Football News: Five players expected to be in high demand after World Cup

Ultimately, Argentina became world champions for the first time since 1986, and Lionel Messi won his first World Cup trophy. Besides that, we witnessed the rise of many new stars in Qatar. 

These players will be on the radar of Europe's elite once the January transfer window opens. They played brilliant football and made the world privy to their greatness.

5. Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco/Angers)

Moroccan midfielder Azzedine Ounahi has experienced remarkable growth in the last two years. From playing in the third tier of French football, he became one of the key players for Morocco in Qatar.

He held the midfield together for the country alongside Sofyan Amrabat and Selim Amallah at the World Cup. Fans love him for his effortless style, ball-passing abilities, and easy rapport with his teammates. 

He is one of the most mature players in the Atlas Lions at the tender age of 22. His signature will be a hot topic in the January window, and he will be available for a relatively inexpensive amount. 

4. Josko Gvardiol (Croatia/RB Leipzig)

Josko Gvardiol had an impressive run at the 2022 World Cup. He proved to be one of the best centre-backs in the tournament. The 20-year-old is now one of the most sought-after players and a hot topic in football. 

Guardiola's style is very mature, as his tackling skills, ability to read a game and technique are all brilliant. He is also very calm when he is playing. Although Lionel Messi outplayed him in the semi-final against Argentina, his value is still high.

3. Cody Gakpo (Netherlands/PSV Eindhoven)

Everyone noticed Cody Gakpo's outstanding marksmanship at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He was the Netherlands' key player on the frontline, and his versatility helped the team enter the quarter-finals.

He netted in each of their three group-stage games. He is a dynamic player who is good at coordinating with his teammates at the final third. His elusive agility helps tackle defenders with ease and set up assists. 

The 23-year-old might move to Manchester United, and PSV is looking forward to a bidding war for him when the upcoming window opens.

2. Goncalo Ramos (Portugal/Benfica)

Goncalo Ramos was less famous after the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He scored in the Round of 16 against Switzerland and outshone Ronaldo. His hattrick surprised everyone, and the world now lauds his mature centre-forward play.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Man Utd have reportedly drawn up a four-man shortlist to replace Cristiano Ronaldo... 👀<br><br>🇵🇹 Goncalo Ramos<br>🇳🇱 Cody Gakpo<br>🇵🇹 Rafael Leao<br>🇵🇹 Joao Felix<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ronaldo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ronaldo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ManUtd?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ManUtd</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/VNtsbM35JR">pic.twitter.com/VNtsbM35JR</a></p>&mdash; DR Sports (@drsportsmedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/drsportsmedia/status/1604023843617652736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ramos is in Benfica as of now and has 21 appearances across all competitions for them. The 21-year-old scored 14 goals and provided six assists.

1. Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco/Fiorentina)

Sofyan Amrabat stole hearts in Qatar, and his agent Mohammed Sinouh revealed that he received multiple offers for the 26-year-old. Liverpool is currently interested in signing the Fiorentina midfielder.

Amrabat, brutal in the centre of the field, has won the ball back 41 times in the tournament. His progression skills and ability to retain the ball have turned many heads this year.

He was unstoppable in the Round of 16 matches against Spain and toppled the midfield of Sergio Busquets, Pedri and Gavi. His World Cup performance has boosted his worth, so Fiorentina is expected to offload him soon.