Vlahović. Though his strike rate with Atalanta pales in comparison to his international numbers, seven goals in 23 appearances for the Lombardy-based outfit is still a credible figure for a youngster who could be set for a meteoric rise not seen in Denmark since Christen Eriksen or the Laudrup brothers.
Mateo Retegui - Italy/Club Atlético Tigre (on loan from Boca Juniors)
Two goals in your first two international caps is a fantastic way to announce yourself to Europe if you’re 23-year-old Argentine-born Mateo Retegui, the striker opting to declare for Italy on account of family lineage. Goals in matches against England and Malta have gone a long way to repay Roberto Mancini for putting faith in the youngster, while currently backing the claims made by Italian legend Francesco Totti three years ago that Retegui was on his way to big things.
Currently being tracked by Crystal Palace, AC Milan, and Inter Milan (who have apparently been monitoring him for over a year), Retegui’s goalscoring exploits in his native Argentina are currently serving him well. With 25 goals in just 36 appearances for Tigre while on loan from Boca Juniors, Retegui seems as though he is on a collision course with a move to Europe this summer.
Evan Ferguson - Republic of Ireland/Brighton & Hove Albion
Currently leading the line against France for the Republic of Ireland at the time of writing, Brighton starlet Evan Ferguson is on cloud nine of late after bagging his first senior international goal on his first international start just a few days ago against Latvia in front of home support at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. It may have come as no surprise to many, including Seagulls tactician Roberto de Zerbi, who recently sang Ferguson’s praises in full voice and then some.
Now seen as a priority on the south coast as the leading striker for Brighton, the question now becomes whether or not Brighton will be able to hold on to another talent with bigger fish already lurking in the waters, including Bayern Munich. Quite a few clubs will be in the market for a long-term center-forward this summer, with Manchester United sure to dip their toes into the pool along with the Bavarians. As Ferguson continues to be blooded in the Premier League, the chances of him collecting his belongings and jet-setting off to greener pastures will only increase.
Johan Bakayoko - Belgium/PSV Eindhoven
Born in the famous region of Flanders, Belgium, as the son of Ivorian parents, PSV Eindhoven starlet Johan Bakayoko is witnessing his star rapidly rise in recent months with the Dutch giants after the club lost both Cody Gakpo and Noni Madueke during the January transfer window for a combined ~€80m to Liverpool and Chelse a respectively.
Since then, Bakayoko has been entrusted on the right flank by manager Ruud van Nistelrooij and has not looked back, hitting three goals and adding three assists across nine appearances for PSV in the Eredivisie since the return of club football. As such, new Belgian boss Domenico Tedesco rewarded him with a call into the senior squad, with Bakayoko bagging an assist off the bench against Sweden. As a player with a similar profile to Madueke, Bakayko, who is still only 19, will no doubt have suitors in the near future if not as soon as the upcoming summer transfer window.
Milos Kerkez - Hungary/AZ Alkmaar
Seen as a star in the making in his native Hungary, 19-year-old Milos Kerkez is already viewed as an important piece of the international jigsaw puzzle under Magyars manager Marco Rossi. After making his debut for Hungary in September 2022 during UEFA Nations League play that saw Rossi’s men finish second behind Italy in Group A3 ahead of both England and Germany, Kerkez continues to build his profile during a very credible season with Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar as their first-choice left-back.
Kerkez continues to be rewarded for his appearances in the Eredivisie and during continental play, starting both of Hungary’s fixtures in the last week. Previously linked with interest from Borussia Dortmund, Leeds United, Leicester City, and Bournemouth earlier this season, a number of other clubs could add their name to the queue, including Liverpool, AC Milan, and Wolves. A bigger future could be just over the horizon for a player that as the capacity to help define a new era of Hungarian football alongside RB Leipzig star Dominik Szoboszlai.
