Top 10 World Cup transfer targets: Bellingham, Gvardiol and two Morocco stars have clubs on red alert

Dom Farrell

Top 10 World Cup transfer targets: Bellingham, Gvardiol and two Morocco stars have clubs on red alert image

With the 2022 World Cup now over, club football returns to the minds of many.

The World Cup fuels transfer speculation like nothing else and teams looking to splash the cash will get two bites at players who have impressed in Qatar. Big-money switches will still probably have to wait for Europe's 2023 summer window, but January does present teams with a chance to test the waters. 

Here, we run through some of the established stars whose World Cup performances have served to ramp up their value and encourage bidding wars, while also looking at some of the standout breakthrough players who might be hot property in the mid-season market.

MORE: 2022 World Cup's best players: Stats leaders in Qatar for goals, assists, defensive actions and more

Jude Bellingham — England and Borussia Dortmund

Ever since selling Erling Haaland to Manchester City prior to this season, Dortmund have been bracing themselves for European football's heavyweights to make their move for Bellingham. The 19-year-old Englishman's performances in Qatar merely dialled up the clamour. He opened the scoring in a 6-2 romp against Iran and played throughout with a swagger that called to mind all of England's best midfielders over the past three decades, from Paul Gascoigne to Steven Gerrard.

Any 'next Gerrard' chat is being enhanced by Liverpool reportedly being firm admirers of Bellingham. Real Madrid, as is their wont with any World Cup star, also like the look of the former Birmingham City teenager. Alternatively, City could make use of the established lines of communication between the Etihad Stadium and Signal Iduna Park, especially with the futures of Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan up in the air.

  • Most likely to move in summer 2023
Getty

Cody Gakpo — Netherlands and PSV

Gakpo was linked to a number of suitors earlier this year, with Manchester United and Leeds United among a host of Premier League clubs tracking the PSV forward. Leeds are probably out of the running now after Gakpo excelled for the Netherlands, finishing as his side's top scorer with three goals in Qatar.

United are finding their feet under Erik ten Hag, who is keen to sign a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, and the mid-season boost of a player he obviously admires could get them over the top in the battle for a top-four spot.

  • Most likely to move in January 2023

Josko Gvardiol — Croatia and RB Leipzig

Like Bellingham, Gvardiol is another Bundesliga standout who went to the World Cup with a sky-high reputation that has only been enhanced. There has been plenty of focus on Croatia's remaining veterans after Zlatko Dalic's side plotted their path to a second successive semifinal, but Gvardiol is the leading light of the new generation.

A left-footed central defender who plays with poise and maturity beyond his 20 years, he looks set to be a fixture at the top of the European game for the next decade. Chelsea have been heavily linked alongside the Premier League's other big hitters. Do not be surprised if Gvardiol is the new most expensive defender in football history before the start of next season.

  • Most likely to move in summer 2023

MORE: Who is Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic? Contract, salary, record and tactics of mastermind behind World Cup run

Azzedine Ounahi — Morocco and Angers

Morocco captured hearts and minds with their historic run to the semifinals, with clubs across the world sitting up and taking notice of a team boasting talent that has previously gone untapped or floated under the radar.

"Madre mia! Where did this kid come from?" said Spain boss Luis Enrique, referring to Azzedine Ounahi's regal midfield performance after the Atlas Lions knocked his team out in the Round of 16. The 24-year-old has apparently caught the attention of Luis Enrique's former employers Barcelona, too, and Angers might be minded to cash in quickly.

  • Most likely to move in January 2023

Goncalo Ramos — Portugal and Benfica

It's hard to imagine a bigger pressure situation for a young player than being the striker who replaced a dropped Cristiano Ronaldo in the Portugal side. Goncalo Ramos made light of this with a stunning hat-trick in the Selecao's 6-1 demolition of Switzerland.

It is likely to remain a defining night for the 21-year-old Benfica forward, who has emerged as a goalscorer of some renown after serving as a fine foil to Darwin Nunez last season before the Uruguayan's move to Liverpool. Ramos has nine goals in 11 Primeira Liga games this time around and will have the chance to further enhance his reputation after Benfica progressed to the Champions League knockout stages.

  • Most likely to move in summer 2023
Goncalo Ramos of Portugal at 2022 World Cup goal vs Switzerland
Getty Images

Sofyan Amrabat — Morocco and Fiorentina

Another Morocco midfielder who has got the masses purring, Amrabat proved to be an unflappable presence at the base of Walid Regragui's midfield. Fiorentina should ready themselves for enquiries over the status of the Dutch-born 26-year-old.

Such is the paucity of Jurgen Klopp's options in that area of the field, a quick scour of the gossip pages sees most midfielders of note being linked to Anfield. Given Fabinho's struggles of late, Amrabat might represent a quick solution as Klopp tries to salvage this season.

  • Most likely to move in January 2023

Enzo Fernandez — Argentina and Benfica

Argentina's emotionally charged run to the title in Qatar was the Lionel Messi Show to a large extent, but whenever they were able to locate order and structure in their midfield play, Fernandez wasn't too far away.

The former River Plate youngster, now plying his trade at Benfica, broke into the starting lineup after a stunning, game-sealing goal against Mexico in the group stage. Giovani Lo Celso's injury absence and the up-and-down form of Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes have made the 21-year-old a vital presence. A product of the same youth system that spawned Julian Alvarez, the path from Benfica to Manchester City is a well-trodden one and Fernandez looks every inch a Pep Guardiola player — although he is another to be linked with Liverpool as well.

  • Most likely to move in summer 2023
Enzo Fernandez Argentina World Cup Mundial 2022
Getty Images

Harry Souttar — Australia and Stoke City

Souttar looked unlikely to make the World Cup at all after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament last November. He managed one game for Stoke against Luton Town before being thrust into the Socceroos starting line-up against France, Kylian Mbappe and all.

Although Australia lost 4-1, Souttar's masterful pass from deep helped to create Craig Goodwin's opener. He then excelled in the 1-0 win over Tunisia that sparked his country's run to the last 16, imperious in possession and ferocious out of it. A 6ft 7ins ball-playing centre-back playing in England's second tier will be an attractive proposition for any number of Premier League clubs in January.

  • Most likely to move in January 2023

Adrien Rabiot — France and Juventus

During last summer's transfer window, Rabiot's links to Manchester United received a universally lukewarm response. Juventus were seemingly keen to offload the problem child of French football, who copped a lot of the blame for Les Bleus' last-16 exit against Switzerland at Euro 2020.

Fast forward a few months and Rabiot has become a fixture once again under Massimiliano Allegri and injuries to the likes of N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba mean he was an ever-present for France in Qatar. When transfer links start up around Rabiot once again in 2023, people are not so likely to be thumbing their noses — especially since he will be a free agent come the end of this season.

  • Most likely to move in summer 2023

MORE: Rabiot to Man United: Why Erik ten Hag considered risky signing of Juventus midfielder

Ritsu Doan — Japan and Freiburg

Japan's swashbuckling wins over Germany and Spain won huge admiration at the 2022 World Cup. Ritsu Doan came off the bench to score in both matches, netting the equaliser each time in 2-1 victories.

The 24-year-old joined Freiburg this year and, despite spells with Groningen, PSV and Arminia Bielefeld, his European career is yet to catch fire. Roma have been credited with having an interest and clubs might see an opportunity to grab an exciting talent ready to flourish after excelling in Qatar.

  • Most likely to move in January 2023

Dom Farrell

Dom Farrell Photo

Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.