Everton bet on World Cup inflation with move for Bosnia hero Bajraktarevic

Everton are preparing a summer move for PSV Eindhoven winger Esmir Bajraktarevic, the 21-year-old who sent Bosnia and Herzegovina to their first World Cup since 2014 with a decisive penalty against Italy.

The Merseyside club have identified the £4.35 million-rated attacker as a key target ahead of their move to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium, with David Moyes looking to inject pace and youth into his frontline.

Why Everton are moving early for World Cup-bound talent

Everton's pursuit of Bajraktarevic represents a calculated gamble on beating the post-tournament price surge that typically follows World Cup exposure.

The winger's current Transfermarkt valuation sits at €5 million (£4.35m), but that figure could easily double if he impresses in North America next summer.

The stadium factor driving Everton's ambition

With the Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock opening for the 2025/26 season, Everton need a squad capable of matching their upgraded surroundings.

The club's new premium facilities demand European football, not relegation battles. Signing players before their values explode at major tournaments has become essential to their recruitment strategy.

Having signed a contract with PSV until 2029, the Dutch giants are under no pressure to sell.

This long-term deal gives PSV significant leverage, but Everton hope to strike before Bosnia's World Cup campaign potentially triples the asking price.

The Bajraktarevic gamble: MLS to Eredivisie to Premier League in 6 months?

Bajraktarevic's rapid rise reads like a Football Manager save gone right. In January 2025, he was playing for New England Revolution in MLS. Six months later, Everton want him leading their attack.

What the numbers tell us

His PSV statistics offer both promise and concern:

• Five goals and two assists across all competitions in 2025/26
• Primarily deployed on the right flank despite being left-footed
• Limited to rotational appearances behind established PSV stars
• Zero Champions League experience at age 21

The Eredivisie has produced Premier League stars before, but it has also flattered players who couldn't handle English football's intensity.

International breakthrough changes everything

Scoring the winning penalty against four-time World Cup winners Italy transformed Bajraktarevic from prospect to headline act.

That single kick in March's play-off shootout secured Bosnia's first World Cup appearance in 12 years and put the winger on every European scout's radar.

For a player with fewer than 10 international caps, the pressure of that moment proved his temperament. Everton clearly value mental strength as much as technical ability.

How Bosnia's World Cup qualification changes Everton's transfer strategy

Bosnia and Herzegovina's qualification for the 2026 World Cup creates both opportunity and urgency for Everton's recruitment team.

With the tournament expanding to 48 teams, more players from smaller nations will get their Hollywood moment. Clubs must now identify these talents before, not after, they shine on the global stage.

The Harry Wilson comparison

Everton's reported interest in Harry Wilson alongside Bajraktarevic reveals their transfer philosophy. Wilson, at 27, offers Premier League experience but limited resale value.

Bajraktarevic provides the opposite: raw potential, age on his side, and the chance to develop into a £50 million asset.

• Wilson: Proven Premier League quality, immediate impact, minimal profit potential
• Bajraktarevic: Unproven at top level, development required, massive upside if successful
• Both players suit Moyes' preference for pace on the flanks

Why timing matters more than ever

PSV know they're sitting on a potential goldmine. Every strong performance at the World Cup could add millions to Bajraktarevic's valuation.

The Dutch champions have no financial pressure to sell before 2029, giving them complete control over negotiations.

The US-born winger scored the decisive spot-kick in the play-off penalty shootout against Italy during March that helped secure Bosnia's place at the 2026 World Cup.

That American passport adds another dimension. A strong World Cup on home soil could attract MLS franchises with designated player money, further inflating his price.

What happens next

Everton must decide whether to pay PSV's asking price now or risk losing Bajraktarevic to richer rivals after the World Cup. With Thierno Barry already providing youth in attack, adding another prospect might seem redundant.

But Moyes knows the Hill Dickinson Stadium demands ambition. Signing a future World Cup star before he becomes unaffordable represents exactly the kind of smart recruitment Everton need to compete with clubs who outspend them.

The next six months will determine whether Bajraktarevic becomes Everton's inspired signing or another club's World Cup discovery.