FIFA U-17 World Cup: 5 starlets feat. Man City, Everton players involved in big money transfers this summer
The FIFA U-17 World Cup is set to grace India this October and fans of the beautiful game will witness some of the brightest starlets in world football at the global event. U-17 World Cups have been stepping stones to greatness for some of the world's best footballers like Ronaldinho and Luis Figo, who went on to win the Ballon d'Or after announcing themselves at the 1997 and 1989 U-17 World Cups respectively.
Like Figo, Italy's goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon also started out at the U-17 World Cup in 1993, and both the Portuguese and the Italian have played big roles in the evolution of football's transfer market into a multi-billion dollar industry. Figo held the record of the most expensive player when he moved to Real Madrid in 2000, while Buffon held the most expensive goalkeeper record for 16 years before it was broken this year.
All of that suggests that the FIFA U-17 World Cup is not just any other tournament. It is one that shapes the future course of a player's career and this year's edition will be no different. With money flowing in and out like never before in the world of football, young, teenage prospects aren't spared from the spinning wheel of football transfers.
Here are the five hot prospects to play at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in India who have made big-money transfers this summer.
#1 Jadon Sancho - Manchester City to Borussia Dortmund for €7 million
While €7 million is not a big-money move by any stretch of the imagination if you consider the exorbitant sums bandied about these days, but it is quite a lot for someone who hasn't even played a single senior match. Sancho, however, is one of England's top prospects and given the way Manchester City work - buying superstars instead of promoting youth - the 16-year-old's decision to head to Germany and Borussia Dortmund is commendable.
With the youth-oriented Peter Bosz at the helm at the German Cup winners, Sancho has a greater chance of fulfilling his potential at die Schwarzgelben than under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Indian football fans, especially those in Kolkata, will be able to witness Sancho from close quarters when England U-17s start their campaign against Chile on 8th October.