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They say, "all that glitters is not gold". Well, if you think long and hard it would be apt to say, "in football all that glitters may not be the only gold." The top five leagues in Europe enjoy a huge fanbase and audience throughout the globe. The quality of football on display is exquisite and many clubs continue to dominate these top-flights consistently.
The coverage of many other leagues from the continent is minimal. So quite naturally, only a few players who perform well for the big and renowned clubs get the praise and attention from spectators. However, this season many players have stepped up their game and asked the world to take notice of them.
Some of these players have been linked with major clubs and a potential move would not be undeserved. Meanwhile, a few others are beginning to find their feet after having gone through some lows in their career. Nonetheless, these players either play at clubs many do not care to take a look at while some play at big clubs in the shadow of more popular players.
So let's take a look at the 10 players who are performing well this season and shouldn't go under your radar:
#10 Nicolo Barella
To anyone who is surprisingly still unaware of the qualities of the Italian, this should help. Nicolo Barella was the driving force in midfield behind Antonio Conte's Inter Milan, who were successful in their title charge last season to dethrone Juventus. He was also an integral member of the Italy team that won Euro 2020.
However, his performances at the Euros weren't as terrific as they were for Inter and many thought he could only thrive in Conte's system. A few months later, the Nerazzurri have looked a different side under new coach Simone Inzaghi but Barella is the same.
He's a major creative force for their side and has already managed six assists this season. Last season, he produced just seven assists in 36 appearances. His relentless work-rate makes him even more special, and the Italian averages 1.7 tackles and 0.5 interceptions every 90 minutes.
Inter sold Achraf Hakimi and Romelu Lukaku this summer, but it seems like the real irreplaceable player is still kept safe.
#9 Brahim Diaz
It feels like Brahim Diaz's hunt for a club that will love him back is finally over. AC Milan have shown great faith in the attacking midfielder who can also play on the wings and he's finally giving them a return on their investment. The Rossoneri are currently second in Serie A, only behind Napoli on goal difference.
They look capable of a title charge and Diaz will be a key component to their ambitions. The Spaniard has scored four goals and provided two assists in nine games in all competitions so far. Two of those were match-winning goals in Serie A and he was the reason Milan came out with three points.
Diaz looks confident in the final third, he's helping them build play around the centre-forward and is effectively providing passes that slice through defenses. The 22-year old was diagnosed COVID-positive on October 15th, but has successfully recovered and is back in training with AC Milan.
#8 Lorenzo Pellegrini
At so many clubs that Jose Mourinho has taken charge of, he has done something special in bringing out the best from certain players. He has also fallen out with some players, but at AS Roma, Lorenzo Pellegrini falls in the first category.
The Italian's creativity has been rewarding for his team, but he is utilizing his spatial awareness to profit himself. Pellegrini's driving runs from the deep have started yielding goals frequently this season. He's become a nuisance to deal with for opposition defenses as Mourinho has given him the license to roam in the final third.
So far this season in an advanced attacking midfield role, Pellegrini has given the captain's performance game after game. The 25-year old has five goals and two assists in nine games in Serie A. He scored Italy's only goal in the UEFA Nations League semi-final loss to Spain. Pellegrini will certainly hope that Mourinho stays in Rome for a long, long time.
#7 Andreas Pereira
Away from Manchester United, away from criticism and into his homeland, Andreas Pereira is finally enjoying football once again and thriving in Brazil. Clearly struggling to get game time at Old Trafford, Pereira was shipped away for the last three seasons on loan to Granada, Valencia and Lazio.
However, after three ordinary loan spells the Brazilian has finally turned a corner and put his diminishing reputation on the rise. Pereira has been extremely versatile and has adapted to playing as a holding midfielder and attacking midfielder almost instantly for Flamengo. He has scored three goals in 10 games and provided one assist.
To put that into perspective, the midfielder could only manage four goals and five assists in 75 appearances for the Red Devils. Clearly, the loan spell is going to give him his confidence back. Maybe a move back to Man United is off, but you never know when another Premier League club or a European club will intervene.
#6 Antony
It has been really difficult for football fans to talk about Ajax and avoid talking about Sebastian Haller. He is making a mockery of anyone who thinks scoring goals is the hardest job in football. The centre-forward has a total of 13 goals in 13 appearances and he has consistently hogged the limelight. As such, several players have failed to make headlines with Antony being one of them.
The 21-year old helped the Brazil team win gold at the Tokyo Olympics and has continued his scintillating form with Ajax. An able dribbler, Antony has shown he has the ability to drag the defender with the ball at his feet towards the goal. He loves to cut inside on his left foot, and he has been putting that ability to good use.
The Brazilian has managed four goals and two assists in 10 appearances across all competitions this term. Capable of receiving the ball in threatening areas, he made the most dribbles in Ajax's Champions League tie against Dortmund. His passing and crossing ability is second to none in that Ajax team and they will soon have his suitors knocking at the door.
#5 Amine Gouiri
One look at Ligue 1 team Nice's record and their standing in the points table and it looks like a challenge whether to appreciate their defense or their attack. Letting in eight goals in 11 games is impressive, but scoring 21 in those many games is pretty darn good. One man making it all look like a cake walk is Amine Gouiri.
The 21-year old has often been called the next big star of French football and has deservedly drawn comparisons to Karim Benzema in recent times. Gouiri has shown that he can play both centrally and off the left wing, from where he likes to cut in on his preferred right foot.
Gouiri has worked on the physical side of his game and has become better in pressure situations and resisting challenges. That has made the forward more clinical in front of goal and his five goals and three assists in 10 Ligue 1 appearances are a proof of that.
It has been reported that Liverpool are interested in signing the youngster after Jurgen Klopp put in a request for the same.
#4 Julián Álvarez
Want to learn how not to feel the burden of wearing a reputed jersey and the heavy expectations that come with it? Meet River Plate's 21-year old striker Julian Alvarez. He has been lighting up the Liga Profesional in Argentina with his fine performances.
The centre-forward has produced a prolific return of 11 goals and six assists in just 14 league games and he is not showing any signs of slowing down. Clubs in Europe are already making advances for River Plate forward and want to sign him in January if possible. Serie A club AC Milan and Premier League club Aston Villa are reportedly very keen on his services.
Alvarez scored a brace in the Superclasico against Boca Juniors which reflects that the player can keep his nerves in the most tense encounters as well. Time and again he has given evidence of his strong character and grit and the Argentine club could soon make maximum profit on him.
#3 Arnaut Danjuma
Where are all those Premier League clubs now, proud of their visionary recruitment of potential future stars? How they let Arnaut Danjuma slip from AFC Bournemouth to Villarreal is beyond explanation.
Villarreal have drawn five games in the division so far, the most for any team. The Yellow Subamarine currently sits in the 12th spot in La Liga and things could have been worse if not for Danjuma.
He is electric when he takes to the field and the left-winger has been a nightmare for opposition right-backs. He is able to skip past them in a second, leaving them wondering what went by while he's off one-on-one against the keeper. The 24-year old has netted five goals and provided one assist in nine La Liga games.
He has also scored one and assisted one in three games in the Champions League. Signed for €25 million, he is their second most expensive player after Paco Alcacer and it wouldn't be wrong to say he's twice as exciting.
Danjuma is a venomous striker of the ball and coach Louis van Gaal said his Dutch teammates weren't prepared for his hard crosses. He proved a handful for Diogo Dalot in Villarreal's game against Manchester United in the Champions League. That performance will surely see Premier League clubs pounce at the first opportunity to sign Danjuma if it arises in the future.
#2 Paul Onuachu
A 6ft 7in player does not need to do a lot to grab attention, the height will do it for him any day. But Paul Onuachu knows how to use nature's gift to the best and he was not gonna stand and let people admire him only for his height. He became a lethal goal machine to add to the list of his admirable qualities.
To shed light on his exploits, Onuachu has been one of the most prolific strikers in Europe since the beginning of last season. He has scored a total of 42 goals in 48 games in the Jupiler Pro League in Belgium. Genk bought him for a decent €6 million in 2019 and they are sure they can make at least 3.5 times of that money.
David Moyes is looking to find a replacement for Sebastian Haller, who West Ham allowed to leave for Ajax in January. The Nigerian was linked with the Hammers but the deal did not go through.
The striker has shown he is great at using his frame and his long strides make it difficult to compete with him in the final third. The Genk forward is a clinical finisher and whichever team from Europe's top five leagues gets him is sure to put their goal scoring woes to bed.
#1 Arthur Cabral
While scoring 20 goals or plus is a big feat for any striker, players who achieve this valuable feat in Europe's B-Leagues tend to slide under the radar. So to stop that from happening, presenting to you Arthur Cabral.
The FC Basel striker seems to be in a hurry of some kind this season as he matched his 20-goal record from last season only 17 games into this campaign. In fact, he has exceeded it with 22 goals scored already in 21 appearances, also providing six assists. 12 of those goals came in 11 Swiss Super League games.
With an average of one goal every 73 minutes, the FC Basel striker is being tracked by AC Milan and Leeds United. The Whites had also made a rejected bid of £16 million for the Brazilian before the 2020-21 season began. Safe to say, his performances are going to command a much bigger transfer fee this time out.
