Players whose individual FIFA World Cup performances can potentially secure them a better move

The FIFA World Cup is a tournament know to present a platform to players whose names are barely heard to give good account of themselves in the hope of securing moves to elite clubs.

In the case of some others, it is an avenue to prove that they are not only a system player, thereby showing that what they actually do consistently at club level, they can replicate it on the international stage or any other places.

The Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup was not an exception as a lot of players really delivered some astonishing individual performances and scouts from the big clubs would without a doubt have been convinced by some, whom they could add to the list of prospective addition in the coming transfer window.

Either in the winter or the summer transfer windows, these players will be expected to secure bigger moves because of their stellar outing in Qatar for their respective countries.

In this article, we will be bringing you the names of players and suitable clubs for their style of play ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Emiliano Martínez

The FIFA World Cup golden glove winner has always been a top Goalkeeper since his breakthrough at Arsenal a few years back and winning both the Copa America and the World Cup means he might be destined for a move away from Aston Villa.

Bayern Munich have denied reports of talks with his entourage but that would not change the fact that it would be a great move for the club, with Manuel Neuer set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

If a move to Bayern failed to materialize, Martinez will surely not be short of suitors. Albeit he is already 30, for a Goalkeeper, that is not too much to still secure a better move to better club than Villa.

Not forgetting Villa are also on a rebuild project, and the Argentine seemed convinced when he choose to remain at the club and signed an improved contract last summer to keep him at Villa until 2027, so Villa Park might also be his home for the next years.

Dominik Livakovic 

Dominik Livakovic was arguably Croatia’s top performer in the FIFA World Cup tournament with his impressive and vital contributions between the sticks.

For a side that wasn't that great in front of goal, it was required that they did not concede much and the 27-year old ensured that, keeping two clean sheets on their way to a semi final loss to Spain.

Livakovic made 25 saves, and also made four more saves in penalty shoot-outs to help Croatia ousted both Japan and Brazil in the knockout rounds.

Currently under contract at Dinamo Zagreb until the summer of 2024, he has proven that he can be a reliable Goalkeeper and teams from Premier League and the Bundesliga have been informed of his potential availability in the next summer if he did not renew with Dinamo Zagreb.

Already playing for the best club in Croatia but we would appreciate a move to a more elite league.

Josko Gvardiol

RB Leipzig defender was one of the best players out there in Qatar and would most likely made it to the team of the tournament of many football pundits because of his contributions to Croatia’s third place achievement.

It was not a surprise though as he has already been a star for his club in the Bundesliga, Champions League and other domestic competitions in Germany, however, he was able to earn more fans and suitors.

Already playing for one of the top three teams in Germany, next for Gvardiol will be a much bigger move and latest reports has it he has a release clause in his contract which can only be activated in 2024.

The clause also has a fee of around €110 million attached to it but even in the 2023 summer, Leipzig can part with the 20year old if they receive a worthy offer.

Real Madrid and Chelsea are the two teams to have been strongly linked with a move for the Center Back and Leipzig will be optimistic of getting a good fee moving him on.

Jurrien Timber

The young Ajax defender almost joined Manchester United last summer but was unable to complete the move due to some personal reasons, reportedly attached to his chances of representing the Netherlands in the FIFA World Cup.

Now that the tournament has come and gone and Timber was able to impress for his side before bowing out in the quarter finals to eventual champion, Argentina, Timber can now consider his future away from Ajax.

Maybe a move to Old Trafford is no longer available after the club signed ex teammate Lisandro Martinez last summer, Timber is very good and once made available for transfer, a lot of top teams will be interested in doing business with Ajax.

Josip Juranovic

The right-back currently plays for Celtic and considering that is the best team in the Scottish Premiership, it is not a bad club at all but with his performance for Croatia in Qatar, mid-table teams in top five leagues might be interested in luring him away from the club.

Juranovic played in impress in all of Croatia’s first six games but missed the third place play-off match due to rotation but his contributions when on the field showed he is great prospect.

At 27 and in his second season with Celtic following his move from Legia Warsaw in the summer of 2021, Celtic can choose to reject any offer or sell for bigger profit to the £2.5 million they pay for his signature not long ago.

West Ham United and other Premier League clubs have been linked with a move for him due to his FIFA World Cup performance.

Borna Sosa

The impressive Stuttgart defender was already being linked with a move away from the Bundesliga side and was a reported subject of interest for Manchester City before the club signed Sergio Gomez from Anderlecht last summer.

Sosa, 24, enjoyed a brilliant individual spell last season in the Bundesliga despite Stuttgart’s poor campaign and this term, he has now shown any signs of slowing down.

His current contract expires in 2025, which means at the end of the season, he will have only two years left on his contract. The time will be right for Stuttgart to cash in on him and he will be great addition for any top team.

With Real Madrid not really convinced with Ferland Mendy, Sosa will be great option for the club.

Azzedine Ounahi

A star since his time in the French National league with Avranches, and now with Angers in the Ligue un, Ounahi is one of the biggest winners of the FIFA World Cup as he not only achieved history with Morocco but also did his career a world of good.

Alongside Sofyan Amrabat, marshalled the midfield for the Atlas Lions and he was able to showcase what is required from a modern No. 8, which he was able to deliver consistently even against the elite nations.

A lot of top teams are now aware of Ounahi, which wasn't the case before the FIFA World Cup but the problem will be reaching an agreement with Angers because he has three and half year left on his contract but at the right fee, he will be on the move.

Leicester City have already made approach to sign him and if he remained at Anger until the end of the season, more clubs will come in for him as they already have eyes on him from now. His case will be interesting at the end of the season.

Alexis Mac Allister

The Brighton midfielder was not meant to be an integral part of the Argentine team but after the team's poor showing in their opening match in Qatar, Lionel Scaloni had to make changes in their second match.

Mac Allister was brought in for the match against Mexico and since then, he started every game on their way to winning the trophy for the first time since 1986

The 24year old has always been a very dynamic player since joining Brighton in the Premier League and even when he was loaned out. He was one of the club's top performer last season and this term before the World Cup break, his name has started to gain more recognition.

As an eight or a ten, Mac Allister has all the etiquettes required to star for a bigger side and on a bigger stage. He recently signed a new contract at Brighton but this will only make the club earn much from selling him.

Brighton are now known to deny a player interested in a move away and even if Mac Allister now has a contract until 2025 with option of one more, interested clubs won't have a tough time negotiating with the selling club if the proper bid is made.

Enzo Fernandez

Benfica spent just £8.6 million to sign him from River Plate less than six months ago and after the performance that earned him the best young player in the FIFA World Cup, a lot of top teams will envy that deal.

Fernandez is now being linked with a move to top teams, with Liverpool the most talked about suitor because of their need to strengthen their midfield as early as the next transfer window.

It will take a lot of troubles and money to lure him away from Benfica but that will most likely not happen in January because Benfica will see themselves in a very strong position, both in the league and Europe and losing a vital player like Fernandez will be detrimental to their hopes.

Albeit it remains to be seen where Fernandez will go in the next six months, his performance in the FIFA World Cup has surely earned him a big move and as well made him one of the hottest prospect in world football.

Sofyan Amrabat

Is Fiorentina the best the Moroccan can get from what you saw from him in the FIFA World Cup ?

Has to be another one of the biggest winners in the tournament. Without a doubt, Amrabat has always been a very good midfielder but his agents have been unable to land him a big move.

However, in the Qatar 2022 tournament, he was able to put himself up for more lucrative offers with his stellar performance, which helped the Atlas Lions achieved a historic feat in the competition.

Amrabat, 26, has made 20 appearances for the Italian side across all competitions this season, and his current contract is set to expire in June 2024, although Fiorentina have the option of extending that deal by a further year.

Luring him away won't be too difficult if the right bid is tabled to the club and Amrabat will be great addition for any of the top teams in the top five leagues.

Mohammed Kudus

The Ghanian had been linked with a move away from Ajax Amsterdam before the start of the FIFA World Cup and albeit the Black Stars did not go past the first round, Kudus’ star shone brightest in their squad.

The midfielder, who can also play as a forward scored two goals in a vital win over South Korea and was a standout performer in their opening game loss to Portugal.

Liverpool, as well as other top teams have been linked and with the outing he had in Qatar, any club getting him will be convinced he is good value for their money.

With midfield signing one of Liverpool's priorities in the winter transfer window, Jürgen Klopp, who is an admirer of Kudus will urge the club to go all out to get him if Ajax are willing to listen to offers.

Ritsu Doan

The Japanese midfielder, currently in the books at Bundesliga side, Freiburg, was a part of the impressive side that finished ahead of Spain and Germany in their FIFA World Cup group, with Doan scoring in both games.

His performances were consistent even when he had to come off the bench in the later stages of games, he was never found wanting. He delivered well for Hajime Moriyasu.

For a player who is not well known, the tournament brought him into the limelight and with a couple of teams already set their sights on him, his form back at Freiburg will be monitored in the next two windows.

At 24, any team needing a midfielder who can also play on the flanks will surely be interested in him but he is only in his first season with the Bundesliga club, which will potentially make any deal complicated.

Cody Gakpo

Even before the start of the FIFA World Cup, it was obvious the Dutch forward is destined for bigger things and in Qatar 2022, he did not shy away and was at the heart of things for the Netherlands, mostly in the group stages.

The PSV man was one of the only two players to score in all three group games and adding that to the form he was on before the start of the tournament, only a few players better his performance this season.

Linked with the likes of Southampton and Leeds United after Manchester United and Ajax both failed to follow up their interest, it is now clear, even to the formerly mentioned two teams that Gakpo is beyond their station.

Manchester United are still much in contention for his signature and are surely not the only team in the race because Gakpo’s sensational World Cup outing has made other top teams aware of how good he is.

He has a contract until 2026 with PSV so interested clubs better be prepared to splash the cash because the Dutch club will not see on a low.

Bukayo Saka

Albeit he is one of the players that came through the club's Academy and everyone feel it is only a matter of time before he put pen to papers and commit his future to Arsenal, his performance in Qatar could be reason for the club and Mikel Arteta to worry the longer it takes him to sign the new agreement.

Saka was arguably England's best player in the FIFA World Cup and his current contract at Arsenal ends in the summer of 2024. The level of optimism before the world cup is much stronger and the Arsenal hierarchy will be looking to make him sign the contract as early as can be.

22year old Saka is huge potential and without a doubt a number of top teams will be cueing for the right to own him once the new contract is now signed at the end of the ongoing season.

Joao Felix

The former golden boy winner needs rescuing from his Atletico Madrid nightmare and in the Qatar FIFA World Cup, he did his chances of earning a move away a lot of good.

It was starting to become a thing of his past, his ability on the ball and the performances than earned him the aforementioned award and a big money move to Madrid in 2019 but the 23year old was able to replicate just that with the Portuguese national team.

Has made public his intentions to leave Atletico Madrid and in January, he could be available, probably on a loan deal because Atletico will demand ridiculous amount for a player on a contract until the summer of 2026.

Arsenal and Manchester United are the teams in position to move for him with the former looking for replacement for the injured Gabriel Jesus while the later wants to replace the departed Cristiano Ronaldo.

Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi