Manchester United target among tips in Football INDEX World Cup special

Football INDEX is the world’s first football stock market where you can buy and sell shares in footballers with real money. Football INDEX offers fans a chance to bet on the future success of football players compared to the short-lived outcome of betting on football results.

Intrigued by what Football INDEX has to offer, but unsure whether to gamble your money? For a special time only, Football INDEX are now offering an improved 7-day risk free period where they will refund any deposits made within the first seven days of trading of the first deposit up to £1,000. In order to have access to the offer, use the promocode ‘WHOSCOREDFI’ when you sign-up. Think of it as a trial period where you will effectively have up to £1,000 to play with during your first week of trading.

Still undecided what footballers to add to your portfolio? WhoScored have teamed up with Football INDEX to bring you weekly tips to help you make more informed decisions with your money. Share prices tend to fluctuate, but they aren’t just determined by player performance. Share prices can also increase based on the media attention a player receives on any given day of trading.

This week the WhoScored Expert is doing something slightly different. Seeing as it is the international break and the 2018 World Cup is around the corner, we are looking into the future and tipping five players you should add to your portfolios now who could secure a big summer move off the back of a positive showing in Russia.

1. EMIL FORSBERG (RB LEIPZIG /SWEDEN)

By all accounts this season has been fairly disastrous for RB Leipzig midfielder Emil Forsberg. The 26-year-old was one of the best players in the Bundesliga last season but reoccurring injuries have limited Forsberg to just 11 league starts this time around.

The Leipzig No.10 registered more assists than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues last season (19) but just hasn’t got going in this campaign. The Bundesliga outfit even turned down a bid from Arsenal for his services during the summer as they banned any of their star players from leaving.

While this season has almost been a write-off for Forsberg, he will be determined to produce his best form in the 2018 World Cup in Russia at the end of the season. Sweden surprisingly beat Italy in their World Cup play-off and now have a good chance of progressing from a group that includes Germany, Mexico and South Korea.

Forsberg’s stock has admittedly fallen this season but a strong showing at the World Cup will only remind Europe’s elite what he is capable of. His Football INDEX share price is only £0.99 and could prove a bargain for your portfolios.

2. ALIREZA JAHANBAKHSH (AZ ALKMAAR / IRAN)

One of the stars of this season’s Eredivisie campaign has refreshingly not been a player from Ajax or PSV. Instead, AZ Alkmaar forward Alireza Jahanbakhsh has been one of the most exciting players in Dutch football this season and is one to watch out for at the 2018 World Cup.

The 24-year-old has played a direct hand in 22 goals in 27 league games for AZ so far this season (13 goals, nine assists) and is the second highest WhoScored rated player in the division (8.18). He has won the WhoScored Man of the Match awards at least three more times than any other player (11).

He will be the man burdened with the hopes of a nation when Iran compete with Spain, Portugal and Morocco in their World Cup group. While Iran are not expected to make the knockout stage, Jahanbakhsh will have the global audience watching him when Iran take on Spain and Portugal.

His Football INDEX share price is currently £0.93 but that could soar if he turns in the sort of performances he has managed on a weekly basis in Holland this season at the World Cup.

3. WILFRED NDIDI (LEICESTER / NIGEIRA)

Wilfred Ndidi has done a great job of filling the N’Golo Kante shaped hole at Leicester in the last 15 months and it’s a surprise that no team has stepped forward with any serious interest to date.

Liverpool are understood to be monitoring Ndidi’s future with a view to making the Nigeria international Emre Can’s replacement this summer but they could face competition if they wait until after the World Cup.

Ndidi’s stock is expected to soar in Russia when Nigeria attempt to get out of their World Cup group for the second tournament in succession. The Super Eagles are fighting for second spot in the group along with Croatia and Iceland and Ndidi will be integral to any success they are to have.

No Premier League player has won more tackles and interceptions combined than Ndidi (166) this season, while only two players have won possession in the midfield third more times than the 21-year-old (142).

His Football INDEX share price is only £0.92 and it would be a real surprise if that didn’t increase during and after the World Cup.

4. ANDRIJA ZIVKOVIC (BENFICA  / SERBIA)

One of the surprise packages in this summer’s World Cup could be Serbia. Mladen Krstajic has at his disposal a squad packed with exciting young talent and experienced heads.

They may lack an elite striker to really go far in the tournament but they could throw up a few surprises along the way. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic will naturally attract most of the attention of Serbia’s young guns, but Benfica ace Andrija Zivkovic is another that could really enjoy a breakout summer.

The 21-year-old has emerged as an important player for Benfica this year and has already been heavily linked with summer moves to the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal, who are both keen to bolster their midfield options in the summer.

Zivkovic has an impressive WhoScored rating of 7.70 from starts as a central midfielder this season, having chipped in with two goals and as many assists in eight starts from that position.

His Football INDEX share price is £1.07 but should only increase if those transfer rumours intensify during the World Cup.

5. THOMAS DELANEY (WERDER BREMEN / DENMARK)

Denmark may have required a play-off victory over Ireland to get to the World Cup but in Christian Eriksen they have a star player that is capable of making them fire on all cylinders.

However, Eriksen cannot get Denmark through a group, which contains France, Peru and Australia, alone and will need the help of his team-mates if they are to make the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time since 2002.

In order to give Eriksen the creative freedom, players like Werder Bremen midfielder Thomas Delaney will be crucial for the Danes. In fact, only Eriksen (7.37) has gained a higher WhoScored rating than Delaney (7.07) of all Danish players in Europe’s top five leagues this season.

Not only capable of breaking up the opposition attacks, the 26-year-old has also scored twice and registered two assists for Bundesliga strugglers Bremen this season.

His Football INDEX share price is currently £0.65 and could prove an absolute steal for your portfolios if his showings in Russia earn him a high profile summer move.