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With the 2022 FIFA World Cup approaching its conclusion, it is time for clubs and players to begin thinking about club football once again.
This year's edition of the Mundial cut through the regular club season and this meant teams did not get to play as many matches in the first half of the season. Regardless, many clubs are bound to have identified positions of strength and weakness and prepare plans to address them.
The January transfer window is only weeks away, meaning teams could look to sign players who could add depth and help change the outlook of their season. They will also be looking to offload certain players.
This article will take a look at a number of high-profile players who could end up wearing a different jersey in the second half of the season. Without further ado, here is a list of five players who may be on the move when the January window opens up.
#5 Matheus Cunha | Atletico Madrid
It is safe to say that Matheus Cunha's time at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium has not gone to plan at all. The Brazilian forward arrived in Spain with high expectations and a huge reputation, but has failed to light up La Liga so far.
Cunha joined Atletico Madrid from Hertha Berlin and was tipped to fit right into Diego Simeone's plans. The 23-year-old has, however, found it impossible to break into the starting XI. He has failed to score in 17 appearances this season, and has only seven goals in 54 appearances for the club.
Cunha has been tipped to make a move in the January transfer window, having come close to an exit in the summer.
The Athletic's David Ornstein reported that with fellow Brazilian Gabriel Jesus now injured at Arsenal, the Gunners may turn to Cunha as his replacement. He has also attracted interest from another Premier League side in Wolverhampton Wanderers.
#4 Yunus Musah | Valencia
The current generation of USMNT players is definitely turning heads in some of Europe's biggest leagues. One of their most exciting footballers is 20-year-old midfielder Yunus Musah.
The Valencia man enjoyed an impressive outing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He played all four of the Stars and Stripes' games and was an imposing presence in midfield for Greg Berhalter's men.
Musah moved to Valencia as a 17-year-old after turning down a professional contract offer from Arsenal, where he was academy captain. The midfielder quickly showed his quality and became a regular at the Mestalla within a year. He has featured 11 times in La Liga this season and has two assists to his name.
Despite being just 20 years old, Musah has already made 81 senior appearances for Valencia. He has also amassed 23 caps for the USA after choosing to play for them ahead of England and Ghana.
The youngster has been tipped to make a move which may come as soon as the January transfer window. Valencia's financial struggles also mean they could look to sell Musah, whose value is bound to have gone up after a stellar World Cup.
#3 Mykhaylo Mudryk | Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar Donetsk starlet Mykhaylo Mudryk is considered by many to be the biggest talent out of Ukraine since Andriy Shevchenko. The winger has grabbed headlines throughout the season with his pace, trickery and eye for goal.
Mudryk has taken Europe by storm since becoming a regular with Shakhtar Donetsk. His development was facilitated by current Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi, who considered him a top talent.
The 21-year-old has lived up to the hype around him so far, and has scored seven goals and delivered seven assists in 12 league appearances this season. He also has three goals in six UEFA Champions League appearances.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Mudryk is Arsenal's biggest transfer target, and would be open to joining the Gunners. Shakhtar Donetsk's bosses reportedly value him higher than Brazilian winger Antony, who moved to Manchester United for around €100 million in the summer.
However, Ornstein's report suggested that Shakhtar may also entertain a slightly lower bid. Regardless, t remains to be seen if Arsenal can fork out a hefty sum to land Mudryk in January.
#2 Hakim Ziyech | Chelsea
Hakim Ziyech has had more downs than ups in his career since leaving AFC Ajax for Chelsea in 2020. The Moroccan winger has failed to establish himself as a starter for the Blues and has played a limited role throughout his time at the club.
Ziyech has suffered a number of unfortunate injuries during his time at Chelsea, limiting his participation. Regardless, he has played an important part in the Blues' recent successes, winning the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
However, the winger has hardly featured under new boss Graham Potter and is said to be on the radar of AC Milan.
Ziyech has enjoyed an incredible renaissance with Morocco at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He has featured in all of the Atlas Lions' matches at the tournament and has a goal and an assist to his name.
His contributions helped the team become the first-ever African side to reach the World Cup semifinals, where they will take on reigning champions France.
#1 Joao Felix | Atletico Madrid
After breaking out at SL Benfica, Portuguese star Joao Felix was likened to Brazilian legend Kaka due to his similar position and build. The youngster completed a switch to Atletico Madrid and has seen his career stagnate since then.
Felix joined Atletico Madrid in 2019 after his performances for Benfica earned him the 2019 Golden Boy award. The transfer fee was worth a record €126 million, making him the fourth-most expensive player at the time.
Understandably, plenty of expectations lay on Felix's shoulders. However, he has failed to thrive at the Wanda Metropolitano, with manager Diego Simeone struggling to get the best out of him.
Felix enjoyed ample playing time at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and delivered a timely reminder of his quality. The 23-year-old scored a goal and assisted two more in four matches in the tournament.
He has been tipped to complete a move in January, with multiple Premier League clubs reportedly looking to sign him.
