9 players to watch at Copa America 2024 – 2 ex-Liverpool & 7 transfer links

With the 2024 Copa America upon us, we have named nine non-Liverpool players that you should be watching at the tournament.

Four Liverpool players are taking part in this summer’s Copa America, held in the USA, and you can read all about them in our guide to the tournament here.

However, this list offers you an alternative list of names to keep an eye on as you aim to satisfy your footballing needs during the break from club football.

 

Dario Osorio – Chile

Dario Osorio is one of the most exciting young wingers in South America, and he will line up for Chile following an impressive season with Danish champions Midtjylland.

The attacker is just 20 years old and has already been linked to Liverpool by the Chilean newspaper, La Tercera.

As a left-footed right winger, he fits the mould of a long-term Mo Salah replacement. Last season, he scored nine goals and provided two assists in 25 appearances.

 

Luis Suarez – Uruguay

Having been given the No. 9 shirt back by Darwin Nunez, Luis Suarez goes to the tournament as a popular figure in the Uruguay squad, but this doesn’t mean he will start.

Manager Marcelo Bielsa has selected the striker, despite him not featuring in any of the three warm-up friendlies for the tournament.

Even if the 37-year-old’s minutes are reduced this time around, he will do his very best to leave his mark on the comPetition in whatever time he has on the pitch.

 

Santiago Gimenez – Mexico

Twenty-six goals in 41 appearances is bound to attract interest. The fact Santiago Gimenez did so under Arne Slot this season creates an obvious breeding ground for rumours.

At just 23 years old, the Feyenoord striker is left footed, already six feet tall and playing for Mexico.

Having started their most recent friendly, a 3-2 defeat against Brazil, Gimenez is expected to start their tournament opener on June 23 against Jamaica.

 

Piero Hincapie – Ecuador

Piero Hincapie has long been of interest to Liverpool, but with Xabi Alonso staying at his club, Bayer Leverkusen, rumours have begun to fade.

Liverpool could do far worse than sign the cultured, left-sided defender, who was a key figure in this season’s unbeaten Bundesliga campaign.

He reportedly would cost at least £43 million, though, and will likely play at left-back for Ecuador.

 

Willian Pacho – Ecuador

The reason Hincapie will probably play at left-back is due to the presence of Willian Pacho, who should play as the left centre-back.

He has excelled for Frankfurt in recent years and has gained several plaudits this season, despite his team finishing sixth.

Repeatedly linked in the German press, speculation over the defender has “substance,” according to Merseyside journalist Neil Jones.

Pacho is particularly dominant on the ground and is strong in possession, which suggests he could settle in quickly to the system employed by Slot.

 

Ederson – Brazil

Ederson has been rumoured to be a Liverpool transfer target on multiple occasions already this summer. However, This Is Anfield understands he doesn’t feature highly on any shortlist.

Despite this, it is still worth keeping an eye on Ederson as he aims to help Brazil win and claim revenge on rivals Argentina, who beat them in the 2021 final at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Ederson isn’t expected to start for manager Dorival Junior, but could come off the bench and make an impact in a group containing Costa Rica, Paraguay and Colombia.

 

Liam Millar – Canada

Former Liverpool youngster Liam Millar will be at the tournament with Canada, who are in a group with Argentina.

The forward played just once for the first team, against Shrewsbury in 2020, before moving permanently to Basel in 2021. Last season, he enjoyed a year on loan at Preston in which he played 36 times.

He even made an appearance at the most recent World Cup, coming on for the last nine minutes in a 1-0 defeat to Belgium.

 

Jonathan David – Canada

Another Canadian, Jonathan David is one of Canada’s key men and plays in a group for them that also includes Argentina, Peru and Chile.

With quick feet and a great turn of pace, he scored 26 goals for Lille last season as they finished fourth in Ligue 1.

Liverpool were first reported to have an eye on the striker when he was at Gent and, while the links have gone quiet of late, he is a player that would get fans excited.

 

Antonee Robinson – USA

Antonee Robinson will be a familiar name to Premier League watchers, having played in 37 of Fulham‘s 38 matches last season.

The 26-year-old impressed at left-back last term, laying on seven goals as he became a stalwart of Marco Silva’s side.

With Liverpool potentially in the market for a full-back who could rotate with Andy Robertson, Robinson could be seen as a good option with plenty of good years ahead of him.

We will see him for the USA against Nunez’s Uruguay in the last game of group C.