20 best Scandinavian superstars your club should sign: The hidden gems catching Premier League eyes and which clubs are the perfect fits

Erling Haaland the ‘Nordic Meatshield’ has taken the Premier League by storm and is the latest in a long line of Scandinavian superstars on these shores.

Haaland’s captain at Norway Martin Odegaard, Newcastle and Sweden striker Alexander Isak and Manchester United’s Danish frontman Rasmus Hojlund have all commanded big fees and are primed to dominate the world’s richest league for years to come …but who’s next?

Scandinavia’s freezing climes have turned into a hotspot for talent in recent years and there is a huge raft of wonderkids ready to make the step to the Premier League – here, our European football expert gives the lowdown on 20 of the best and which of them your club should sign.

Haaland’s captain at Norway Martin Odegaard is another who has commanded a big fee

SEBASTIAN NANASI

Age: 22

Club: Strasbourg

Country: Sweden

Position: Attacking midfielder

Granted, he has played only six games in France’s Ligue 1 – but it has been a mightily impressive start. 

Nanasi joined Strasbourg from Malmo for £9.2million this summer and already has three goals and two assists in six games for his new club. 

Nanasi has continued his good form for his country with three goals in his first five Sweden caps.

He compares favourably to Mykhailo Mudryk under virtually every attacking metric produced by data gurus Stathead – and Chelsea paid £89m for the Ukrainian. 

Like Chelsea, Strasbourg are owned by BlueCo. Don’t be surprised to see Nanasi in west London in the not-too-distant future.

Possible landing spots: Chelsea, Brighton, Tottenham

Sebastian Nanasi joined Strasbourg from Malmo for £9.2million this summer and already has three goals and two assists

SVERRE NYPAN

Age: 17

Club: Rosenborg

Country: Norway

Position: Midfielder

Norway’s two finest football exports, Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard, represent England’s two strongest clubs – but their heir apparent has eyes only for another Premier League giant.

‘It would be a dream come true to play for Manchester United,’ the 6ft midfielder told the United Norway podcast. ‘But I am quite adamant I don’t want to open that door yet.’

An experienced Norwegian scout told Mail Sport: ‘Nypan is a truly generational talent. If he continues to play like this, it’s very likely he’ll move within a year.’

Possible landing spots: Manchester United, Arsenal

‘It would be a dream come true to play for Manchester United,’ Sverre Nypan said

CONRAD HARDER

Age: 19

Club: Sporting Lisbon

Country: Denmark

Position: Forward

When scouting strikers, analysts will always look at shot volume – how many times a player strikes for goal per 90 minutes. 

For context, Lionel Messi has taken aim 4.77 times per match on average across his career, Cristiano Ronaldo 5.47 and Erling Haaland 3.41.

After 39 senior games, Harder’s ratio is an astonishing 5.42. It is a small sample size, and he has only been playing for Sporting this season so the number will inevitably drop. 

But he is certainly worth following – especially as market wizards Brighton were also interested in him.

Possible landing spots: Manchester City, Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton

After 39 senior games, Conrad Harder’s has an astonishing 5.42 strikes for goal per 90 minutes

HAKON ARNAR HARALDSSON

Age: 21

Club: Lille

Country: Iceland

Position: Attacking midfielder

Man of the match when Iceland won 1-0 at Wembley in June, Haraldsson had a hugely promising first season in French football and is now getting a shot in the Champions League with Lille. 

He currently plays as a No10 but may eventually operate as a more deep-lying midfielder, just as Andrea Pirlo and Luka Modric did.

His slight build could count against him at the highest level of the Premier League – but they said that about Modric and Denmark’s Christian Eriksen, too.

Possible landing spots: Brentford, Fulham, Brighton

Hakon Arnar Haraldsson (left) was man of the match when Iceland won 1-0 at Wembley in June

ORRI OSKARSSON

Age: 20

Club: Real Sociedad

Country: Iceland

Position: Forward

Another jewel of the FC Copenhagen system, Oskarsson was rated more highly than Rasmus Hojlund in the club’s youth setup and joined Real Sociedad for £17m last summer.

He scored twice on his senior debut aged just 13 for Grotta in his native Iceland, with his dad as manager.

Though it has been a slow start in Spain, there is no doubting the potential of Oskarsson, a classic No9 with the athleticism to stretch defences and intelligence to link the play.

‘Orri has already improved by playing in Spain,’ said Iceland coach Age Hareide. ‘It’s a great place for a forward to develop.’

Possible landing spots: Newcastle, Arsenal, Manchester City

Another jewel of the FC Copenhagen system, Orri Oskarsson was rated more highly than Rasmus Hojlund

ALBERT GRONBAEK

Age: 23

Club: Rennes

Country: Denmark

Position: Attacking midfielder

Many players who leave reigning Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt struggle when they leave the Arctic Circle, but Gronbaek looks likely to break the trend.

In the exhaustive metrics provided by Stathead, Gronbaek compares well with players like Inter Milan midfielder Davide Frattesi – an international regular – and his fellow compatriot Eriksen, though their styles are a little different.

A regular set-piece taker, Gronbaek has also made a good start with Rennes and is settling in at international level too, winning the man of the match award against Switzerland on debut in September and then scoring against Serbia three days later. 

All promising signs for the future.

Possible landing spots: Brighton, West Ham, Nottingham Forest

Many players who leave reigning Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt struggle when they leave the Arctic Circle, but Albert Gronbaek looks likely to break the trend

SINDRE WALLE EGELI

Age: 18

Club: FC Nordsjaelland

Country: Norway

Position: Forward

Mail Sport revealed earlier this year that Egeli has been scouted by Newcastle, while he has already broken into the senior Norway squad.

Most comfortable operating on the right of a front three, Egeli is another example of the excellent youth recruitment system at Danish club Nordsjaelland, which has produced the likes of Brighton winger Simon Adingra and Brentford’s Mikkel Damsgaard.

Talented players do not hang around at Nordsjaelland for long, and Egeli will likely be waving goodbye after one more season. 

He may even go straight to the Premier League.

Possible landing spots: Newcastle, Crystal Palace, West Ham

Mail Sport revealed earlier this year that Sindre Walle Egeli has been scouted by Newcastle

COLE CAMPBELL

Age: 18

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Country: Iceland/USA

Position: Midfielder

Born in Houston to an American father and former Iceland international mother, Campbell has played for both countries at youth level – scoring twice on his USA Under 19s debut against England in March – and will surely be the subject of similar duels between top clubs as his career develops.

Dortmund are considered a finishing school for top young talent, as Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham would attest. 

Campbell has yet to make a senior appearance for the Germans but was on the bench for the recent defeat by Union Berlin and his chance will come soon.

Possible landing spots: Aston Villa, Brentford, Chelsea

Born in Houston to an American father and former Iceland international mother, Cole Campbell has played for both countries at youth level

ADAM DAGHIM

Age: 19

Club: Red Bull Salzburg

Country: Denmark

Position: Forward

From Sadio Mane to Erling Haaland, not forgetting Karim Adeyemi or Benjamin Sesko, Red Bull Salzburg have a flair for spotting a talented forward, and Daghim could be the latest from that impressive production line. 

Also eligible to represent Palestine, 6ft 2in winger Daghim has three goals in his first nine games for Denmark’s Under 19s.

After signing a contract extension at the start of 2024, he said: ‘I really like Neymar, and Erling Haaland is my big idol. He scores loads of goals, and you can’t do the job any better than he does.’

Possible landing spots: Leeds United, Leicester, Brentford

Red Bull Salzburg have a flair for spotting a talented forward, and Adam Daghim could be the latest

MAURITS KJAERGAARD

Age: 21

Club: Red Bull Salzburg

Country: Denmark

Position: Midfielder

Daghim’s Salzburg team-mate Kjaergaard has pedigree and exposure on his side. He has been in the prodigious Red Bull system for his entire senior career and plays regularly in the Champions League, becoming the youngest Dane to score in the competition three years ago in a harrowing 7-1 defeat at Bayern Munich. 

In 2022, top Serie A clubs began following him closely – thanks also to the Italian-leaning agency he belongs to.

Consistency has been a problem, though. It may be that Kjaergaard needs to move up the Red Bull ladder to Leipzig first. But his talent and versatility mean he is worth following.

Possible landing spots: Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Wolves

Daghim’s Salzburg team-mate Maurits Kjaergaard has pedigree and exposure on his side

ANTONIO NUSA

Age: 19

Club: Red Bull Leipzig

Country: Norway

Position: Winger

Another jewel in the Red Bull system, Nusa nearly joined Brentford last January only for the deal to collapse at the 11th hour and he is surely now out of their price range.

Since joining Leipzig from Club Bruges this summer, Nusa has a goal and a couple of assists to his name. At Norwegian club Stabaek Nusa worked with coach Gaute Larsen, who helped to develop Haaland at Bryne. 

He too holds Champions League pedigree at a young age, as the fourth-youngest scorer in the competition having hit the fourth in a 4-0 thumping away at Porto on his European debut in September 2022.

On the Stathead charts, Nusa tracks well against Jarrod Bowen – a fine Premier League operator. He may soon replace or even overtake him.

Possible landing spots: West Ham, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Liverpool

Another jewel in the Red Bull system, Antonio Nusa nearly joined Brentford last January

MIKA BIERETH

Age: 21

Club: Sturm Graz

Country: Denmark/England

Position: Striker

England’s next No9? It’s a stretch all right, but Biereth qualifies. He was born in London to a Danish father and has so far chosen to represent Denmark at junior levels.

Having come through the Fulham youth ranks, he was sold by Arsenal this summer without making a senior appearance and joined Sturm Graz for £4m – and when Sturm sign forwards, we should take notice. 

They have already sold Hojlund and Strasbourg’s Dutch striker Emanuel Emegha at significant profit.

Biereth recently hit a hat-trick against Red Bull Salzburg and last season helped to end the Austrian drinks company’s hold on the local Bundesliga while on loan at Sturm, winning their first title in 13 years. He will not be in Austria for long.

Possible landing spots: Bournemouth, Leicester, Crystal Palace

England’s next No9? It’s a stretch all right, but Mika Biereth qualifies

ELIAS JELERT

Age: 21

Club: Galatasaray

Country: Denmark

Position: Right back/left back

Jelert impressed in FC Copenhagen’s run to the Champions League knockout rounds last season, when they beat Manchester United in the Danish capital, and earned himself a £7.5m move to Galatasaray last summer.

Gala are a giant of the world game and it is a brave transfer for any young player coming from abroad. 

Jelert has made a relatively slow start in Turkey but even if it does not work for him there, he should certainly not be written off.

Possible landing spots: Everton, West Ham, Ipswich

Elias Jelert impressed in FC Copenhagen’s run to the Champions League knockout rounds last season

PATRICK DORGU

Age: 19

Club: Lecce

Country: Denmark

Position: Left-back/winger

Serie A side Lecce paid just £200,000 to bring Dorgu into their academy two years ago and are virtually guaranteed to make an enormous profit on him.

Tall, athletic and adventurous, Dorgu looks made to measure for the Premier League and has already broken into the Denmark senior squad.

Having played most of last season at left back, Dorgu is now effectively a winger who likes to take his man on. 

His profile has long caught the eye, being linked to Manchester United earlier this year, and he will move on from Lecce soon.

Possible landing spots: Aston Villa, Manchester United, Brentford

Serie A side Lecce paid just £200,000 to bring Patrick Dorgu into their academy two years ago

HUGO LARSSON

Age: 20

Club: Eintracht Frankfurt

Country: Sweden

Position: Midfielder

Larsson’s numbers are not all that spectacular, but the eye test tells a different story. He can operate comfortably as a deep playmaker or as a progressive midfield runner and slotted into life in the Bundesliga superbly in his first season.

Eintracht Frankfurt are brilliant judges of players and have made large profits on Randal Kolo Muani, Willian Pacho and Sebastien Haller. 

Larsson may move again before reaching the top of the Premier League tree but he can certainly get there.

Possible landing spots: Fulham, Bournemouth, Everton

Hugo Larsson’s numbers are not all that spectacular, but the eye test tells a different story

JACOB ONDREJKA

Age: 22

Club: Royal Antwerp

Country: Sweden

Position: Attacking midfielder/winger

A relatively late developer, Ondrejka has taken a step forward this season, with four goals and two assists in nine starts for his Belgian club.

Premier League scouts watch Belgium’s top flight closely as its speed and physicality translates well to English football, and Ondrejka also takes a mean set-piece.

Harvey Barnes, in his early days at Leicester, is perhaps a reasonable point of comparison. 

Barnes eventually joined Newcastle for £38m. Keep an eye Ondrejka, then.

Possible landing spots: Brentford, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth

A relatively late developer, Jacob Ondrejka has taken a step forward this season

ROONY BARDGHJI

Age: 18

Club: FC Copenhagen

Country: Sweden

Position: Forward

The man with the memorable name scored a memorable 87th-minute winning goal against Manchester United in the Champions League last year but his progress has been halted by a serious knee injury that is likely to keep him out until next spring.

Kuwait-born Bardghji’s contract expires next December and he is on the books of one of the world’s leading agencies. 

There is no doubting the talent, but it all depends now on how Bardghji plays when he returns.

Possible landing spots: Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool

Kuwait-born Roony Bardghji’s contract expires next December

TOBIAS SLOTSAGER

Age: 18

Club: Odense

Country: Denmark

Position: Right back/centre back

Already valued at around £2m, Slotsager’s contract expires next summer and cannot stick around in the Danish second division for long, after Odense were relegated last season. 

Whoever secures his signing is likely to have an excellent bargain on their hands.

Slotsager can play as a full back or in the centre of defence and can even fill in as a defensive midfielder. 

He is unlikely to move straight to England from Odense but make no mistake, the top-flight scouts are well aware of him.

Possible landing spots: Brentford, Brighton, Tottenham

Already valued at around £2m, Tobias Slotsager’s contract expires next summer

ANTON GAAEI

Age: 21

Club: Ajax

Country: Denmark

Position: Right back

Though this is not a great time in Ajax’s history, the Dutch giants are still respected across the continent for their judgment of young players, and they have found another gem in Gaaei.

Signed from Danish club Viborg last summer, Gaaei has made a solid start to his career in the Eredivisie. 

Scandinavia to the Netherlands to England is a well-trodden path for players and Gaaei may well be the next to walk it.

Possible landing spots: Brentford, Brighton, Crystal Palace

Signed from Danish club Viborg last summer, Anton Gaaei has made a solid start to his career

Amin Chiakha (right) only turned 18 in March but has already been snapped up by a top agency

AMIN CHIAKHA

Age: 18

Club: FC Copenhagen

Country: Denmark/Algeria

Position: Forward

It is hard to judge a player who has only just broken into the senior football but Copenhagen’s record of identifying and developing forwards is excellent. 

Hojlund, Oskarsson and Bardghji have all made great strides in Denmark.

Chiakha only turned 18 in March but he has already been snapped up by a top agency and such companies do not waste any time in moving on their best assets. 

The versatile 6ft 3in forward is destined for Europe’s top five leagues.

Possible landing spots: Bournemouth, Wolves, Ipswich