On this episode, Patrick and Neel discuss the Club World Cup attendance issues, players and teams to watch at the tournament, why this tournament matters for teams, and what YOU should care about in this competition. Then, Real Madrid have made a €63m for 17-year-old Franco Mastantuono. How does he fit the squad, what position will he player, and is this a smart move for Real Madrid? The episode finishes with a pair of transfer rumours, Tottenham linked to Arnaud Kalimuendo and Andy Robertson's potential move to Atletico Madrid. Enjoy!

Neel's CWC Players to watch: https://www.thetransferflow.com/p/5-young-talents-outside-europe-to-watch-at-the-club-world-cup-59ec

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter: https://www.thetransferflow.com/subscribe

Join Variance Betting: https://www.thetransferflow.com/upgrade

Follow us on our Socials:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1WTKOt7byrELQcGRSzu1Q

X: https://x.com/TheTransferFlow

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetransferflow.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetransferflow/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@transferflowpodcast

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

01:10 - Club World Cup attendance

02:20 - 500 people in attendance? + Why attendance is so low

03:40 - Timing + Cities the games are being played

04:35 - Does the CWC matter?

05:30 - Clubs who this tournament matters for + is the CWC too long?

06:25 - Bayern vs Auckland City = FIFA or OFC’s problem?

09:05 - Game that were more fun to watch

10:00 - FIFA vs UEFA competing for big games

11:03 - FIFA love money, but the CWC is great for small teams

12:35 - Rewarding teams for their Champions League success

14:10 - Pulling anti-racism campaigns + Fair trade analogy

15:38 - Gianni Infantino vs Sepp Blatter?

16:25 - Practical Issues with the CWC

17:48 - European Clubs may not be super interested

19:22 - The other teams are really going for it (money + proving themselves)

20:18 - All European semifinal?

20:35 - Other teams to watch out for - Al Ahly

21:34 - Botafogo + Lyon’s financial dependency

22:22 - Boca vs Benfica and Flamengo vs Esperance

23:09 - Mamelodi Sundowns

23:46 - Al Hilal and Inzaghi

24:38 - The talent Al Hilal have

25:36 - Why neutrals should enjoy this tournament

27:13 - Players linked to bigger clubs at the tournament

27:38 - Franco Mastantuono to Real Madrid for €63M

28:22 - Will he go straight into the team? + Diaz and Rodrygo

29:45 - What’s his best position?

30:42 - The talent coming out of River Plate

31:31 - River is VERY reliant on Mastantuano + his numbers

32:12 - Julian Alvarez comparison

32:56 - How will this transfer to Real Madrid?

34:12 - He will have to adapt his game a lot

35:10 - Similarities to Guler + Endrick, Diaz, and Rodrygo

36:25 - What will Xabi Alonso want to do?

37:23 - No clear path even in the long term? + Options if it doesn’t work

38:11 - Technical difficulties + How does he fit with Trent Alexander-Arnold?

38:57 - The CWC is a good place for Xabi Alonso to experiment

40:05 - Many of the European teams are in flux at this tournament

40:35 - Tottenham linked to Arnaud Kalimuendo + Will Son and Richarlison leave?

41:14 - He’s been getting interest for a while

42:15 - Does this move make sense? + fit with Thomas Frank

43:50 - What is his place in the squad?

44:59 - Jonathan David is free? But Kalimuendo is still just 23

46:07 - Andrew Robertson linked to Atletico Madrid?

47:10 - Atleti’s use of fullbacks + Robertson’s flexibility

48:30 - Atleti’s increasing squad age

49:40 - It’s ok only if it’s a reasonable fee

51:17 - Trippier comparison

51:45 - Atleti’s scouting is based on the amount of dog in a player

52:25 - DAZN’s Billion dollar spending

53:17 - Neel’s Players to watch at the CWC