Who will be the next €100M player?
Had you asked an Inter supporter in 2012 if Philippe Coutinho would one day merit a €160-million transfer fee, the response would have been resounding laughter.
Six years on, the Brazilian dead-ball savant garnered exactly that in swapping Liverpool for Barcelona. While Coutinho's emergence as a star is noteworthy, the astronomical rise of transfer fees is the most obvious takeaway. Coutinho's switch to Catalan country was the fifth move of €100 million or more, joining Neymar, Ousmane Dembele, Paul Pogba and Gareth Bale. With Kylian Mbappe's transfer to Paris Saint-Germain set to make it six, the cost of acquiring a player under contract is certain to continue ascending.
With the January window open, here's a look at six players making the transfer-rumour rounds who could garner a €100-million price tag.
Mohamed Salah
Arguably the Premier League's standout performer following a €42-million summer move from Roma, Mohamed Salah has taken the English top flight by storm with 18 goals in 22 matches. Naturally, the Egypt international's displays have snatched the attention of Europe's biggest sides, spurring talk of interest from Real Madrid.
Los Blancos are mired in an unprecedented goal drought that threatens a record run of Champions League qualification as Cristiano Ronaldo wrestles with improbably poor conversion rates, leaving Real Madrid desperate for help in attack. It's unlikely that Liverpool would sell its star 25-year-old winger after having shipped Coutinho, but Real Madrid's history of splashing the cash would likely induct Salah into the €100-million club if he did depart for the Spanish capital.
Eden Hazard
Like Salah, Eden Hazard has laid a claim as one of the Premier League's best players, and like the Liverpool stud, the Belgium international has been linked with a move to Real Madrid. Zinedine Zidane's alleged interest in Hazard is long-standing, and Chelsea isn't exactly confident of keeping its attacking wizard with Real reportedly snooping around Stamford Bridge for the services of Hazard and Thibaut Courtois.
Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Casemiro form one of Europe's best midfields, but Real's problems stem from ineptitude closer to goal. With Marco Asensio suffering a sophomore slump amid Dani Ceballos' struggles to acclimate to life at the Santiago Bernabeu, Hazard checks off several of the boxes on Florentino Perez's wish list.
Paulo Dybala
Since bagging 19 goals in his maiden Juventus campaign following a €40-million move from Palermo, Paulo Dybala has emerged as one of football's most dynamic attackers. Thanks to a locker stuffed with silky skills - not least an eye for a clinical finish - the 24-year-old has become a coveted talent, and his best days are still ahead of him.
He's reportedly attracted the affection of several clubs, with Manchester United most commonly linked to the 12-time capped Argentina international. Considering the Red Devils already paid the Old Lady a fee in excess of €100 million for Paul Pogba, there's precedent for a transaction between the two domestic heavyweights. Juventus fans needn't worry too much, however, as United has been linked with just about every versatile attacker.
Antoine Griezmann
Speaking of versatile attackers who have been associated with the Lancashire behemoth, Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann was close to making the Old Trafford switch last summer. It wasn't even speculation, as the 26-year-old France star admitted there was a "6 in 10 chance" before Atleti's transfer ban threw a wrench in United's plans.
A well-rounded attacker who fancies a strike from distance as much as a perfectly weighted through ball, Griezmann's tenure in La Liga appears to be on rocky ground, with Atleti boss Diego Simeone hinting at the left-footer's eventual exit. United appears most likely to secure Griezmann's services, and with Les Bleus buddies Pogba and Anthony Martial in the squad, it's possible the Red Devils could table a €100-million bid for the player.
Thomas Lemar
When Monaco shocked European football to end PSG's five-year stranglehold on Ligue 1 while becoming the first club to progress from Champions League qualifiers to the semi-final stage, several budding talents emerged as stars-in-the-making. Leonardo Jardim's lot turned a pretty penny on the likes of Mbappe, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Benjamin Mendy, and Bernardo Silva, though managed to keep hold of pacey winger Thomas Lemar.
Jardim admitted the club could offload players in January, and it's conceivable that Liverpool and Arsenal have maintained their interest in Lemar; the latter was allegedly willing to splash €100 million for him last summer as a replacement for Alexis Sanchez. The Gunners' need for an injection of talent has never been so severe, and with Arsene Wenger determined to curry some favour amid a dire stretch, nine figures for Lemar actually seems quite feasible.
Thiago Alcantara
Arguably the Bundesliga's standout performer of the 2016-17 campaign, Bayern Munich midfielder and Spain international Thiago Alcantara has cemented his status as one of football's most well-rounded central midfielders. Able to ply his trade both as a defensive mid and in a more advanced attacking role, the 26-year-old is appropriately a widely craved crackerjack.
The Barcelona academy product has reportedly again attracted the attention of La Liga's table-topper, but Thiago would also amount to a brilliant addition to Manchester City's squad. Former tutor Pep Guardiola hasn't been evasive about his love of the player, and given the bottomless pockets of Sheikh Mansour, the denouement of Yaya Toure's career, and the approach of Fernandinho's 33rd birthday, a €100-million move is certainly conceivable - and consistent with the club's extravagant ethos.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)