Six shooters: the deadly half dozen at Euro 2024
SIGN HIM UP: Slovenia's Benjamin Sesko greets the fans after their game this week against Armenia in Ljubljana. Pic: Jurij Kodrun/Getty Images
Ukraine will fancy their chances of progressing beyond the group stages at Euro 2024 and the tournament should provide the perfect foundation for Georgiy Sudakov. The 21-year-old is wanted by Premier League sides, though Shakhtar Donetsk are expected to play hard ball over their most promising young talent. Able to play through the middle or out wide, Sudakov has been likened to Manchester City and England star Phil Foden, so it's no wonder Europe's heavy hitters are circling Shakhtar ahead of a potential summer move. He performs well under pressure and in tight spaces, and is backed to thrive in Germany.
After a slow start to life at RB Leipzig, Benjamin Sesko exploded onto the scene following the Winterpause, ending the season with 14 league goals to his name despite registering just 1532 minutes of action. Given the rumoured €65m release clause, interest in Sesko this summer is understandably high. Only Serhou Guirassy (30.4%) managed a better conversion rate than the 21-year-old (29.8%) in the Bundesliga last season, while the latter's xG overperformance of 5.98 was the biggest in Germany's top tier. Set to star on the Slovenia frontline, Sesko's form is key if they are to make the knockout stages.
Another who shone for RB Leipzig last season, Xavi Simons is set to be the subject of intense interest from Europe's elite in the off-season following a superb Bundesliga campaign. Simons excelled on loan for the German side having finished 2023/24 joint-second for assists (11), fourth for key passes (79) and third for successful dribbles (84). Having proven he can cut the mustard in one of Europe's top leagues, Simons' stock will raise further were he to transfer his club form to country at the Euros. The Netherlands should book a knockout spot with the 21-year-old expected to be key.
While much of the focus for Turkey will be Real Madrid star Arda Guler, Semih Kilicsoy enjoyed a fine breakout season for Super Lig giants Besiktas. The Black Eagles endured a disappointing Super Lig campaign and yet the 18-year-old did enough to make Vincenzo Montella's Euros squad. It was deserved, too, as Kilicsoy netted 11 times and provided four assists for Besiktas, who finished the campaign down in sixth. Able to play in the number 10 role and out wide, and comfortable with both feet, the youngster could prove to be Montella's wildcard for Turkiye.
After netting just 10 goals across two 2.Bundesliga campaigns during a loan stint with Hannover 96, few at Hoffenheim would have expected Maximilian Beier to make Julian Nagelsmann's Germany squad at the start of the season. And yet, 16 goals later and the 21-year-old joins Kai Havertz, Niklas Fullkrug and Deniz Undav as Die Mannschaft's designated forwards. Able to play from the left as well as through the middle, Beier may not be Nagelsmann's first choice frontman at Euro 2024 but he's a handy option to call upon having scored five counter-attacking goals in the 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign.
Belgium are incredibly top-heavy heading into Euro 2024. The defence leaves little to the imagination, yet they are well stocked in attack, so much so that Johan Bakayoko may have settle for a place on the bench, this despite the PSV winger netting 12 and providing nine assists in their title winning campaign. Only one player completed more dribbles than Bakayoko (92) in the Eredivisie last season, while the young winger also made the fourth most key passes (68). Against tiring defences, the PSV star may prove Domenico Tedesco's secret weapon as the Red Devils look to blow teams away.
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