With Euro 2024 upon us, we’ve named 11 non-Liverpool players you should be watching at the tournament.
Ten Liverpool players are taking part in this summer’s European Championships and you can read all about them in our guide to the tournament here.
However, this list offers you an alternative list of names to look out for as you look to satisfy your football needs during your break from club football.
Former Red
Surprisingly, only four former Liverpool players are taking part in this summer’s Euros, one of them being a late call-up for Germany.
That man is Emre Canwho only made the team after Bayern Munich’s Aleksandar Pavlovic was forced to withdraw due to tonsillitis.
Despite not being first choice, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder has already had an impact at the tournament, scoring a late goal against Scotland after replacing Toni Kroos with 10 minutes remaining.
Elsewhere, two of Liverpool’s Premier League winners are in action – Xherdan Shaqiri represents Switzerland and Gini Wijnaldum joins Liverpool’s current Dutch trio.
Another former Red is a surprise name you may have forgotten played for Liverpool, Peter Gulacsy. The Hungarian goalkeeper was at the club from 2008 to 2013 and never made an appearance.
After loan spells at Hereford, Tranmere and Hull, he moved to Red Bull Salzburg after making 51 first-team appearances for Liverpool.
Gulacsi has played for RB Leipzig since 2015 and has made 71 appearances for Hungary, including their first match at Euro 2024 – a 3-1 defeat to Switzerland in which Shaqiri failed to come on as a substitute.
Linked in the transfer market
Most of these players have been very loosely linked with the Reds, but they are worth a look as they will be among the next big stars of European football.
Nico Schlotterbeck – Germany and Borussia Dortmund
Schlotterbeck did not play against Scotland in Germany’s 5-1 win but went to Euro 2024 expecting to play a role.
He was selected at the end of an impressive season for Borussia Dortmund in which he played all but one game en route to the Champions League final.
He is in the high percentile for every on-the-ball metric, along with tackles (93rd), tackles (71st) and blocks (87th), having shone with Dortmund in the campaign just gone.
David Hancko – Slovakia & Feyenoord
Hancko is a player Liverpool were rumored to be interested in even before Arne Slott took over from Jurgen Klopp.
With 93 appearances in the last two campaigns, he is injury-prone and fits the mold of the left-back Liverpool want to sign.
Hanck’s agent claimed the Reds had interest when he spoke to TN.cz in January, and Sloto’s arrival could improve that.
Goncalo Inacio – Portugal & Sporting CP
Another defender on the list, Inacio came through the Portuguese youth ranks before making his debut in November 2021.
After three strong seasons with Ruben Amorim’s Sporting side, he will play in his first international tournament this summer but may not start under Roberto Martinez.
His competitors for the starting spot in Portugal’s defense are Pepe, Ruben Dias and the 20-year-old Benfica centre-half Antonio Silvawhich is also worth a look.
João Neves – Portugal and Benfica
Neves is another of Portugal’s talented young players whom Martinez trusted to place in his senior squad.
Many even predicted the midfielder to start, potentially keeping Matheus Nunes and Ruben Neves out of the squad.
A move for him by Liverpool could be overturned by the fact that he reportedly has a release clause of over £100m.
Johan Bakayoko – Belgium & PSV Eindoven
Bakayoko is one of those names that comes up a lot on rumor sites on the internet, so we’ve included him on this list because he’s likely to end up at another top club, if not Liverpool.
Playing on the right wing, he excelled this season for PSV in the team that won the Eredivisie. From the right side, he scored 14 and assisted 14 goals in 47 matches.
Liverpool have been linked with a number of right-sided forwards already this summer, and Bakayoko fits the profile the Reds are aiming for, as a left-footed striker with an eye for goal.
Miloš Kerkez – Serbia and Bournemouth
Kerkez may not be an exciting name to sign, but he could be a smart acquisition if Liverpool decide to press on for the Bournemouth left-back.
As a 20-year-old, he would be an ideal candidate to play back-up to Andy Robertson with Kostas Tsimikas set to leave this summer.
Although he still has a few years left, Robertson isn’t getting any younger either. Liverpool, however, already have some good young left-backs at the club in Owen Beck and Luke Chambers.
