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This is an archive article published on July 12, 2012

Being on the podium,not the only incentive

The gold at an Olympics is certainly an end in itself,but as with most pre-season international fixtures,the football event will also provide scouts one more chance to run the rule over potential transfer targets. With 15 of the 18 squad members drawn from the under-23 teams of the respective nations,the talent on display will provide clubs the chance to pull off the perfect coup

Ganso,22

(Brazil,Santos; Playmaker)

A while back,each time Neymar was brought up,it was in tandem with Ganso,his club-mate at Santos. If Neymar claimed the plaudits for sweeping the ball home,it was Ganso who often set the move in motion. A series of injuries has seen Ganso drop off the radar a bit,but the prodigious talent at his disposal means Ganso is only one good tournament from a big-club move.

Interested clubs: Tottenham Hotspurs,Porto

Iker Muniain,19

(Spain,Athletic Bilbao; Left winger)

The hazards of being an exciting,left-sided midfielder in Spain is that the comparison to the other attacking phenomenon who plies his trade in the same position in the La Liga is inevitable. If anyone has pulled off the tag of ‘Spanish Messi’ with any level of alacrity,it is Muniain. One of Marcelo Biesla’s main men at Bilbao,the winger is only 19,but has found the net 19 times in 94 games.

Interested clubs: Liverpool,Juventus

Gaston Ramirez,21

(Uruguay,Bologna; Midfielder)

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While Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez will form one of the most fearsome combinations at the Games,Uruguay will look to the versatile playmaker to keep the duo supplied. He has 12 goals for Bologna from 58 appearances and his form over the last two and half years was instrumental in helping the recently promoted club to a respectable ninth place finish last year.

Interested clubs: Liverpool,Manchester United

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,23

(Gabon,Saint Etienne; Forward)

Aubameyang was a part of AC Milan’s junior squad but was released as he did not progress as rapidly as the club expected. Aubameyang scored three goals as unfancied Gabon (ranked 91 in the world) made it to the quarterfinal of the African Nations Cup. He carried on in the same vein for his league side,scoring 17 goals. Aubameyang has 50 international caps (18 goals).

Interested clubs: Totteham Hotspurs,Lyon

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