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On the radar of Tottenham, Everton and Ajax, this Swedish strike-sensation’s value is set to rocket after picking up the Golden Boot in the recent European Under-21 Championships. But exactly who is Groningen striker, Marcus Berg? The Transfer Tavern asked Football Fancast columnist The New Voice of Football to investigate.
22-year-old Marcus Berg is not a name most would have heard of. The Swedish International though has been picking up rave reviews in the Eredivisie since arriving at Groningen in 2007 from IFK Goteberg in 2007 for a modest fee believed to be in the region of £2.5million.
Nicknamed “Svarte-Marcus” at the Swedish club after Goteberg legend Filip “Svarte-Filip” Johansson from the 1920’s and 1930’s. Berg has been impressive for the small Dutch side the striker scoring 16 in 27 appearances in his debut season in the Eredivisie and following it up with 17 in 29 in the last campaign.
13 of these goals came in the first 15 matches last term, which put the striker on the radar of Eredivisie giants Ajax. Berg being heavily tipped to replace Klaas-Jan Huntelaar at the Amsterdam Arena, who left for Real Madrid in January, which now looks like it will be a short stay.
The Toffees reportedly had Berg on their radar, with David Moyes probably thinking he had sought out another gem. Reports suggesting that the Premier League club had hoped to lure the striker to Merseyside for as little as £5million.
However, Berg found the net 7 times in 4 matches at the Under-21 Championships recently for Sweden. Picking up the Golden Boot, which has seen his stock soar. This leading to, reported interest from Everton’s Premiership rivals Spurs as not many bargains get past Harry at White Hart Lane. Groningen now said to be hiking any fee as interest from around Europe grows.
It suggested that Berg could now fetch in excess of £10million, with new Ajax coach Martin Jol ruling the Amsterdam side out of the running for the striker. So should a straight fight ensue for the striker between Everton and Spurs and who knows, who else? What would they be getting for £10million-plus?
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Well as you can see Berg is good in the air can score with either foot and at 6ft tall is a good target-man that can link play. The striker also has a good work ethic and is understood to be a level headed and intelligent player. A career record of 1 goal every 2 games, makes Berg a proven scorer at the levels he has played at so far.
Under contract at Groningen until the summer of 2011, Berg now has 10 in 19 at U-21 level thanks to his tally at the Championships, where he missed a crucial penalty in the semi-final shoot-out defeat to England.
While his exploits at the U-21’s have put Berg firmly on the European radar in much the same way as the Dutch U-21’s two-years ago. The striker has yet to make any serious impact at senior level for Sweden, scoring just 1 in 7, although competition is fierce with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Swedish legend Henrik Larsson limiting his opportunities. However, at 22, Berg has time on his side and has the potential many believe to succeed at club and International level.
So no doubting that Berg can score goals and on the surface looks, like a good prospect at the right price, with Groningen set to cash in on the Swede. But should Spurs or Everton decide to shell out £10million or more on the striker, will he Fly in the Premier League like Larsson did for a short spell at United? Or Die on his backside like Thomas Brolin at Leeds?
