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The 2018 FIFA World Cup is nine months away, as the qualifying rounds are in their final stages. 32 nations are set to compete for the trophy that the likes of Diego Maradona, Pelé, Lionel Messi and Gianluigi Buffon consider to the pinnacle of football.
It is every player's dream to honour his/her country by lifting the World Cup, but that is easier said than done. The preparation has to begin way before kickoff time in June, and players who to write their names in the history books must train hard throughout the whole season in the build-up for the competition.
However, in some cases, being at the wrong club could hinder one's gearing up. Whether a footballer is being played under conditions that do not optimize his potential to its fullest, or whether he was not gaining enough minutes to express his talent, in both cases, it is a major issue. Here are five players who have seen meagre game time and possibly need to move in January to ensure they get on the plane to Russia:
#5 - Mateo Kovacic
Mateo Kovacic is one of the most technically gifted players on the globe. In addition to that, he possesses an impeccable passing range. The young Croatian is never shy of carrying the ball forward, with his physicality, aggressiveness and dribbling technique often giving him the superiority over opponents.
The problem is that Real Madrid's midfield is packed with talents, and so is Croatia's. In his first season in Spain, where he spent the largest parts of it on the bench, Kovacic missed out on the chance to be a starter in the Eurocup 2016, and was dropped out of the lineup in favour of the likes of Milan Badelj, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic. If he does not manage to improve his club-situation this time around, then the outcome could be similar in the World Cup.
To put things into perspective, the 23-year old has only started 19 Liga and 2 Champions League games last season, and finished his campaign with 2 goals and 3 assists, which is all in all far from enough to warrant him a place over his compatriots. Real Madrid have just added Marcos Llorente and Dani Cabellos who will only increase competition for the Croatian, who is currently on the sidelines because of an injury.
A loan move in January could perhaps be ideal for Mateo Kovacic, in order to optimize his chances of making it to Russia.
#4 - Lucas Moura
Lucas Moura has had a lot of ups and downs in his career. When he first arrived at Paris Saint Germain, he impressed the fans with his flair and skill, but was always criticized for lacking end product. Last season, Lucas managed to gather 19 goals and 8 assists, which is his best tally ever.
Having said that, the arrival of Julian Draxler from Wolfsburg in January did hinder the Brazilian's chances of getting playing time. In fairness, the German is the better player between the two and has rightly grabbed the spot away from him.
The situation was far from being catastrophic when Lucas ended up as the first alternate who gets subbed in, early on in every game, and gets to start whenever Di Maria or Draxler are injured or rested. But that was before the arrival of Neymar J. and Kylian Mbappé. As things stand, all the odds are against the 25-year old, as he finds himself way behind Neymar, Mbappé, Di Maria and Draxler in the pecking order.
Lucas Moura may not be good enough to start for PSG, but a year ago, he still had every single chance to make it as the backup option for the right wing spot, for the World Cup. If he was to boost his chances before he runs out of time, then an exit in January is the only realistic option.
#3 - Javier Mascherano
It is unlikely that Javier Mascherano will to leave Barcelona in the middle of the season, because he has been a loyal servant for years and will not want to bring up such an issue in the decisive stages of the campaign. But we all know that the Argentinian was strongly linked to Juventus a year ago, as he had foreseen the inevitable problem of lack of playing time, eventually emerging.
Mascherano's loyalty does not prevent us from stating that a move away from the Camp Nou in January would do him wonders, in his hopes to give it one last shot for the FIFA World Cup. Argentina manager Jorge Sampaoli has already hinted that he would not hesitate to drop the 33-year old out of the starting lineup.
And with Gerard Piqué and Samuel Umtiti seemingly being a lock in the starting lineup, Javier will not have the best preparation by only playing in the less important matches where Valverde decides to rest his players.
Not even in midfield can Mascherano still hope for extra game-time, as it is obvious that the Barcelona manager prefers Ivan Rakitic as Sergio Busquets' alternative. So, where does that leave the former Argentina captain?
#2 - Lucas Vázquez
Lucas Vázquez has enjoyed a successful season with Real Madrid, having helped them in the conquest of the FIFA Club World Cup, the Spanish league and the UEFA Champions League. But the 26-year old is no longer a youngster and is surely already good enough to get more than 12 league starts, in a season that Gareth Bale spent on the sidelines.
The Welsh star is now back to action and looking in good form. Bale, Isco, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and even Marco Asensio, are all ahead of Vázquez in Zinedine Zidane's book, as things stand.
A loan, or permanent move, away from the Santiago Bernabéu would not be a step backwards in Lucas' career. Former Barcelona attacker Pedro Rodriguez is an excellent example. His transfer to Chelsea has been very successful, and instead of warming Barça's bench, he is now a starter for the champions of England.
Lucas has the quality to represent Spain in the World Cup, but for that to happen, he will need to gather extra game-time. He knows what is left to do.
#1 - Julian Draxler
It may seem weird to many that Lucas Moura and Julian Draxler, who both ply their trade at Paris Saint-Germain, have been included in this list. However, the reasoning is very simple. Having so much quality at the same side, eventually leads-up to damaging the confidence of the less talented players among a galaxy of talented stars.
Moura and Draxler both have the quality to be starters at several top-flight European sides, but none of them is a starter in his own club at the moment. Edinson Cavani, Neymar Jr., Kylian Mbappé and to some extent Angel Di Maria, have all got a case in starting ahead of them.
Lucas sits out for being the less talented, whereas Draxler pays the price of being more comfortable on the left-hand side, where Neymar is sure to win the competition. Julian has been deployed on the right wing, as well in the central attacking midfield role, but has failed to give his best impression in either.
In fact, he has failed to even register a goal or provided an assist in five league appearances so far this season. He who was one of PSG's best performers right after his arrival in January, is now uncertain what the near future hides for him.
It is worth mentioning that Julian Draxler was the captain of Germany's national team, and lifted the FIFA Confederations Cup back in June, in the Russian capital Moscow, after beating Chile in the final. In addition to that, the 24-year old was voted as the best player in the competition. How much will PSG's recent arrivals affect his chances of starring for his country-side in the World Cup?
