Top 25 Most Exciting Transfer Prospects Ahead of January 2015 Window

Here are the 25 most exciting transfer prospects ahead of the January 2015 window. 

Criteria 

• Prospect is 21 years old or younger and plays for a European club. 
• The 25 prospects will be subjectively ranked via a combination of:
  • Performance this season.
  • Potential upside.
  • Transfer value. 

Long List Cuts

• Daley Sinkgraven, 19, Heerenveen's Dutch CM/LF.
• Daniele Rugani, 20, Empoli's Italian CB [1].
• Jordan Amavi, 20, Nice's French LB.
• Liam Moore, 21, Leicester City's English CB.
• Sergi Darder, 20, Malaga's Spanish CM.
• Nico Schulz, 21, Hertha Berlin's German LB/LW.

 [1] co-owned by Juventus.

Notable Omissions Explanations

Marco Vasini/Associated Press

The transfer market is capricious by nature, so trying to predict who will be sold and who will stay is not a good idea. 

That said, there is a higher chance of the 25 exciting young footballers selected for this list to be sold in January than the prospects who were excluded from this list, such as:

John Stones, 20, Everton's English CB.

Out injured for the foreseeable future after ankle surgery, Stones is unlikely to be sold in the January transfer window. 

Julian Draxler, 21, Schalke's German LAM/CAM.

Aside from a match-winning performance in a 2-0 win over Hertha Berlin, Draxler has been below par, only scoring twice in 569 minutes of Bundesliga play this season.

Until he lives up to his 2012-13 displays, he is not ready to make a step up to a major European club.

Marco Verratti, 21, Paris Saint-Germain's Italian CM.

PSG extended Verratti's contract on August 20, 2013 and September 15, 2014, so all parties are happy.

Mateo Kovacic, 20, Inter Milan's Croatian CM/CAM.

Inter president Erick Thohir claimed Kovacic "is untouchable" and "not for sale." It makes no sense for Inter to sell Kovacic when he is nowhere near reaching his potential ability. 

Paco Alcacer, 21, Valencia's Spanish CF.

Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim is now the owner of Valencia, so selling Paco, who could emulate Raul's prolific scoring, in the January transfer window would be an all-time worst public relations move.

Paul Pogba, 21, Juventus' French CM.

Juve sold Zinedine Zidane to Real Madrid in 2001 when he was 29 years old.

Having extended Pogba's contract to 2019, Juve have increased his transfer stock and want him to build a Zidane-esque legacy in Serie A. 

Ross Barkley, 20, Everton's English CAM.

He has only played 91 minutes in the Premier League this season and his mounting injury record ensures major clubs are likely to pass on him in January. 

25. Christian Gunter

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Freiburg's German left-back Christian Gunter, 21, is an underrated Bundesliga talent, who has the ability to bloom into an elite footballer. 

However, there is a clear gap in quality between Gunter's attacking prowess and his defending. 

He regularly embarks on Gareth Bale-like runs which add directness, potency and speed to Freiburg's possessions.

But Gunter is not a reliable defender: his 17 tackles to 16 free kicks conceded is inconsistent.

Tottenham Hotspur were close to offloading Bale to Birmingham City during his days as a left-back, per Sky Sports.

What spurred Bale to super stardom was being moved forward, so could this be the same for Gunter?

He averages more dribbles per game (3.0) for Freiburg in the Bundesliga than Bale for Real Madrid in La Liga (0.9). 

24. Jose Mauri

Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Parma's Argentinian-born Italian central midfielder Jose Mauri, 18, plays like a seasoned pro. 

He possesses the engine to play box-to-box, he is a tenacious tackler and he effortlessly turns past opposing players, often winning free-kicks. 

He could develop into Parma's biggest prospect since Gianluigi Buffon.

With Parma in a rut, losing five league games in a row and on the bottom of the Serie A table, it would be insult to injury if Mauri was poached away by a bigger club in the January transfer window. 

23. Kaan Ayhan

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Schalke's German-born Turkish centre-back/right-back Kaan Ayhan, 19, is relaxed on the ball and is able to play out wide and centrally. 

From a talent point of view, the difference between him and Calum Chambers is minimal. 

Arsenal value Chambers at €20.3/£16 million, so Ayhan could be sold for a substantial fee down the line if Schalke play their cards right. 

What Ayhan needs to do is be more dominant in shutting down opposing centre-forwards, which will help him transition from prospect to top defender.

22. Davy Klaassen

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Ajax's Dutch central midfielder Davy Klaassen, 21, tackles like a No. 6 and has the genius of a No. 10.

He has accumulated 15 tackles and five assists in 10 Eredivisie games. 

Klaassen is more experienced than Heerenveen's Daley Sinkgraven while having a lower transfer stock than Juventus' Paul Pogba.

Yes, it is improbable that Ajax would offload Klaassen in January, but there is a trend which indicates the club is open to selling their assets mid-season. 

• Luis Suarez → Liverpool, January 31, 2011.
• Klaas-Jan Huntelaar → Real Madrid, December 2, 2008.
• Frank and Ronald de Boer → Barcelona, January 17, 1999. 

21. Loris Karius

Credit: instagram.com/lorisk21.

Mainz's German goalkeeper Loris Karius, 21, is reinforcing why Manchester City signed him from Stuttgart in 2009.

Then a 15-year-old, it caused hoopla given the perception of him being given too much too soon.

"There was an exorbitant amount of money involved [for City to sign Karius]," Stuttgart's youth coordinator Thomas Allbeck said, per Stuttgarter Nachrichten (h/t Thomas Zocher at Sky Sports). "We cannot afford this and we are also unwilling to keep up with this."

Karius never started a Premier League game for City and moved back to Germany.

His ascension to the top at Mainz in two years vindicates the scouts at City and their decision to make him a wealthy teenager.

20. Benjamin Mendy

Claude Paris/Associated Press

Marseille's French left-back/left wing-back Benjamin Mendy, 20, provides drive and vitality with his surging runs. 

He is athletic, boisterous and a two-way player, which are all attributes essential to play under Marcelo Bielsa. 

While Mendy's defending can be lacking (he has conceded 22 free kicks in 10 Ligue 1 games), he is a constant wide-threat charging forward.

He has accumulated more Ligue 1 assists (three) than Paris Saint-Germain's Lucas Moura (zero) this season.

19. Kevin Wimmer

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Koln's Austrian centre-back Kevin Wimmer, 21, is turning into a surprise defensive stopper like Philipp Wollscheid for Nurnberg during the 2010-11 season. 

Forming a solid partnership with Dominic Maroh, Wimmer has the physical attributes (6'2", 187 pounds) and the mentality to be a mainstay in the Bundesliga.

Currently ranked as the fifth best defender in Germany's top-flight, per Kicker, Wimmer becomes an out-of-left-field centre-back transfer option for major clubs.

18. Nemanja Radoja

Sergio Camacho/Getty Images

Celta Vigo's Serbian central midfielder Nemanja Radoja, 21, is bright and industrious.

Radoja holds Celta's midfield shape, he is involved in the build-up play (averages 41.9 passes per game) and is a safe tackler (two yellow cards in 709 minutes). 

Celta have a history of profiting on modest footballers, per Sid Lowe at When Saturday Comes:

"

Celta have bought well, too, but have sold even better.

Claude Makelele came for €1.5/£1.2 million and left for €12.7/£10 million.

Youth team product Michel Salgado went for €10.2/£8 mil­lion (both to Real Madrid) and they even managed to make €5.7/£4.5 million on the aptly named Mario Turdo (to Ren­nes). 

"

Radoja has played an important part in Celta being just four points behind La Liga champions Atletico Madrid. 

17. Johannes Geis

Michael Probst/Associated Press

Mainz's German central midfielder Johannes Geis, 21, can function in various roles. 

• He can act as a deep-lying playmaker with more key passes coming from long (nine) than short passes (six). 
• He is an energetic presence who can play box-to-box. 
• He possesses the creativity to fill in as a No. 10 if Mainz manager Kasper Hjulmand wants an alternative to Filip Djuricic.

If Geis increases his passing accuracy percentage (74.8) and becomes a more efficient tackler (committed more fouls; 23 than tackles; 22), he will up his transfer stock substantially. 

16. Jordan Veretout

Gero Breloer/Associated Press

Nantes' French central midfielder Jordan Veretout, 21, was not deemed a "key player" at the 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup by the technical study group.

He was omitted, whereas his compatriots Alphonse Areola, Florian Thauvin, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Paul Pogba were recognised for their efforts, per FIFA's official website.

Yet, Veretout has scored and created a combined six goals in 10 Ligue 1 games this season. 

He could earn a lucrative move like former Nantes standout Eric Carriere did in 2001, per UEFA's official website: "Voted France's player of the year last season after helping Nantes to the title, [Carriere] has signed a four-year contract [at Lyon] worth €12.5/£9.9 million."

Veretout is experiencing a purple patch, registering an assist in three successive games. 

15. Timo Werner

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Stuttgart's German centre-forward/left-forward Timo Werner, 18, is another colossal talent. 

His transfer value can rise as high as Mario Gomez, he can be an entertainer like Jurgen Klinsmann and a difference maker like Giovane Elber.

Werner's upside is just as high as the aforementioned former Stuttgart players. 

Manchester United spent €38.1/£30 million on Luke Shaw and are paying him €126,923/£100,000 per week primarily on upside. 

What about Werner?

If major clubs are looking to invest in a young German, Werner should be on their radar.

14. Mattia Perin

Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images

Genoa's Italian goalkeeper Mattia Perin, 21, has been a sustained presence in Serie A over the last three seasons.

While Udinese's Simone Scuffet, 18, is encountering his first hurdle in his career, Perin has played 720 minutes this campaign so far. 

Perin has come to Genoa's rescue a plethora of times, like making six saves in a 0-0 draw against Fiorentina. 

He has the highest market value at Genoa (€12/£9.5 million), per Transfermarkt.com.

13. Max Meyer

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Schalke's German central attacking midfielder Max Meyer, 19, is the real pearl of Gelsenkirchen. 

Julian Draxler is getting the tabloid attention of being Schalke's cash cow, but Meyer could be the future of the German national team. 

A technically superlative footballer, Meyer's transfer stock is still at a fair price (has had a sluggish start to the season; none of his key attacking statistics per game are over 1.0). 

Major European teams should test Schalke by submitting a bid for him before he progresses into a star. 

12. Morgan Sanson

Michel Spingler/Associated Press

Montpellier's French central midfielder Morgan Sanson, 20, has exceptional qualities.

A commanding midfielder, he leads Montpellier in tackles per game (3.6) and can penetrate opposing defences with his direct running.

He has also played as a right-forward, like in Montpellier's 1-0 defeat to Reims.

11. Hakan Calhanoglu

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Bayer Leverkusen's German central attacking midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, 20, is a natural showman. 

Having overcome the trauma of being threatened by a gun in a situation involving compatriot Gokhan Tore, per ZDF Aktuellen Sportstudio (h/t Emre Kaya at Besiktas-International.com), Calhanoglu is making decisive steps in his career.

He can score from 30 yards out, shoots with either foot, is a set-piece specialist and regularly splits open opposing defences.  

But he is a turnover machine because of his high-risk, high-reward playing style (only completes 64.7 percent of his passes).

10. Nabil Fekir

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Lyon's French centre-forward Nabil Fekir, 21, has a lightning-quick turn of pace.

His burst of speed has seen him win 25 free kicks in eight Ligue 1 games. Fekir is fouled 3.1 times per game, the third-highest figure in Ligue 1. 

What Fekir needs to work on is making a weighted pass to wide-open team-mates when he slices open opposing defences, since he has the potential to be an outlet for assists.

He is just one of Lyon's many young guns aiming to become stars: Clinton N'Jie, Corentin Tolisso, Mohamed Yattara, Samuel Umtiti, et al. 

If France do not cap Fekir in a competitive game, Algeria could capitalise.

9. Abdoulaye Doucoure

Claude Paris/Associated Press

Rennes' French central attacking midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, 21, is a captivating prospect. 

He does not hesitate when shooting with his right or left foot, and he is a threat in the air. 

He has registered more key passes (20) than shots (16), so he is a team-orientated player. 

At the same age, Yaya Toure was playing for Metalurh Donetsk, so Doucoure is on course to become a world-class player assuming he continues to improve. 

8. Eric Dier

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur's English right-back/centre-back Eric Dier, 20, will continue to be a marquee transfer target for major Premier League teams. 

He is comfortable on the ball, he is strong and he is English. 

He started the season like a world-class footballer, but there have been concerns in his games recently, such as his woeful display in Spurs' 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United.

7. Memphis Depay

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

PSV Eindhoven's Dutch left-forward Memphis Depay, 20, flashes glimpses of Cristiano Ronaldo-like play, swerving in from the left and shooting with the right-foot. 

Depay has scored six goals in six Eredivisie games. 

He is a lively dribbler and can create his own shots, but can he emulate his success in one of Europe's elite leagues?

6. Saido Berahino

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

West Bromwich Albion's English centre-forward Saido Berahino, 21, saved his career by extending his contract until 2017. 

He could have left West Brom, signed for a big Premier League club, and sat on the bench. 

Instead, he committed to West Brom, and is now one of the best in-form forwards in Europe. 

The seven goals in nine Premier League games is impressive, but he is also careful in possession, having completed 87.7 percent of his passes.

This suggests there is potential for him to develop into a facilitator. 

With Mario Balotelli, who is goalless in the Premier League this season, costing Liverpool €20.3/£16 million, Berahino is a gold mine for West Brom. 

5. Aymeric Laporte

Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Athletic Bilbao's French centre-back Aymeric Laporte, 20, is assured under pressure.

He reads and reacts excellently, hence why he has intercepted 32 passes in eight La Liga games.

Paris Saint-Germain value David Luiz at €49.5/£39 million and Manchester City see Eliaquim Mangala as a €40.6/£32 million footballer.

Neither defender is world-class, so why wouldn't a major club take a punt on Laporte? He is one of the best young centre-backs in the world. 

4. Adam Maher

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

PSV Eindhoven's Dutch central midfielder Adam Maher, 21, has been in scintillating form, scoring six times for his club in the Eredivisie. 

He is not just a scorer, he creates and controls the flow of the game for PSV. 

If Kevin Strootman's fitness still is a problem, then one realistic alternative is Maher.

3. Abdul Rahman Baba

Gero Breloer/Associated Press

Augsburg's Ghanaian left-back Abdul Rahman Baba, 20, is one of the best left-backs in the Bundesliga.

He is a threat going forward and can be a lock-down defender in one-on-one situations. He has won back possession a combined 7.8 times (4.8 tackles, 3.0 interceptions) per game this season. 

Baba being a breakout star in the Bundesliga is not a surprise if you followed his 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup displays, where he was recognised by the FIFA technical study group, per FIFA's official website.

2. Timo Horn

Alex Grimm/Getty Images

Koln's German goalkeeper Timo Horn, 21, could be the Bundesliga's most coveted shot-stopper since Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Barcelona signed Ter Stegen for €12/£9.5 million from Borussia Monchengladbach and Horn has the ability to play at a major European club. 

Possessing prototypical size (6'4", 183 pounds) and agile reflexes, Horn is a world-class prospect. 

In nine Bundesliga games, he has recorded five clean sheets. 

1. Niklas Sule

Credit: Screen capture via TSG1899Hoffenheim YouTube Channel.

Hoffenheim's German centre-back Niklas Sule, 19, could coast through the rest of his footballing career on his physical prowess alone. 

At 6'5" and 205 pounds, Sule is genetically gifted. 

But so was Titus Bramble, Philippe Christanval and Winston Bogarde. The aforementioned three defenders never lived up to what they could have achieved in the game.

It is up to Sule to blend his natural physical traits with high percentage defending and professionalism.

Sule is a sturdy tackler, he intercepts the ball well and is an efficient defender (only concedes 0.6 fouls per game and is 22/25 in tackles/attempted tackles).

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