CHELSEA moved quickly to snap up three of the brightest young talents set to grace the stage at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup, which kicks off in Argentina on Saturday.
The month-long tournament is often a showcase for the best teenagers in world football to get noticed by bigger clubs.
Blues fans can relax in the knowledge that their club has already closed deals for Brazilian midfielder Andre Santos, Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Paez and USA goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina.
But who else will the numerous scouts from European clubs be focused on when the action gets underway?
Fabricio Diaz (Uruguay)
Uruguayan skipper Fabricio Diaz looks ripe for a move to Europe this summer after outgrowing his domestic league, where he has already made over 100 appearances for Liverpool of Montevideo.
An insatiable tackler and accurate passer of the ball, Diaz is very tactically mature for his age and also takes charge of all of his team’s set pieces.
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Barcelona were reportedly close to getting a deal done for him last month, but it has since gone quiet while Premier League clubs have been deterred because he does not have an EU passport, making it virtually impossible for him to secure a UK work permit right now.
Kim Ji-soo (South Korea)
Giant Seongnam centre-back Kim Ji-soo is still only 18, but dominates in the air and in the tackle in a way that has drawn comparisons to fellow countryman Kim Min-jae of Napoli.
He has recently caught the eye of scouts from European clubs with Brentford understood to have offered a fee equivalent to his £560,000 buyout clause.
The K-League outfit know that Kim’s value could rocket if he impresses in Argentina.
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Dor Turgeman (Israel)
One of the stars of Israel’s outstanding UEFA Under-19 Championship side last summer, Dor Turgeman is known for his clinical finishing.
The Maccabi Tel Aviv forward is about to enter the final year of his contract and, although he appears to lack top-class pace, he has reportedly attracted the interest of Benfica.
Tomas Angel (Colombia)
The son of former Aston Villa striker Juan Pablo Angel, Tomas, was born in Birmingham but plays for Atletico Nacional in Medellin.
Unlike his father, who was a classic number nine, Angel operates just off the front and can drift into wide areas.
He caught the attention of Premier League and Ligue 1 scouts at last summer’s Toulon tournament and could be leaving Colombia in the near future.
Marcos Leonardo (Brazil)
The current jewel of Santos’ youth set-up, Marcos Leonardo will wear the number nine shirt for the Samba stars in the tournament.
Fast and skilful, the 20-year-old scored 17 goals in 40 appearances last year and looks destined for a big future in the game.
Santos have reportedly slapped an £18million price tag on his head in the face of interest from Roma and Sporting Lisbon.
Owen Wolff (USA)
Owen Wolff is the son of former US international Josh and currently plays in central midfield for his father’s Austin FC outfit in Major League Soccer.
Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, who have a partnership with Austin FC, are at the front of the queue for his services when the time is right for the teenager to make the move abroad.
Ignacio Miramon (Gimnasia La Plata)
Ignacio Miramon, a 19-year-old defensive midfielder, has been impressing in Argentina’s top flight this year and looks set to be a first choice for Under-20 head coach Javier Mascherano this month.
He has been scouted by the likes of Manchester United, Udinese, Fiorentina, Watford, Besiktas, Inter Miami and AC Milan ahead of the tournament.
Gimnasia will demand up to £9.5million, the value of his current release clause, for his signature.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
