Category: Ones to Watch

Simon Sloncik: Slavia Praha’s Top Defensive Prospect

December 6th, 2025

Having recently watched several matches of the Slavia Praha U19 team in the UEFA Youth League, it was at first clear that this group of academy players has several top prospects among them, and more articles on some of the other Slavia Praha U19 players will be forthcoming. However, it was Simon Sloncik that stood out the most as a rock in the Slavia defence.

Who is Simon Sloncik?

Simon Sloncik was born May 15, 2007 in Zlin, Czechia. His father, Petr Sloncik, was a former professional player in the Czech leagues and his older brother Tom is an attacking midfielder in the Viktoria Plzeň system. Both Sloncik brothers started their football careers in the Zlin youth system. Simon was scouted by Banik Ostrava, and joined their academy for a year before Slavia Praha brought him into their ranks. Still at just 18 years old, Simon Sloncik has been one of the best players in the Slavia B/Slavia U19 teams, and is showing significant promise. Standing at 1.89m, Sloncik already has a big frame that he could further grow into.

Technical Attributes:

In the matches I observed, Sloncik showed a very strong level of technical ability, both on and off the ball. He provides an additional level of confidence to his teammates with his reliability. On the ball, Sloncik has a reliable short passing game and a strong first touch, leading to him rarely being put in situations to give away the ball. He showed some aptitude for progressing the ball through carries/dribbles, with room to further improve in this aspect. Sloncik showed an eye for the long ball, and even when his passes did not find their target, he chose opportunities where his teammates would have a good chance to win the second ball if the pass was not completed.

Off the ball, Sloncik was extremely impressive in his technical ability. His 1v1 defending, tackling, marking, and anticipation to make blocks were all best-on-the-pitch quality. In terms of the modern CB, Sloncik has the technical foundation desired by the majority of managers across the top leagues. Sloncik showed great use of angles and body position to effectively prevent his man from getting a scoring opportunity, as shown below in an example from his match against Arsenal U19.

Example: Defensive Reading / Technique:

Sloncik recognizes the pass about to be made, realizes he cannot intercept it and doesn’t overcommit trying to do so. He waits for his opponent to take their first touch towards goal before fully committing to the ball, making an impressive block.

Mental Attributes:

Sloncik demonstrated calmness and composure on the pitch beyond his years. He clearly is the player organizing the Slavia defence, and uses his strong reading of the game to communicate adjustments to his teammates. In terms of apparent attitude, Sloncik carries himself like a veteran, leading his team by example with an incredibly high level of concentration and communication throughout the match. I rarely saw Sloncik overcommit and draw himself out of position; he was almost always in the right place to make a key interception or block. Sloncik plays for his teammates and does not show any signs of selfishness in his game. Overall, I was very impressed by the professional mentality and composure shown by Sloncik. He has all the attributes required to be a real leader from the back at senior team level.

Physical Attributes:

As previously mentioned, Sloncik is 1.89m tall (about 6’2″), and has a strong, while not bulky, frame. At just 18 years old, there is still plenty of time for him to reach his physical peak. With that in mind, the level shown by Sloncik already is very impressive for his age. While playing at the U19 level, Sloncik is regularly one of the more imposing figures on the pitch. He has solid pace/acceleration – while he might not beat out Micky van de Ven in a race anytime soon, he certainly has the foundation to reach a solid Top 5 League level. Sloncik showed aerial dominance at U19 level, but with signs that it can translate to senior team level. His height, strength and jumping ability make him a regular set piece threat in attack, and a strong aerial defender. I did not see him lose a single aerial duel at U19 level.

Overall Summary and Potential:

Based on the matches I observed, Simon Sloncik is currently capable of being a regular starter in a Top 8-15 European league. In 3 years time, he has the potential to play in one of Europe’s Top 5 leagues/be at a UCL-level. Sloncik’s time in the Slavia youth team will certainly be coming to an end soon, I would not be surprised to see him make his mark in the senior team quicker than expected and start getting some attention from Europe’s top leagues. Sloncik looks like a near-certain lock to be a Czech senior national team player in the future, and is quite the exciting CB prospect! Simon Sloncik is One to Watch.

Thanks for Reading,

LM
Mohamed Zongo: Burkina Faso’s Star of the U17 World Cup

November 21st, 2025

While Burkina Faso may have seen their U17 World Cup hopes ended at the hands of Italy today, it takes nothing away from their impressive performance at this tournament and specifically the performance of Mohamed Zongo.

The attacking midfielder/winger, who will turn 16 years old in just a few days, had a standout performance for Burkina Faso at the U17 World Cup. With two goals and three assists, Zongo was a constant threat in the Burkinabe attack. Full of flair and with a magical left foot to complement it, Zongo can provide or score all the same. What stood out to me while watching is how deceptively powerful his ball striking is. On several occasions, it would look like Zongo was about to deliver a chipped cross, floated to the back post, only for an incredibly powerful shot to come off his boot instead. He showed the ability to put a good amount of curve on the ball, even at high-pace delivery. His goals against Czechia and Germany were a fantastic demonstration of ball-striking ability. For such a young player, Zongo has very impressive technical and physical ability.

Zongo is light on his feet and very agile on the ball, being a constant nightmare to opposing fullbacks in this tournament. His pace and acceleration were solid, not game breaking, but this is not something to judge him on at 15. He showed a good eye for identifying dangerous spaces to move into, and provided strong supporting runs for his teammates while in possession. Out of possession, Zongo looked to put in a high level of effort, and from what I could observe, seemed coachable and responsive to touchline instructions.

While mostly starting as a RW for the Burkina Faso U17 squad, Zongo clearly has the abilities to play more centrally as a #10, and often drifted inside onto his preferred left foot. As he still plays his club football in Burkina Faso, this U17 World Cup is the first I and many others have gotten to see of him, and I’m sure there will be several European clubs shortlisting him as one for the future. The right development path will likely be a significant part of his decision on where to sign, when that happens. At such a young age but having already shown very impressive ability, whichever club signs Zongo will have to be careful to bring him up the ranks at the right pace. He would still be eligible to play youth football for another 4/5 years, but it seems likely that he will make a senior debut sooner than that.

I wish Burkina Faso had advanced so I could have seen more of Mohamed Zongo, but he truly impressed and I see a lot of potential. With time on his side, just remember the name, as Mohamed Zongo is one to watch.

-LM
Premier League 2 Scouting: Jaden Heskey

October 27th, 2025

I recently watched the U21 Manchester derby in the Premier League 2, with an eye on Manchester City U21’s midfielder, Jaden Heskey. The son of former Premier League and England striker Emile Heskey, Jaden captained the side as the RCM in a 4-3-3 formation. Overall, he had a very consistent, solid contribution to his team’s performance in this match. While not having the most glory-full role in the City system (the U21’s play the same 4-3-3 system that Pep used with the senior team), Heskey put in a good shift and made very few mistakes. Here is a more detailed breakdown of his various attributes as displayed in the match vs. Manchester United U21.

Physical:

Heskey is not a towering presence, but has a strong build that he uses effectively in midfield. Using a low centre-of-gravity, Heskey was consistently able to shield the ball with his body and ride challenges. When playing in tight spaces, Heskey’s agility and balance were on display, helping him to play out from under pressure. Heskey’s most notable weakness was his pace and acceleration, which was sub-standard for this match. However, he still covered a notable amount of space in this match, constantly moving up and down the half-spaces. Late in the match, Heskey appeared tired and was slower to get up and down the pitch, indicating his stamina might need some development.

Mental:

This is the area where Heskey excelled the most. He looked to have a game understanding of a much older, more experienced player. His overall decision-making and composure under pressure were strong on both sides of the ball. In possession, Heskey rarely made mistakes and did not attempt any ill-advised passes, while looking very calm in difficult situations. He could work on looking to be more proactive when on the ball, however this was in part due to his role within the Manchester City tactical philosophy. His vision in tight spaces was apparent, shown on multiple occasions with creative short interplay. Heskey was consistent and reliable for his team throughout this match, selflessly covering his teammates’ defensive positions when they left gaps in the team structure. Overall, Heskey showed a professional attitude, veteran-level composure, and strong decision making, while being slightly risk-averse at times.

Technical:

While Heskey has no major weaknesses in the technical side of his game, he needs improvement to reach his potential. In this match, Heskey showed a reliable first touch, using it well to set up his next play. This was combined with strong press resistance, showing an ability to dribble or turn away from pressure, not dispossessed once in this match. Defensively, Heskey showed his ability to win the ball, displaying good tackling technique.

He showed strength in tight spaces, able to play the ball quickly and avoid turnovers. Heskey would often call for the ball while being marked and help teammates out of difficult situations. In this match Heskey showed a very capable short passing game but did not attempt longer progressive passes. While very reliable and unlikely to turn the ball over, developing his progressive ability (dribbling, long passing) would elevate Heskey’s technical ability in his role considerably.

Tactical:

In this match, Heskey showed impressive tactical awareness of both his and his teammates’ positions and defensive responsibilities. He was often observed covering for any teammate who had left a defensive gap when moving forward and was instrumental in preserving team shape. In the defensive third, Heskey was regularly in the correct position to intercept passes, but in the middle third he did not block passing lanes as consistently. His education in the club philosophy is clear, with Heskey showing great recognition of where and when to press, as well as where to position himself to support teammates in attack. As the team buildup revolved around their DM, Heskey was not the primary tempo-setter of the attack but showed good awareness of tempo when on the ball. Heskey’s most notable weakness in this area was his attacking off the ball movement, often being too passive when opportunities to make forward runs presented themselves.

Overall Summary and Potential:

In this match, Jaden Heskey played the role of a supportive central midfielder in Manchester City U21’s 4-3-3 formation. Playing the same system as the City senior team, Heskey’s primary responsibility was the right half-space. While buildup often went through the DM to the flanks, Heskey provided consistent outlet pass opportunities to his teammates and was a key component of the team structure. He played a supporting role into the final third, where his role was to disrupt the defensive line with his movement, providing additional box presence or an underlapping run for his winger. Defensively, Heskey was responsible for initiating a high press alongside the ST, screening the defence throughout the middle third, and blocking passing lanes in the defensive third. Heskey was a consistent performer in this match, rarely making mistakes and facilitating his teammates. His impact on the match was not noted on the scoresheet, but evident.

Based on this match, Heskey’s greatest strength is his mind. He displayed an experienced understanding of the game, especially in anticipating opposition moves before they develop. He intercepted several dangerous passes around his 18-yard box in this match, preventing many chances before they developed. Heskey showed a mature, composed attitude throughout the match, acting like a model professional. His positional awareness allowed him to recognize and cover defensive gaps left by teammates and was one of the most important players in retaining City’s rest defence shape. Heskey’s psychological attributes were key in his execution of his role.

To reach his full potential in his best role, Heskey will need to develop his already serviceable technical skills. In this match he showed strong, but not elite, technical ability for the level of play. Most notably, improving his press resistance (strength, dribbling) and passing range can elevate his game to the next level. Heskey’s most notable weakness was his pace and acceleration, looking like one of the slower players on the pitch.

Overall, Heskey had a strong, although not dominant, impact on the match. Defensively, he was one of the more important players but could have looked to offer more progressiveness going forward. Heskey showed very advanced psychological attributes and tactical understanding for his age. While he played as the right #8 for the entire match, he showed the ability to take up roles as a #6 or #10 in midfield. Heskey’s potential ceiling is that of a Premier League player, with him playing at a solid Championship level in this match. A loan move for regular senior football is important to help Heskey reach his potential, as he seems to have outgrown U21 football. Gaining experience against full-grown men would help boost Heskey’s physical development and speed up his path to the Premier League.

Current Ability: Leading League One, Average Championship

Potential Ability: Premier League regular

Thanks for reading!

-LM
Honest Ahanor: Serie A’s Rising Star Defender

October 1st, 2025

Born in 2008 (yes, I feel old too) about 25km north of Napoli in the city of Aversa, Italy, Honest Ahanor is now making his name known. Growing up with Italian legend Paolo Maldini as his footballing idol, Ahanor joined the Genoa youth ranks with that in mind, as he began to develop as a CB. During the 2024/25 season, Ahanor started with the Genoa U15’s, then moved to the U16’s, and promptly again to the U17’s. This same year, at 15 years old, he was called up to play for Genoa’s U19 team, and the following year was immediately promoted to the U20’s. Just three matches at that level in the 24/25 season, and Genoa had seen enough, bringing Ahanor up to the senior team. This rise from U15 football to Serie A in less than 2 seasons was truly remarkable, and since then Ahanor has been showing why he deserved it. After playing in 6 matches for Genoa in the 24/25 season, Atalanta shelled out 20M euros for the defender, the second highest transfer fee of all time for an Italian U17 player. Clearly they saw his potential, and he has repaid their faith so far, performing even better in his first matches with Atalanta than he did at Genoa.

Player Overview:

A true ball playing CB, Honest Ahanor stands out most in possession. He loves to bring the ball out of defence himself, and will frequently use his long frame to skip past defenders in just a few steps. Ahanor does have the early makings of a rare type of defender, one who can very comfortably operate as both a CB, and as a LWB. Think Atlético’s Dávid Hancko, just trade off some of Hancko’s defending/crossing ability for a bit more on the ball skill.

Physical:

Standing at 184cm tall, Honest Ahanor has a relatively slender, but strong build. At just 17 years old, he is nowhere near his physical peak yet, and will almost certainly develop considerably in this area. However, his light and agile frame allows him to move with the ball unlike most defenders, showing strong pace and a quick change of direction. While not aerially dominant just yet, Ahanor has shown a very respectable level of duels as a teenager playing against grown men – winning 14/20 of his Serie A duels and 3/4 of his aerial duels so far.

Mental/Tactical:

While I can’t say I know Honest Ahanor, the human being, we can infer something about his mentality from his rapid rise to the top of Italian football. Every time he has been given an opportunity, he has made the most of it. With Atalanta, Ahanor has played in both Champions League matches so far, albeit just 5 minutes vs PSG. In his full match against Club Brugge, Ahanor was one of Atalanta’s standout players while being one of their least experienced, showing his ability to rise to the occasion. Tactically, as I mentioned before, I believe Ahanor could operate as a LCB/LB in a back 4 system, or as a CB/LWB in a back 5 system. He really enjoys making forward runs, both inverted and overlapping, though in Atalanta’s current system he is asked to make inverted runs more often while playing as the LCB. Ahanor’s off the ball movement is also very impressive, not just often seen. In the match against Brugge, several times Ahanor broke the first (and sometimes second) lines of press by himself, before laying the ball off and continuing his run into the box, adding an extra dimension to the Atalanta attack for defenders to consider. Defensively, his positioning looks quite sound for such a young defender, frequently intercepting and recovering the ball for his side. At times he has to use his long frame to stretch for a block or tackle, and could work more on being in position to not need to make a tackle, like his idol Maldini. Overall, Ahanor looks like a tactically versatile player who can play in multiple roles across a defence.

Technical:

When Ahanor is on the ball, he looks special. Very comfortable with the ball at his feet, Ahanor is a very accurate passer, recording an 86% pass completion rate in Serie A, and in his full UCL debut completing 58/59 passes. Ahanor does like to try a few long balls per game, which does make his pass completion rating more impressive. Ahanor has yet to be dispossessed while in possession this season, which absolutely lines up with the eye test on him. Almost as if he wants to be pressured, Ahanor will draw defenders in very close, before darting around them before they can react. This made buildup for Atalanta relatively easy both against Juventus and Club Brugge, as any time play was switched over to the left side, Ahanor had more than enough space to take the ball into the middle or final third by himself, and had the ability to do so. If you’re an admirer of Total Football, or love seeing a defender attack, then Honest Ahanor is the defender for you.

Summary:

A very exciting Italian defender, Honest Ahanor can comfortably play anywhere from LWB to a central CB, but would be best in a back 5 system. Incredibly gifted on the ball, he is a one-man press destroying machine, frequently bringing the ball out of defence by himself, and then appearing in the final third in central positions you wouldn’t expect a CB to be in. The amount of chaos that he causes to defensive structures is quite unique. With the right development, Ahanor has potential to be an Italian senior national team player at the bare minimum. With a closest player comparison to Dávid Hancko, it is no coincidence that I believe Atlético de Madrid would be a top destination for Ahanor to reach his full potential at. He already has the makings of a top-level ball playing CB, and the defensive development he would receive under Simeone would round out his skillset in a way that could allow him to become a real star. Everton could be another decent option as a LB, looking at their usage of Mykolenko over the past few seasons. Regardless of where he ends up, Honest Ahanor is an extremely promising prospect with the potential to become a world-class “Swiss army knife” type defender: slot him in anywhere in defence and he’ll do a job.

Honest Ahanor, One to Watch.

Thanks for reading,

LM
Potential First Caps – Rising International Football Stars

September 4th, 2025

Hello everyone, an international break is upon us again, so I thought I’d take the time to point out some of the more exciting players who could be in line to receive their first cap for country over the next weeks. Now having been scouting the U21 Euro tournament, I got to watch several of these players play at this summers tournament. Here are some of my favorite potential first cap selections from the latest team selections.

England: Djed Spence and Elliot Anderson

Both players made a case to be in the England squad last year, and are now receiving slightly overdue callups. Elliot Anderson had a strong season after moving to Nottingham Forest from his boyhood club Newcastle, being pulled back from the #10 role he was asked to play previously and succeeding as a left sided #8 under Nuno. Anderson is a real all-round midfielder; last season he averaged 8 duels won p90, 1.2 dribbles p90, and 0.2 assists p90. At the U21 Euro he played in a double pivot for England and was England’s metronome, dictating the tempo and getting a lot of touches. Anderson’s future is bright, and his callup is well deserved.

Djed Spence has really pushed on over the past year and become one of the Premier League’s best fullbacks. There might not be another fullback in the league who has such a high level of ability on both sides of the ball. “Bring me your favorite winger,” Spence posted on social media after another strong performance against Manchester City where he nullified Oscar Bobb, showing his confidence is reaching new levels. Defensively, he has been performing at a very high level, and going forward he offers unpredictability and goal threat from fullback. Able to comfortably play either side of the pitch, this is a smart selection for Tuchel.

Spain: Jesús Rodríguez

Another player who I had the pleasure of watching at the U21 Euro, Spain’s new LW callup, Jesús Rodríguez, is having himself quite the past few months. A graduate of the Real Betis academy, Rodríguez played only one full season for the Betis senior team before Como made him their club record signing for 22.5 million euros. If you like wingers with flair and tricks, then this is the player for you. One thing has been consistent in Rodríguez’s career so far: he will take on defenders, no matter what level he is playing at. Last season for Betis, he averaged 2.4 successful dribbles p90 and over 3 fouls won p90. This style of play caught the eye of Cesc Fabregas at Como, and of Luis de la Fuente, who rewarded Rodríguez with his first senior callup this international break. If he is given his first cap, expect him to make the most of it.

Germany: Nnamdi Collins and Paul Nebel

Both representatives of the German U21 team at this past summer’s Euro’s, Eintracht Frankfurt defender Nnamdi Collins and FC Mainz 05 midfielder Paul Nebel have both received senior callups and have the opportunity to gain their first caps. Collins, a rapid defender who can play as a CB or on the right flank, was in contention for best RB of the tournament at the U21 Euro. He had the most touches of any defender in the tournament, being a key player in buildup and showing a strong passing range. Collins averaged 2.3 accurate long balls p90 and 1.13 chances created p90, while also showing strong dribbling metrics. This season at Frankfurt, he has mostly played at CB, with his strong pace and technicality making him a productive ball-playing CB.

Collins (left) and Nebel (right) at Germany training camp – credit: Yahoo Sports

Paul Nebel really caught my eye at the U21 Euro, as I had not heard too much about him beforehand. Enjoying a breakout season at Mainz (his first full season in the first team) in which Nebel contributed 10 goals and 5 assists. While small in stature, Nebel seems to just slip away from stronger defenders, using his superior agility to his advantage. He is adept at long passing and switches the play very effectively. Out of possession, Nebel presses like he’s been deprived of ever getting to kick a football before, covering a lot of space in the midfield. He averaged 1 successful tackle and 5 recoveries, along with 4.5 duels won p90 in the Bundesliga last season. Julian Nagelsmann clearly sees something in him, and it will be exciting to see what Nebel can do in the senior team if given the opportunity.

Denmark: William Osula

Osula was one of my favorite strikers that I saw during the U21 Euro’s when he lead the line for a very successful Denmark team. Osula scored 3 and assisted 2 in 185 minutes played at the tournament. His workrate and pressing is top notch, and has already shown that he can score in the Premier League for Newcastle this season. There are a few players at ST with seniority over Osula, and his first cap may be dependent on the game state in Denmark’s two matches this international break. If not now though, Osula’s breakthrough into the Danish national team seems imminent.

France: Maghnes Akliouche

Monaco’s breakout star Maghnes Akliouche has shown quite a rise in his play over the past year. Deployed as an attacking midfielder or winger, he featured 43 times for Monaco last season across all competitions, scoring 7 goals and adding 12 assists. In Ligue 1, Akliouche provided consistent xG and xA numbers, averaging out to around 0.6 expected goal contributions p90. He likes a dribble, and works hard out of possession to recover the ball fairly often. Through three matches in Ligue 1 this season, Akliouche has provided two goals and an assist, with over 1 expected goal contributions p90. Having been linked to clubs such as Spurs this past summer, Akliouche’s first senior callup will certainly help accelerate interest in him. While I haven’t had the chance to watch him play live yet, there are certainly signs of a potentially bright prospect here.

These are some of the recent uncapped players who have received senior international callups that I’m most excited to see in action! Check back later for more football articles on Futbird!

Thanks for reading,

LM
Why Bodø/Glimt’s Kasper Høgh is Set For a Big Move

August 31st, 2025

Since the club from little ol Bodø made it to the Europa league semifinal last season, they’ve finally gained some well deserved recognition! As such, some of you reading this may already know who Kasper Høgh is. The 24 year old Danish striker who joined Glimt ahead of the 2024 Eliteserien season from Stabaek has had a meteoric rise since joining the Norwegian champions. After 5 goals in 14 matches for Stabaek in 2023, not many would’ve predicted him to score a goal per 90 minutes in his debut season at Bodø/Glimt, except for the Glimt scouts of course. This is already a trend, where Glimt sign a (at the time) relatively unknown striker without much proven success at their level, and develop them into regular Top 5 league players – Victor Boniface being the prime example. However, many might propose that Høgh’s strong performance was just a factor of him playing for a much stronger team. While it certainly helps to be surrounded by higher quality players, Høgh himself also developed his all-around game as the season went on and became a more complete striker.

As he started the 2025 season, Høgh once again looked to be a much improved player. This year, he started adding more playmaking to his game, averaging 0.32 assists per 90, up from 0.08 p90 in his debut Glimt season. Here is a good example of his evolved positioning and playmaking from today’s match vs. Sandefjord.

First, Høgh sees his team win the ball back in their own defensive third, and makes a quick run out to the wide channel to offer an outlet. He pulls the RCB out of position, but holds the ball up successfully and turns to bait a second Sandefjord defender in.

Then, spotting the underlapping run of his fullback, Høgh plays a perfectly weighted through ball between the two defenders marking him, leading to a clear cut chance on goal.

While very competent in the air, it would be a mistake to profile him as a target forward. Høgh has needed to become strong in holdup play, as he is often a lone outlet if Glimt are under extended pressure. He likes to drop in deeper at times and look to play through one of his teammates before arriving late in the box. When he does get the ball at his feet in the box, he produces a quality shot on target much more often than not. Høgh has consistently outperformed his xG numbers for all 3 seasons in the Eliteserien, as well as in last season’s Europa League. If a player overperforms xG in one season, there is right to have caution they may not replicate the same success. However, some players (though they are rare) can consistently outperform their xG, and that is what we are seeing so far with Kasper Høgh.

Strong out of possession, Høgh leads the Glimt press, with his main role being to force the ball up one side of the pitch. On average, he gets dribbled past (breaking the first line of the Glimt press) once every 5 matches, and wins the ball back in the final third more often than he is dribbled past. If moving to a club with a manager who can coach players in pressing, Høgh could no doubt become a very serviceable pressing forward at the Premier League level in such a system. He has only committed ~1 foul per match at Bodø/Glimt, and has only received a single yellow card on his disciplinary record.

The reason I believe that he will be available to purchase is because he recently signed a new contract extension at Glimt. This is a very common occurrence at Glimt right before a player is sold for a decent transfer fee. Høgh also just cannot stop scoring. Still scoring at a goal per 90 minutes in the league with Glimt, and at 0.6 p90 in the Europa League last season, Høgh will get a shot to prove himself in the Champions League this year. With the January window coming at the end of the Norwegian domestic season, it is often a convenient time for players to move, and I have little doubt that Høgh would succeed playing in a higher league. For reference, Høgh is scoring at a higher rate than Victor Boniface did in his final season at Glimt. I’m not sure if there’s some unofficial goals p90 threshold for Glimt strikers that other clubs have alerts for, but I’m certain that plenty of clubs around Europe’s top leagues are taking a look at Kasper Høgh right now.

A striker who has that bit of ego you want him to have when the ball finds his feet in a good scoring position, but all-around a very strong team player. By no means is Høgh a selfish player, and takes great delight in seeing his teammates score instead of him. His linkup and holdup play is strong, he is willing to battle with a bigger CB, and is a natural finisher in the box.

Just one example of a club that could 1. afford and 2. have a real use for Høgh would be Crystal Palace. I believe they’re looking for another striker to rotate alongside JP Mateta, and Kasper Høgh can play quite a similar style game to Mateta. Palace are in the Conference League this year, and Høgh already has experience scoring goals in the Europa League: with three against Olympiacos, a goal and assist against FC Porto, and a brace against Maccabi Tel-Aviv on his record.

If Høgh is still at Bodø/Glimt after the 2026 summer window, I will be shocked. It is not a question of if he will be purchased from Glimt (for a possible club record sale fee), but when. If Glimt qualify for the UCL knockouts there is a chance he could be persuaded to stay until the summer window, but I doubt his time at Glimt will last any longer than that. In today’s transfer market, there are many worse strikers than Kasper Høgh who a club could pay a lot more money for. Whoever signs him will be getting guaranteed value for money at the very least.

Kasper Høgh, ready for the next level.
Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh – The Gambian Gem

August 15th, 2025

I’m just going to start this off by saying that Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh will be playing for one of Europe’s biggest clubs soon. He’s that good.

In the far north of Norway, you’ll find the northernmost top division football club in the world, Tromsø IL. Nestled into the fjords below the northern lights, Tromsø has become a relatively popular destination for promising young players in recent years. You might have noticed new West Ham signing, El Hadji Malick Diouf. While signing for the hammers from Slavia Prague, Malick Diouf started his european career with Tromsø as well. In fact, both players came from the Academy Mawade Wade in Senegal, which has a partnership with Tromsø IL. Shortly after turning 18 years old, Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh left home for northern Norway before the start of the 2025 Eliteserien season.

A technical, ball playing CB, Kinteh has operated mostly in a back-3 system, as the left sided CB. He loves to jump forward out of the line of defence to intercept passes, and will frequently look to start the counter attack himself. Honestly very good on the ball (especially as an 18 year old CB), Kinteh has an expansive passing range and the confidence to attempt any pass. He has shown a strong ability to break lines of press with his passing and is very comfortable firing a quick, accurate, pass into the feet of his #10 between the lines. Equally competent in switching play, Kinteh is a true threat anytime he is on the ball, as his versatile passing range makes him unpredictable. Even from CB, Kinteh is averaging 0.5 chances created and 0.12 xA per 90. While predominantly playing in the half space or centre of the pitch, Kinteh is competent at overlapping in wide areas. He generally puts himself in position to deliver several dangerous crosses per game. Where he really puts most other CB’s in the Eliteserien to shame though, is his on the ball dribbling. Kinteh is meant for a back 3 system I believe, because that allows him to be free in attack where he can shine. In the Eliteserien, he is averaging 1.3 successful dribbles p90, on a success rate of 83%. Kinteh truly has all the attributes needed to be an elite ball playing CB: great technique, wide passing range, dribbling ability, and elite ball recovery.

Speaking of defending, Kinteh is a monster in duels, and eats up space extremely effectively. Averaging just under 6 duels won, and 6.5 ball recoveries per 90 in the Eliteserien, Kinteh is a bit like a vacuum in defence. Allowing his CB partners to stay deeper, he jumps up to press wide players or intercept passes, often acting as a defensive midfielder (or even more advanced role) when Tromsø have the ball. Sometimes being caught up the pitch in transition (largely in part due to his role within the squad), Kinteh shows very strong recovery pace and tackling ability. He pairs well with an attack-minded LWB in a 3-5-2 system, allowing the LWB to act as a LW in possession with Kinteh covering the space behind. In two matches this year against Norway’s best, Bodø/Glimt, Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh has put up: 150 touches, 93/114 passes completed, 3/3 dribbles completed, 7/17 long balls completed, 20 passes into final third, 24 defensive recoveries, won 14/18 duels, and never committed a foul, drawing 3. Even for a fully grown CB in their prime, that is impressive.

Kinteh exudes an aura of calm maturity on the pitch. When put under pressure, his play does not change. He looks like he has already seen 10+ years of professional football with how he reads the game. Every club in world football could use a player like Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh. In terms of a player comparison, I liken his game to a hybrid of Willian Pacho and Alessandro Bastoni. Now to be clear, Bastoni is the gold-standard of ball-playing CB’s right now, I am not saying Kinteh is at his level yet. However, I think it more likely than not, that Kinteh will reach that level in the future.

If recent history is any predictor of the future, we will soon see Slavia Prague return to Tromsø with a BIG (likely Tromsø club record) fee for Kinteh. Unless sabotaged by poor coaching/a bad developmental environment, this kid is going right to the very top. My prediction is that there is a VERY strong chance that Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh can become a regular player at a Champions League level club in a Top 5 European league. He is honestly good enough now to make an impact at some of Europe’s biggest clubs. There is a high chance that we are looking at the best Gambian CB of his generation, and I am not exaggerating for hype.

If by the start of the 2026 Eliteserien season Kinteh is still at Tromsø, I will be utterly shocked. If in 2 years time, there isn’t interest from Europe’s elite clubs, I’ll be even more shocked. This is one of the best CB prospects I have seen at this age, and I feel very confident that Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh is destined for greatness. Remember his name.

Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh, One to Watch.

Thanks for reading,

-LM
Zsombor Gruber: One to Watch

August 13th, 2025

This post has been a long time coming. A little bit of backstory: 2-3 years ago when starting a new Football Manager save, I found Zsombor Gruber in the Puskas Akademia youth ranks, took him with me when I left Puskas Akademia, and had him captain my Bodø/Glimt side to three UCL titles. Naturally as one does, I decided to track his progress in real life!

Born on 7 September 2004 in Győr, Hungary (Hungary’s 6th-largest city, about halfway between Budapest and Vienna), Zsombor Gruber joined the Győr academy as a young boy. At the age of 13, he was scouted by Puskas Akademia and brought into their academy. An attacker who can play on either wing, as a #10, or as a striker, Gruber started being selected for the Hungarian youth national teams at age 15. His development path actually saw him spend a year in Switzerland, at the Basel academy on loan from Puskas Akademia. If you don’t know, Basel have seen several players go on to become top European stars after developing in Switzerland – Mohamed Salah, for one. Gruber debuted for Puskas Akademia’s senior team at age 17, and in his first full season at senior level played >1100 minutes, and started 12 matches, scoring 3 goals.

In the 2023-24 season, Zsombor Gruber contributed 3 goals and an assist in ~650 minutes for Puskas Akademia, before being loaned to fellow NB I side Zalaegerszeg, where he scored another 3 goals in <300 minutes. In the summer, Hungary’s top club, Ferencvaros, signed Gruber, seeing his potential, and loaned him to MTK Budapest at the start of the 2024-25 season. This would allow him to get some more playing time, essentially in the backyard of Ferencvaros, as both clubs are from the Budapest area.

Despite suffering a thigh injury at MTK which forced him out for 5 weeks of the season, Gruber contributed a goal contribution every other game which led to Ferencvaros recalling him from loan for the second half of the season. This spell would see Gruber score his first goal for Ferencvaros, as well as gain the experience of being a part of a title-winning squad. That leads us to this year. Former Spurs legend Robbie Keane is the new manager at Ferencvaros, and he seems to see the potential in Gruber that I and others have. So far, Zsombor has 3 goals and 3 assists in the first 5 matches for Ferencvaros this season, including providing an assist just minutes after being subbed on in Champions League qualifiers to secure Ferencvaros passage to the final qualification round. Providing a goal contribution every 43 minutes so far, this is looking like the start of Zsombor Gruber’s breakout season with Ferencvaros. If he didn’t have the full trust of his manager before, he is surely earning it with his performances. I am confident that Gruber’s potential is to be a Champions League quality player.

As mentioned previously, he is a versatile player who can play across the front 4 positions. This means that while he is playing as a striker now (although operating more in a second striker role alongside Barnabas Varga), he could be coached into a winger or #10 long term, depending on the system that he goes to next. On 19 November 2024, Gruber received his first callup to the Hungarian senior team, and debuted at the Puskas Arena against Germany in a 1-1 draw. There is somewhat of a gap in generations in Hungary’s national team striker ranks. Barnabas Varga is 30 years old, and all other forwards currently called up to the Hungarian team are 25 or older. Then there is Zsombor Gruber, who will turn 21 in a month’s time. None of the players in the 25-28 age range have really solidified their place in Hungary’s attack, so there is a pathway for Gruber to continue to receive important developmental minutes for the senior national team.

As a technically strong player who has good pace and off the ball runs, but also the vision to pick out a pass, I believe that Gruber’s best role long term is either as an inside forward role (playing as a winger), or as a second-striker. While 183cm tall, he is not a traditional target forward, with a build that leans more into agility and speed than pure strength. His potential is to play in a Top 5 league, at the Champions League level. Also, Hungarian clubs can rarely request transfer fees in the 10’s of millions of euros, so acquiring Gruber would be a relatively cheap purchase (currently valued between 1 – 3 million, if I had to estimate; Transfermarkt has not updated his valuation since last season).

A very exciting prospect, a motivated and humble individual, Zsombor Gruber looks set for big things in the future. Whether that is as a homegrown star at Ferencvaros, or a move abroad, only time will tell.

One thing is for certain: Zsombor Gruber is One to Watch.
Mamour N’diaye: One to Watch

August 4th, 2025

If I’m being honest, I’m very excited about today’s feature: Mamour N’diaye. A 19 year old Senegalese youth international goalkeeper who debuted for Norwegian Eliteserien side Sarpsborg about 4 months ago. Born and raised in Grand Yoff, a city in the Dakar region, Mamour is the youngest of 5 brothers raised by their mother (Mamour tragically lost his father in his childhood). Hyper-motivated to do the best he could do in football, Mamour joined the Oslo Football Academy in Dakar where he earned himself the starting place on the 2023 U20 World Cup squad, despite being just 17 years old at the time. Presumably, this was what made Sarpsborg 08 feel that they had to sign Mamour, which they did after he impressed on trial in late 2023.

The young goalkeeper moved to Norway in December of 2023 initially not being able to speak a word of any language spoken there (English and Nynorsk/Bokmål). In Senegal, Wolof and French are generally spoken by most, while English is not as common. Mamour made it work though. In a recent interview on Sarpsborg 08’s YouTube channel, he is speaking very strong English after about 1.5 years in Norway. Mamour seems like a very good human being as well as a good footballer – the former too often overlooked when clubs sign a new player.

Mamour N’diaye debuted for Sarpsborg in the Eliteserien on 30 March 2025. In his first match, Mamour kept a clean sheet and helped Sarpsborg to a 2-0 win over Molde – a well established Eliteserien club. It is important to keep in mind that Sarpsborg 08 are not one of the “giants” of Norwegian football. Over the past 15 years, they have a single top-5 finish to their name, having finished 8th or 9th each of the past 5 seasons. They are often a side put under considerable defensive pressure, relying on counter attacks. From the matches I’ve watched, the defensive line of Sarpsborg can be lacking in closing down the ball in dangerous areas. Mamour is often facing several high quality chances that the keepers of top teams do not.

N’diaye found his footing a bit over his next few matches, with the aforementioned issues putting him under a lot of pressure. Playing away at league leaders Viking, Mamour had a standout performance, preventing 1.6xG and keeping a clean sheet as Sarpsborg took a point away from the match. He continued this trend of frequently recording positive “Goals Prevented” numbers, meaning that he regularly conceded fewer goals than xG faced. Another 4-save clean sheet followed, and then a very strong performance away at Brann (another top team in the league), helping Sarpsborg yet again take a point away from a difficult fixture.

N’diaye seems to elevate his game when facing the best teams in the Eliteserien, and in the biggest matches. In the Norwegian Cup quarterfinal, Sarpsborg 08 were drawn against Rosenborg, the most successful team in Norwegian football history. This match was dominated by Rosenborg, after a 39′ goal for Sarpsborg shifted the match in that direction. Around 70% possession for Rosenborg, and 27 total shot attempts, 11 on target. Mamour N’diaye made 9 saves, and took this game to a penalty shootout. Before the penalty shootout in the team huddle, he tells his teammates that there’s only going to be 5 shooters, and he will save two penalties. That, from a 19 year old keeper just 3 months into his Eliteserien career, is leadership beyond his years. N’diaye took all of the pressure off of his teammates, and put it all on his own shoulders. Not only did he follow through with his promise by saving the very first two penalties he faced, but stepped up himself to score the winning penalty and send Sarpsborg to the semifinal.

In his very next match, Sarpsborg 08 faced Bodø/Glimt, the best team in Norway over the past 5 years by a sizeable margin, and Europa League semifinalists this season. Again with his defense under immense pressure in front of him (29 shot attempts from Glimt) and a 1-0 deficit at halftime, N’diaye shut out Glimt in the 2nd half with some truly impressive saves, while Sarpsborg managed to score two and walk away from Aspmyra with all 3 points, something that does not happen often for visiting clubs. N’diaye kept another clean sheet in the Norwegian Cup semi-final vs Viking, saving 5 shots, and has put his club one game away from European football next season now! Sarpsborg have qualified for the Europa League just once (the year after their only top-5 league finish in recent history), and will be hoping to make it a second time with an opportunity in the final against second division side Lillestrøm.

In his latest matches, Mamour has made consecutive 7 save efforts just for his performance to be in vain, with Sarpsborg 08 losing to Brann and Sandefjord. While currently in 9th place, Sarpsborg are still within reach of the European qualification places, which is in no small part due to Mamour N’diaye. He leads the league in saves (54 in 16 matches), is right up with the best in the Eliteserien in save percentage at 72%, and is in the 87th percentile for goals prevented. This is all while playing behind a squad that allows more pressure on the keeper than many others in the league.

Now let’s not forget that Mamour is still 19 years old. As a keeper, his prime is very likely still a decade away, and this should be kept in mind. However, from what I’ve seen I strongly believe that Mamour N’diaye can become one of the best keepers in world football. Potential is a tricky thing, and far too many factors affect a player’s fulfilling their potential to know with certainty what will happen. All we can do is go off of what we have in front of us.

N’diaye is the exact type of keeper that modern managers of top clubs want in their squad. He doesn’t seem to feel pressure, he isn’t scared of having the ball at his feet, and is physically extremely gifted. Standing at 190cm with an athletic build, N’diaye covers a lot of the net with his frame. Mamour uses his size to frequently make high claims on crosses, leading the Eliteserien in this category as well. His positioning for shots is very strong for such a young keeper, and will only improve with time. From the matches I’ve seen so far, his reflexes are impressive, and exhibits strong palms when stretching to make a save. Often dealing with a low block in front of him, many shots that Mamour N’diaye faces are through screens, or deflected before they reach him. He truly handles this as well as could be expected for a keeper of his age. With the ball at his feet, N’diaye is comfortable drawing defenders in before making a pass, and has an eye for finding a teammate behind the first line of press. When kicking long, N’diaye is right up there with the world’s best already for power, as he can easily kick the ball 20-30 yards past the halfway line from his own box. I also noticed several instances of his accurate long distribution generating chances for his forwards.

To summarize, Mamour N’diaye has everything needed for the foundation required to become one of the world’s best keepers. His physical level is already there, while many of the skills that come with time for keeper’s are at a very high level at 19 years old. To further increase his chances of becoming a top keeper, Mamour also seems like a very nice, genuine person who does not seem like he will be at risk of distractions if he joins a big club one day. He obviously needs time and the right development to reach this potential, but the potential is immense. I cannot say enough good things about how highly I rate Mamour N’diaye’s potential.

I will continue to keep a close eye on his development, but if you have not heard his name before now, do not forget it. The sky is truly the limit for Mamour N’diaye, and I will be hoping he can achieve his potential. For any questions, please leave a comment or send me an e-mail: scouting.futbird@gmail.com

Mamour N’diaye, One to Watch.

-LM
Interesting Football Transfers: August 1, 2025

August 1st, 2025
Hello everyone, we’re back with more interesting transfers to keep you up to date on! I’m going to try to go through most of these in quick-fire style so that I can include more players here.

Luis Diaz, LW, Bayern Munich
The tricky Colombian winger has been underpaid and undervalued at Liverpool for years now. He was making a fraction of his teammates salaries last year and his move to Bayern should finally give him the contract he’s earned. Honestly, a Diaz-Musiala-Olise trio behind Harry Kane sounds terrifying. I expect this to go better than the last Liverpool winger that Bayern signed.

David Hancko, CB, Atlético Madrid

If you didn’t know, I’m Slovak-Canadian, and David Hancko is one of my favorite players (I even own his matchworn kit from the 2024 Euro Round of 16 vs. England). I knew he was ready for a step up from Feyenoord and the Eredivisie, but when initial links came out that Saudi side Al-Nassr was going to sign Hancko, I was pretty disappointed. Obviously Saudi money is life changing, but at 27 Hancko is only just entering his prime as a defender and has the ability to play in the Champions League for a top club. This move to Simeone’s Atlético Madrid is PERFECT for Hancko. He fits into their system like a glove, and will be a favorite of Simeone’s. I’m expecting this Atléti team to be dangerous this season, so watch out for them.

Dan Ndoye, RW, Nottingham Forest

Now, as someone who doesn’t have time to watch Bologna matches regularly, I’ve mostly seen Dan Ndoye showing up for Switzerland at international tournaments, where he has performed admirably. Last season, Ndoye produced 12 goal contributions in 30 Serie A matches; however, it is worth noticing that he outperformed both his xG and his xA. How he may fare in the Premier League is still fairly unknown, but going to Forest means that he won’t be relied on to play every match. Ndoye might turn out to be a very sensible signing for Forest.

Quentin Merlin, LB, Stade Rennais

Who remembers the Quentin Merlin “Ones to Watch” post? Oh, you do, scouts of Stade Rennais? Great. I joke, but Merlin was one of the most standout players of the U21 Euro’s in my eyes, and both occasions I got to watch him live I was very impressed. I am not surprised, but I am pleased to see Rennes notice the same things I did. Merlin’s best attribute is his crossing/delivery. He can create some space for himself, then release a cross quick enough to be un-blockable for a defender. The low-driven crosses that Merlin can produce are that of a very high level. I really do hope he gets a major role for Rennes this year.

Robin Roefs, GK, Sunderland

Another player on my Euro U21 One’s to Watch list after his performances for the Dutch U21 team, Robin Roefs looks to have everything a top level keeper needs. I only got to watch him live twice at the tournament, so the only thing that could stop Roefs from becoming a very solid Premier League goalkeeper is consistency (which I could not evaluate off two matches). Roefs’ performance in the Eredivisie with Nijmegen did show signs that he is a consistent keeper. He has a very large frame at 193cm, and the aerial reach to match. Already a strong shot stopper, Roefs looked quite competent at playing out from the back with the ball at his feet. This is a fantastic signing for Sunderland.

Granit Xhaka, CM, Sunderland

Sunderland have made several good transfers ahead of their return to the Premier League, but my other favorite has to be Granit Xhaka returning to England at the Stadium of Light. A veteran, PL-proven presence to bring experience to the locker room and help the younger players on the squad is never a bad signing, and I think Xhaka still has a few good years left in him!

Mikey Moore, LW, Rangers

Fresh off his breakout season into the first team squad as Spurs’ youngest ever debutant, Mikey Moore is headed to Scotland on loan for the season with Rangers. Having already gained Premier League and Europa League experience, Moore is set up well to succeed this season if taken care of by the Rangers staff. He is Spurs’ brightest gem of a prospect, and one of England’s finest at that. It is definitely worth watching a few Rangers games this year to see how Mikey gets on.

Jacobo Ramón, CB, Como

I found this transfer interesting because Real Madrid appear to be trying out the same path that worked for Nico Paz. Jacobo Ramón, a young CB who has come through the Real Madrid Castilla system, and earned himself 6 appearances for the senior team last year, is joining Como on loan in Serie A. To be honest, I don’t know much about this player! His progression over time is promising though, and at Como he will certainly get the opportunity to show what he can do more often. Como will yet again be a fun team to keep an eye on this year.

James Trafford, GK, Man City

Probably the most likeable Manchester City transfer of the last years, James Trafford is returning to his boyhood club! After several years at Burnley, Trafford is moving back to Manchester, presumably to serve as Ederson’s backup. A fee of just over 30M euros was enough for Burnley to part with the 22 year old keeper, who might be seen as City’s long term future #1.

Pervis Estupinan, LB, AC Milan

The Ecuadorian wingback is a player I’ve associated with Brighton in my head for so long now, it’s very strange to write “Milan” next to his name. After 3 seasons and 104 appearances for the seagulls, Estupinan is moving to Milan for a pretty modest fee of 17M euro. With the amount of talent and experience that he brings now, I believe this is a strong pickup for Allegri’s Milan, who will be looking to make some waves this year in Serie A.

Jonathan Fischer, GK, Metz

Jonathan Fischer is a very interesting keeper prospect that I first noticed while watching the Eliteserien. Tasked with being the keeper for newly promoted Frederikstad, over the past two seasons, the Danish keeper has been a major part in his club’s success. Frederikstad finished 6th in their first season back in the top flight AND won the Norwegian Cup, with Fischer conceding 35 goals in 30 league matches along with notching 13 clean sheets. To start the 2025 season, Fischer has only conceded 20 goals in 17 matches, with 5 clean sheets. These kinds of stats for a team that is at a financial disadvantage to the rest of the league are extremely impressive. This was enough for FC Metz to sign him, where he should be given the opportunity to take the next step up in his career. Just 2 years ago Fischer was playing in the Danish 2nd tier for HoBro, and now he’s in Ligue 1.

Aleksandar Stankovic, DM, Club Brugge

The young serbian midfielder who turns 20 in a few days is joining Club Brugge from Inter Milan. Last season, Stankovic played for Luzern in the Swiss league, where he had a very strong season, starting 34 of 38 league matches, contributing 5 goal contributions from a defensive midfield role, and operating as a high volume passer for his side. What stands out the most about Stankovic at the moment is his long delivery. His defensive game looks strong and that’s his main tool, but he averaged 5 accurate long balls per match for Luzern last season, which was up with the best in all of Europe. Club Brugge is a solid place to land for Stankovic, who I believe could have the chance to become quite the player. I’d like to watch him some more though before making a full scouting report.

Franjo Ivanovic, ST, Benfica

When Benfica goes and picks up a young player, it’s generally a good idea to take note of it. Franjo Ivanovic got his start at the Augsburg academy (known for having some of the best training facilities in the world by the way), before moving to Rijeka in the Croatian League. Strong performances in Croatia led to Union Saint-Gilloise searching for his signature – and honestly now, I think we might have to look at Union SG striker signings a bit differently. Victor Boniface, Promise David, and now Franjo Ivanovic all impressing in Belgium. So after 20 goals in 46 matches for Union SG in all competitions last season, Benfica got the deal done and will be hoping that Ivanovic can perform better than the outgoing Casper Tengstedt. Having already made his senior national team debut at just 21 years old, the future is bright for Franjo Ivanovic.
This has been some more interesting transfers from the past weeks. I didn’t feel I needed to inform you about deals like Hugo Ekitiké to Liverpool or Viktor Gyökeres to Arsenal, so I preferred to bring some news that you might not have heard about (or players you might not have heard about!). For any questions or requests, please email me at scouting.futbird@gmail.com.

Thanks,

LM