Perhaps the only people who look forward to a World Cup with greater anticipation than the fans themselves are the agents of players involved in the competition. A good World Cup can turn a player with potential into a definitive star, and football managers are even more keen to find value than wagerers looking for bargains in crypto World Cup betting. In 2002, this is even more interesting, as this competition happens in the middle of the European football season. Managers who have had a poor start to the season may look towards the transfer window which immediately follows the tournament with a view to securing the players who may save their job.

Which players are likely to catch some attention at Cloudbet?

 World Cup transfers are a very specific kind of thing. If Harry Kane - outright favourite for the Golden Boot with Cloudbet - were to move after the World Cup, then he wouldn’t really be a World Cup transfer. You’re more likely to see these players in the markets for Qatar’s top scorer or the player with most assists - they’re players who fly under the radar and who smart bettors know about because they do their research ahead of putting money down. And some of the names we look at below will be part of those Cloudbet markets.

Smart bettors may well be the ones in the best position to discuss these transfers when they come through. As they stack up live cashouts and enjoy Cloudbet’s high limits on bets and parlays, they’ll be watching every match closely and be able to give you tips on who stands out as the best value transfer once the football is over in Qatar. And they’ll be best placed to use those rewards to bet on the players when they arrive at their new clubs in the weeks following the competition. But who could those players be?

Akram Afif (Qatar)

Albeit Qatar haven’t been playing regularly against the top football nations in the world, Afif’s scoring record of 26 goals in 88 games, at the young age of 25, indicates that he’s got the potential to be a player of interest once this tournament is done and dusted. He’s played in Europe before, across Belgium and Spain, and a positive showing in this World Cup could win the Al-Sadd forward another move.

Christopher Nkunku (France)

Most of the French national team already plies its trade with the best clubs in the world, and Nkunku isn’t far off, playing at RB Leipzig. He’s expected to break with his current club after the tournament, though, and how well he does in Qatar could affect his destination. Chelsea fans believe he will arrive there in January - but the player himself is understood to prefer Real Madrid. He can make that happen with enough good performances.

Jonathan David (Canada)

Just reaching the World Cup is considered to have been a huge achievement for Canada, but for some of its players a run to the knockout stages could be a passport to a bigger future. David, aged just 22, is already featuring in Ligue 1 for Lille. Playing against Croatia and Belgium, he has the chance to show he could do a job at a higher level, with English Premier League sides understood to be interested.

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