DREAM TEAM EUROS managers are spoiled for choice in midfield.
The likes of Jude Bellingham (£6m), Bruno Fernandes (£6m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£7m) are all hugely popular selections but a budget of £50million only covers a certain number of premium stars.
Many gaffers will be on the hunt for a bargain midfielder to balance the books ahead of Matchday 1.
Allow us to put forward some suggestions…
DON’T MISS OUT – PLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!
Christoph Baumgartner (£2.5m)
Austria are expected to be a compelling side this summer as Ralf Rangnick has successfully implemented (for want of a better term) ‘Red Bull football’ since he took charge – think intense pressing and high energy.
As an RB Leipzig player, Baumgartner has naturally taken to the tactics like a duck to water, with impressive results to show for his efforts.
The 24-year-old heads to Germany having scored in each of his last five games at international level.
He also notched three goals and two assists in seven outings during qualifying.
That being said, Austria are set to face France in Matchday 1 so gaffers keen on Baumgartner could wait until Matchday 2.
Although Rangnick’s side have beaten Croatia, Italy and Germany since they adopted a more ambitious approach…
Viktor Tsygankov (£2.5m)
Gaffers more inclined to dub Ukraine ‘dark horses’ should consider their lively right winger, who has outperformed Mykhailo Mudryk (£3m) in recent times.
Tsygankov plays his club football with Girona, where he’s team-mates with compatriot and La Liga top scorer Artem Dovbyk (£3m), but he’s saved his best form for the international stage.
The 26-year-old has scored six goals in his last ten outings for Ukraine, including a brace against Germany.
Serhiy Rebrov’s side were dealt a tough draw during qualifying with Italy and England for company but their group at the tournament itself appears relatively friendly – they face Romania and Slovakia before a more testing match-up against Belgium.
See also: Heorhii Sudakov (£2.5m)
PLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!
The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament.
Scott McTominay (£2.5m)
The Manchester United midfielder was Scotland’s clutch goalscorer during qualifying – he bagged seven in total to book his country’s place in Germany.
In previous years he’s been viewed as a combative, defensive anchor but more recently he’s been an increasingly effective contributor in the final third for club and country.
Like Baumgartner, McTominay’s first fixture is a tough one on paper with Steve Clarke’s men raising the curtain against hosts Germany on Friday night.
Dream Team Euros bosses may be a tad underwhelmed at the prospect of selecting a player who has notable limitations but it’s simply a fact he was among the top goalscorers in qualifying.
EUROS SCORE PREDICTOR IS HERE! CLICK PLAY FOR FREE NOW – £5,000 PRIZE POT!
Roland Sallai (£2.5m)
Hungary are another team in the ‘dark horses’ conversation having gone unbeaten in qualifying and knocked off England 4-0 at Molineux in the Nations League.
Expectations were dampened by a 2-1 loss to the Republic of Ireland in their final pre-tournament friendly but they’re expected to be very competitive in Group A.
Dominik Szoboszlai (£3.5m) is unquestionably Hungary’s main man but his price puts him in the mid-range whereas Sallai is comparatively affordable.
The Freiburg winger offers plenty of industry and his output at international level is more than respectable – he’s scored seven goals and provided three assists in his last 14 outings, including a brace against the Three Lions in that aforementioned upset.
Arda Guler (£2.5m)
No list of cheap of midfielders would be complete without an exciting teenager.
The Real Madrid youngster was limited to just 373 minutes in La Liga this season but he managed six goals in that time at a strike rate of one every 62.2 minutes.
Guler was particularly impressive at the back end of the campaign when Carlo Ancelotti have him a little run in the starting line-up.
This major international tournament might come too soon for the 19-year-old to flaunt his skills to the full extent but he’s clearly a natural talent.
Turkey have the benefit of a favourable Matchday 1 fixture in the form of Georgia.
Guler is a tempting option but it should be noted that Hakan Calhanoglu (£3m) is available for an extra £0.5m.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
