5 breakout stars from the World Cup who could move to big clubs
After the fanfare and emotional highs and lows of the World Cup, attention now shifts fully to the transfer window.
While most clubs had already done a lot of business before and during the global football fiesta, things are expected to heat up and get really feverish especially in England.
While the Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus transfer has undoubtedly been/will be the biggest move this summer, more expensive moves are expected to go down before the window closes.
After each World Cup, clubs usually take a look at new/emerging stars of the tournament. Russia 2018 had a lot of breakout stars who shone brightly.
In a World Cup where it was difficult to categorically state that one player outshone everyone else, a lot of new names emerged.
Here is a look at 5 of Russia 2018's best breakout stars and the possible transfer moves they could look to make to further their careers.
#5 Jo Hyeon-woo (Daegu FC and South Korea)
In a tournament that won’t be remembered fondly for the performance of goalkeepers, South Korea’s Jo Hyeon-woo was a revelation.
Before the tournament started, goalies like David de Gea (Spain), eventual Golden Glove winner; Thibaut Courtois (Belgium) among others were the most talked about goalies.
Not many people were paying particular attention to the goalies being presented by the Taegeuk Warriors, especially a scrawny 26-year-old who was coming in as the third choice.
However, coach Shin Tae-Yung surprisingly decided to go with the Daegu FC goalie ahead of nominal number one Kim Seung-Gyu and second choice Kim Jin-Hyeon.
Hyeon-woo was reportedly chosen to start above the more experienced duo due to being the tallest and he did not disappoint.
His reflexes, agility, and leadership were apparent even when Korea lost its first two games: a narrow 1-0 loss to Sweden (thanks to an Andreas Granqvist penalty) and a 2-1 loss to Mexico.
He was outstanding however in the shock 2-0 win over 2014 champions Germany, saving everything that was thrown at him.
He looked amazing in Russia and could be a bargain signing for a mid-level European club.