From Marc Cucurella’s dream move to Real Madrid to a record-shattering deal brewing for Elliot Anderson, World Cup stars are sorting out their club futures mid-tournament. Photo: IANS
Fifa World Cups are a renowned showcase for players to earn a money-spinning transfer, but many at this tournament are pressing ahead with moves on their club future while still on international duty.
Spain's Marc Cucurella was officially unveiled as a Real Madrid player just hours before he took the field for the European champions in a shock 0-0 draw against tournament debutants Cape Verde. A few days later, Liverpool won the race for his international teammate Victor Muñoz in a €40 million deal (about R756 million).
Alex Grimaldo is also set to swap Bayer Leverkusen for Atlético Madrid, while Pedro Porro has signed a contract extension with Tottenham since the tournament began.
The flurry of transfers, allied to a disappointing start, has led to questions back home whether La Roja have been distracted by focusing too much on their club careers, an accusation firmly denied by coach Luis de la Fuente, which will have been further quashed by their 4-0 maulling of Saudi Arabia on Monday.
