Some lesser known talents who could be worth a punt this January (Pictures: Getty)

So far we’ve filled you in on the world class players, the wonderkids and some potential surprise bargains to look out for in January.

Pep Lijnders reveals why Diogo Jota has been a 'monster' in Liverpool training

Now it’s worth looking at some lesser known talents who are performing well so far this term and who have started to gain attention from the Premier League’s big boys.

With all the hype and inflated transfer fees surrounding the modern game, it’s hard to imagine that there could be any half-decent players out there who haven’t worked their way onto your social media feeds via some Opta stats or YouTube skills videos, but just remember how few of us had any idea who Riyad Mahrez or N’Golo Kante were this time two years ago.



We’re hoping you haven’t heard of all of these (otherwise they’re not really unknowns), but we think they might be worth keeping an eye on…


Sardar Azmoun

Sardar Azmoun has apparently caught Liverpool’s eye (Picture: Getty)

Who is he?

A 21-year-old forward playing for Rostov. Has been dubbed ‘the Iranian Messi’.

What’s his situation?

Apparently wanted by Liverpool, though a move could be complicated by the fact that he only just made the move to Rostov this summer.

What would he cost?

Transfermarkt rate him at £5.95million, and while it would surely be slightly above that, his low profile means Liverpool or other clubs could get a real bargain here.

Where would he fit in?

Unsurprisingly, he actually seems ideal for Liverpool’s set-up at the moment, performing well as a versatile attacker who likes to drop deep and work hard to help out his team-mates in midfield.

Chances of moving

Hard to tell at the moment, but Azmoun looks like he could be the real deal, but it’s probable that Liverpool will want to keep an eye on him for a while longer first. 3/10.

Cristian Pavon

Cristian Pavon is starting to make a name for himself (Picture: Getty)

Who is he?

A 20-year-old Argentine winger currently playing for Boca Juniors.

What’s his situation?

Just becoming a regular for his club, Cristian Pavon is said to be another lesser known talent on Liverpool’s radar at the moment.

What would he cost?

Pretty cheap, perhaps another in the £5million bracket given his age and lack of experience and profile so far.

Where would he fit in?

Capable of playing out wide or up front, Pavon seems like another attacking player in the Jurgen Klopp mould, though of course it’s a bit early to tell if he could be as successful in the Premier League.

Chances of moving

Maybe a bit higher than Azmoun’s, with reports suggesting Klopp is keen on the youngster as an alternative to Sadio Mane while he’s away on African Cup of Nations duty, and with Danny Ings out injured for the season. 5/10.

Moise Kean

Moise Kean is a name worth remembering (Picture: Getty)

Who is he?

A 16-year-old striker on the books at Juventus and already turning heads around Europe.

What’s his situation?

Supposedly considering a move due to not being close to the Juventus first-team, which has attracted interest from Arsenal and Manchester City, among others.



What would he cost?

Not a lot at all, as he is not yet on a professional contract. Clubs would likely have to pay some compensation, but we’re probably talking under £1million.

Where would he fit in?

He’s a bit too young to really fit into anyone’s first-team at the moment, but Arsenal seems a good club for any promising young player, as he may actually get a game in a couple of years.

Chances of moving

Mino Raiola’s his agent, so if he’s not happy at Juventus and stories are starting to be leaked to the press, it could be very likely indeed. 7/10.

Panos Armenakas

Panos Armenakas has said he’s an Arsenal fan (Picture: Instagram)

Who is he?

An 18-year-old midfielder of American, Australian and Greek nationality, currently playing in Italy with Udinese.

What’s his situation?

At Udinese for two years, but a player who’s moved around a lot already and who has expressed a liking of Arsenal.

What would he cost?

Surely not more than £1-2million.

Where would he fit in?

Having spent time in the youth teams of both Barcelona and Watford, this is anyone’s guess really, but if he likes Arsenal then they are often open to giving chances to promising youngsters.

Chances of moving

Perhaps slim at the moment, as he’s still working his way into Udinese’s first-team. 2/10.

Alban Lafont

Alban Lafont is a hugely promising goalkeeper (Picture: Getty)

Who is he?

More like who *isn’t* he? This guy is Toulouse’s number one goalkeeper at only 17 years of age, and last year became the youngest ever Ligue 1 player.


What’s his situation?

Quietly going about his business in France, but his talent is perhaps deserving of as much recognition as fellow goalkeeping wonderkid Gianluigi Donnarumma over at AC Milan.

What would he cost?

Given that he’s under contract until 2020 and already an important player for his club, we expect he may already be close to the £10million mark.

Where would he fit in?

The sky’s surely the limit for this guy, so a number of big clubs could fancy having him in their squad soon. Liverpool are perhaps one of the bigger sides most in need of a ‘keeper right now, though.

Chances of moving

The more he plays, the more likely clubs will start queuing up for him in upcoming transfer windows. 4/10.

Andrea Belotti

Andrea Belotti is having a fine season for Torino (Picture: Getty)

Who is he?

We’re going to go ahead and dub him ‘the Italian Harry Kane’ – a 22-year-old striker proving something of a late bloomer after a fine start to the season for Torino.

What’s his situation?

A player who’s already moved around quite a lot, Belotti is on fire for Torino at the moment and has recently earned his first call-ups for Italy.

What would he cost?

For the moment, surely between £15-20million, but expect that to go up rapidly if he keeps on scoring like this – he has eight goals and three assists in just ten Serie A games this term.

Where would he fit in?

Arsenal and Manchester United could both do with strikers, and he has that benefit of being something of an unknown quantity. With Jamie Vardy also struggling, perhaps fellow Italian Claudio Ranieri could do well to lure him to Leicester?


Chances of moving

More and more likely by the week, and recent rumours suggest Arsenal and Liverpool have shown some interest. 6/10.

Vincent Koziello

Vincent Koziello has helped Nice to their fine start (Picture: Getty)

Who is he?

A 21-year-old midfielder playing for Nice and playing very well indeed, despite looking like a 10-year-old.

What’s his situation?

Three points clear at the top of Ligue 1 is his situation, with his fine performances in the middle helping Nice to this surprise start.

What would he cost?

One of the best young midfielders in France right now, Koziello would probably be rated at around £15million by his club.

Where would he fit in?

Chelsea and Manchester United could do with additions in midfield, but would either of them gamble on him at this stage?

Chances of moving

A big move is surely on the cards at some point, though now seems a little soon and he may be keen to carry on living the dream with Nice. 2/10.

Leonardo Pavoletti

Leonardo Pavoletti is enjoying his football right now (Picture: Getty)

Who is he?

A 27-year-old forward who’s coming into his own in Serie A this season, scoring three goals in six starts. In other words, if Belotti is the Italian Harry Kane, Pavoletti could be the Italian Jamie Vardy.

What’s his situation?

Only joined Genoa last season, but playing well and supposedly on Liverpool’s radar.

What would he cost?

He was signed for around £2million, but his value has probably gone up to somewhere near £10million.

Where would he fit in?

Could do a job as a squad player at Liverpool, though they should arguably aim a little higher. Leicester, again, could do well to add him to their struggling strike force.

Chances of moving

Not a huge amount of speculation surrounding him just yet, so clubs may not be in a rush to move for him straight away this winter. 2/10.

Kerem Demirbay

Kerem Demirbay is having a fine season (Picture: Getty)

Who is he?

A 23-year-old German-Turkish midfielder impressing with Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga this season.

What’s his situation?

He’s already moved clubs a lot, having flopped in Borussia Dortmund’s youth team, but has a contract until 2019 and will be enjoying his regular playing time this year.

What would he cost?

Not a widely known talent, Demirbay could cost under £10million.

Where would he fit in?

Has something of Emre Can about him, so could well be on Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s radar, given his knowledge of German football.

Chances of moving

Might still need to do a little more to get a big move, but would do well for most Premier League clubs and could attract suitors if he continues his current form. 5/10.

Ricardo Pereira

Ricardo Pereira is another top performer for Ligue 1 leaders Nice (Picture: Getty)

Who is he?

A 23-year-old Portuguese right-back who has been another key part of this impressive Nice side.

What’s his situation?

Only on loan in France for this season, but under contract at Porto until 2019.

What would he cost?

Porto usually do well out of selling their top young players, so perhaps already in the £10-15million region.

Where would he fit in?

Manchester City could do with a right-back who isn’t over 30, and United may also feel they could do with an upgrade on Antonio Valencia.

Chances of moving

His loan situation complicates things, so expect some speculation in the summer rather than in the next couple of months. 1/10.

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