Former Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva will undergo tests after the detection of a heart issue forced him to withdraw from training with Gremio.

Lucas made 247 Premier League appearances during a 10-year spell with Liverpool, scoring just one goal in the competition, before joining Serie A giants Lazio in 2017.

The former Brazil international then re-joined Gremio – the club where he began his career – after leaving Italy at the end of the 2021-22 campaign. 

On Tuesday, Lucas tweeted a statement from the Gremio's medical department, announcing he would sit out the team's pre-season preparations while undergoing assessment.

The statement read: "The Gremio medical department communicates that the athlete Lucas Leiva presented, in pre-season routine exams, a picture of having an altered cardiac rhythm.

"Consequently, he is removed from physical activities until the conclusion of complementary exams and treatment of the condition."

Gremio – who have won the joint-most Copa Libertadores titles of any Brazilian club (three) – won promotion from Brazil's second tier in 2022 after finishing second.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has urged his Milan team-mate Rafael Leao to reject interest from other clubs and stay at San Siro in order to realise his "scary" potential.

Leao played a key role as Milan ended an 11-year wait to win the Scudetto last term, while no other Rossoneri player can match his tallies of six goals and four assists in Serie A this season.

The winger, who scored in Portugal's World Cup wins against Ghana and Switzerland, has been linked with the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool in recent months.

However, Ibrahimovic insists Milan is the best place for Leao to develop, highlighting the strides he has made since breaking into Stefano Pioli's team.  

"Of course, Milan is the right environment for him," Ibrahimovic told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Just look at his growth, when he arrived, he was far from the decisive player he is today. 

"Here he is very important for us. Elsewhere, would he be as important? He would have to start from scratch, you can't be sure he would be ready right away.

"At Milan he has confidence, space and freedom, which is not a given at another club, it's up to you. 

"Besides, you can see that he is happy here, by now he is laughing even before scoring. He is the young man who has grown the most."

Several young players came to the fore as Milan edged out rivals Inter to win Serie A and Ibrahimovic believes Leao is the most exciting talent of all.

"Theo [Hernandez] has improved so much, [Charles] De Ketelaere is strong, and patience is needed. But Leao is on another level, above average," he added.

"He lacks a step, he will only do it when he is fully convinced of his abilities. Today, even he doesn't really know how strong he is. Then he will be really scary, and the price will go up."

Milan resume their Serie A campaign with a trip to Salernitana on January 4, having entered the World Cup break eight points adrift of leaders Napoli.

Arsenal will reportedly launch a move for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk in January, with his price now said to be more negotiable than the initial demand of €100million.

The 21-year-old has been a revelation this season for the Ukrainian club, announcing his arrival with a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win against RB Leipzig to kick off his side's Champions League campaign.

He scored both home and away against Celtic, while also racking up seven goals and six assists in 12 league fixtures, emerging as one of the most talented young forwards outside of Europe's big five competitions.

Earlier reports had claimed Shakhtar would hold out for a fee matching what Manchester United paid for Antony, but new information states that is no longer believed to be the case.

TOP STORY - ARSENAL PLOT JANUARY MOVE FOR UKRAINIAN SENSATION

According to The Athletic, there is a "good chance" Mudryk's move to Arsenal will materialise, with the publication claiming he is "determined to make the Emirates Stadium his destination".

The report says Arsenal will investigate what other deals they could potentially accomplish for a similar fee, but that "interested parties are of the understanding that a lower fee [than the initial €100m demand] would be deemed acceptable".

Adding fuel to the fire is the belief that the Kroenke family are willing to throw their trust into Edu and Mikel Arteta's decisions amid an unexpected Premier League title challenge, increasing the chance of such a significant January investment.

ROUND-UP

– Marca is reporting Arsenal have become the favourites to land 23-year-old Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix in January, providing further indication the Gunners plan on making a splash in the upcoming transfer window.

– According to Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Milan rejected a €70m bid from Chelsea for Rafael Leao, and are holding firm on his €150m release clause with just over 18 months remaining on his contract.

– La Capital is reporting Liverpool have signed a pre-agreement for 21-year-old Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who is believed to be valued at €100m.

– Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing 25-year-old Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele, per El Nacional.

– Foot Mercato claims Manchester City have joined Manchester United and Chelsea in the pursuit of 20-year-old Croatia and RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol.

Marcus Rashford is free to negotiate with overseas teams from next month, with his Manchester United contract expiring at the end of this season.

The 25-year-old England international has had a couple of difficult seasons at Old Trafford but remains hot property.

United are eager to re-sign their forward, with Metro claiming they are looking to exercise an option in his contract to extend his stay.

TOP STORY – PSG TO LODGE LUCRATIVE RASHFORD DEAL

Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to offer Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford a bumper contract to lure him to the French capital, claims The Mirror.

The Parisians are readying a fresh bid which would make the 25-year-old one of the best-paid players on the planet, amid interest from Bayern Munich along with Real Betis.

PSG's package would be worth up to £850,000 (€990,000) a week for Rashford, who has been with United since he was a boy.

ROUND-UP

–  Juventus are interested in Chelsea's Mason Mount and would be willing to let three players go to fund any deal, reports Calciomercato. Adrien Rabiot, Leandro Paredes and Weston McKennie are among those named in the report.

– AS claims Arsenal have joined the pursuit of Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix , while the Mirror claims the Portuguese's agent is ready to speak with Aston Villa and Newcastle United about a deal. Manchester United and Chelsea have already held discussions.

– The Mirror claims Liverpool are in contention to sign Napoli's Mexican forward Hirving Lozano in January.

– Bayern Munich are interested in signing RB Leipzig's Josip Gvardiol, but Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United have already lodged bids for him, claims Foot Mercato.

Jurgen Klopp says Luis Diaz's injury setback is "a proper smash in the face" as the Liverpool winger awaits news on the full extent of the damage.

Diaz injured his knee during a training session at Liverpool's base in the United Arab Emirates and flew back to the United Kingdom on Friday to undergo tests.

The Colombia international was on the comeback trail after missing 10 games for the Reds prior to the World Cup hiatus due to an injury sustained against Arsenal on October 9.

Klopp remains unsure for how long Diaz will be on the sidelines, but accepts it is a blow to lose the 25-year-old ahead of Liverpool's campaign resuming in 11 days' time.

"He was not in the best possible place. It's clear it's a big disappointment for all of us, for him as well," Klopp told reporters after Sunday's 3-1 friendly defeat to Lyon in Dubai.

"It was a non-situation in training. Honestly – nothing. He felt something. He didn't feel a lot the next day, but we wanted to be really cautious and said, 'OK, come on, let's have a look'.

"Then the news came and it was a proper smash in the face. But that's it now."

Former Porto attacker Diaz has four goals and two assists in 12 games this season, with 11 of those appearances being starts.

He has been directly involved in 16 goals in 38 games since his debut in February – a tally only Diogo Jota (17), Roberto Firmino (18) and Mohamed Salah (33) can better.

Diaz is now in a race against time to be fit for Liverpool's next competitive match, which is a mouth-watering EFL Cup last-16 tie with Manchester City on December 22.

Klopp provided some better injury news regarding midfielder Harvey Elliott, who limped off after 29 minutes of the Dubai Super Cup opener with Lyon.

"Harvey got a knock before we scored, but I think we were lucky," Klopp said, quoted on Liverpool's official website. "He looks fine but he feels it. That's normal; there was contact. I hope we were lucky in that moment."

Joao Carvalho gave Liverpool the lead inside a minute against Lyon, but Alexandre Lacazette scored twice, either side of a Bradley Barcola goal, to earn the French side victory.

Liverpool, who are sixth in the Premier League with 14 matches played, face Milan on Friday in the second of their mid-season friendlies.

Arsenal are reportedly the leading candidate to land Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic after an injury to Gabriel Jesus exposed their lack of depth in attack.

Vlahovic, 22, was purchased from Fiorentina for €70million in January this year, and started the current Serie A campaign in fine form, with six goals and an assist from his first 10 starts.

He missed Juventus' final four league games leading into the World Cup break due to an adductor injury, and failed to make much of an impact for Serbia in Qatar, scoring one goal from a combined 79 minutes on the field.

While he still has another three seasons on his contract, Juventus' behind-the-scenes turmoil could make the young talent available as the club sort out their financial issues.

TOP STORY – ARSENAL EMERGE AS FAVOURITES FOR SERBIA'S VLAHOVIC

According to Calciomercato, Vlahovic is no longer viewed as the "immovable cornerstone" he was before the season, mentioning the "corporate situation" as an important factor.

The report implies Vlahovic will only be sold if it is necessary to do so, and, more importantly, that it will likely not be until the end of the season that Juventus begin to entertain the possibility. 

With Jesus scheduled to miss three months following his knee surgery, Arsenal will need to decide if their need for cover means they need to pivot to an alternate option.

Meanwhile, a separate Calciomercato report adds Juventus would be happy to exchange Vlahovic for Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, who is also reportedly nearing the end of his time with his club.

ROUND-UP

– Il Romanista is reporting Roma will attempt to bring in Barcelona's Hector Bellerin in January if right-back Rick Karsdorp leaves the club as he has requested.

– Sport reports Barcelona could secure midfielder Ruben Neves in January for less than Wolves' initial €50m asking price, but Xavi is said to prefer Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi or Chelsea's N'Golo Kante.

– Eintracht Frankfurt's 24-year-old forward Randal Kolo Muani is reportedly being tracked by Liverpool, Tottenham and Atletico Madrid, per Fichajes.

– According to O Jogo, Real Madrid have approached Benfica about a potential purchase of 21-year-old midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

– The Mirror claims Everton are exploring a £35m move for 24-year-old Watford winger Ismaila Sarr.

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz will undergo tests after suffering a setback in his bid to return from a knee injury, Jurgen Klopp has confirmed.

Diaz has been absent since sustaining the injury in Liverpool's 3-2 defeat to Premier League leaders Arsenal in October, but he was named in their squad for a training camp in Dubai earlier this week.

The Colombia winger – who has recorded four goals and two assists in 12 appearances for Liverpool this term – was initially expected to play a full part in team training ahead of the Premier League's resumption later this month.

However, a statement released by Liverpool on Friday revealed Diaz had been forced to miss two training sessions, while he will also sit out the Reds' friendly against Lyon on Sunday.

As the club confirmed Diaz's injury would require further assessment, reports said the 25-year-old would return to England after experiencing discomfort in the same knee.

"It's all good with the boys who are here," manager Jurgen Klopp said. "What's not good is we have to see with Lucho.

"He felt something and we need to have further assessment there, but apart from that they all look really, really good."

Liverpool will face Lyon and Milan in friendlies before resuming competitive action with an EFL Cup last-16 tie against Manchester City on December 22.

The Reds sit sixth in the Premier League, seven points adrift of the Champions League places, ahead of their next top-flight fixture against Aston Villa on December 26.

Jack Grealish's future at Manchester City has been the subject of speculation lately despite being only 18 months into a six-year contract.

The 27-year-old England attacking midfielder has not quite met expectations since his big-money switch from Aston Villa.

Grealish has scored one goal in 16 appearances this season, after netting five times in 33 games in his maiden season at City.

TOP STORY - MILAN PLOT SHOCK MOVE FOR GREALISH

Serie A champions Milan are set to launch a shock transfer bid for Grealish, according to Calciomercato.

City are open to selling the playmaker, who they signed from Villa last year for £100 million, the most expensive transfer of an English player.

The Premier League champions are willing to let Grealish go to fund their bid for Borussia Dortmund's England international Jude Bellingham. Milan would likely make a move for Grealish at the end of the season.

ROUND-UP

– Bellingham's management have informed Real Madrid that Liverpool are ahead in the race for the Dortmund midfielder's signature, according to Bild.

– Liverpool have joined the pursuit of Valencia's United States international Yunus Musah, competing with Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea, reports Calciomercato.

– 90min claims both Tottenham and Liverpool are considering a move for Fiorentina's Morocco international midfielder Sofyan Amrabat in January.

– Milan may be interested in Barcelona target Gabriel Martinelli, should the Italian giants sell Rafael Leao in January, claims Calciomercato. Martinelli is contracted with Arsenal until 2024.

– Marseille are interested in a move for Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha when his contract is up at the end of the season, reports 90min.

– Bild reports that Bayern Munich are close to agreeing a new deal for 19-year-old whizzkid Jamal Musiala.

The race to sign Palmeiras teenager Endrick is on.

Endrick turns 18 in July 2024, and he cannot officially join a European club until then, but teams are jostling for position in the meantime.

The 16-year-old has scored three goals in seven appearances for Palmeiras in the 2022 Serie A season.

TOP STORY - LOS BLANCOS HOME IN ON BRAZILIAN TEENAGER ENDRICK

Real Madrid are closing in on a deal worth €70million for Palmeiras teenager Endrick with personal terms agreed, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Madrid are in the final stages with the talented left-footed Brazilian striker with contracts discussed and they hope to complete the deal this month.

Romano claims that Paris Saint-Germain have withdrawn from the race despite a €58m offer a few days ago. Chelsea were previously interested too. 

ROUND-UP

– Paris Saint-Germain were tracking Portugal's last-16 hat-trick hero Goncalo Ramos in the off-season, claims Fabrizio Romano. The 21-year-old forward is contracted with Benfica until 2025, with his price likely to surge after his latest World Cup display.

– Manchester United have pulled out of the race to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, claims Sky Sports Germany. Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid all remain interested but the England international may cost around £130m (€150m).

– Bild claims Manchester United have commenced talks with Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who is out of contract at the end of this season, but Fichajes reports they have identified Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak as their main target.

– Tottenham are looming as a possible option for Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie with Barcelona eager to sell him, according to Sport. Kessie joined the Blaugrana in July but has only made five starts this season.

– Nicolo Schira reports that Hansi Flick's future as Germany's head coach is in doubt following their World Cup group-stage exit. The German Football Association could move in a different direction amid links with ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.

Andrew Robertson has found the World Cup a massive turn-off after Scotland's failure to qualify, as the Liverpool star admitted the tournament "bites away" at him.

The Scotland captain revealed he bonded with David Alaba of Real Madrid when they recently met by chance on holiday, with neither man on duty in Qatar while club-mates battle for glory.

Alaba missed out with Austria after a defeat to Wales in the first round of the UEFA play-offs, with Scotland going the same way after losing to Ukraine.

Robertson said having the World Cup happening in recent weeks had been "difficult", given his role as captain of his country, and initially he had "not really watched it".

He said he only wished the best for his Liverpool team-mates still in with a chance of reaching the December 18 final, and has begun watching games in the last few days.

"For Scotland it's obviously difficult," Robertson added. "We think we should've been there, but we didn't perform the way we did in the play-off, which was disappointing from our point of view, and we have to deal with that."

At the age of 28, Robertson knows time is finite when it comes to his chances of ever gracing the World Cup stage.

He has won almost all there is to win at club level with Liverpool, but success in international football will be difficult to come about. Scotland are ranked 40th by FIFA, so should at least stand a better chance of reaching the 2026 World Cup, when the tournament is expanded from 32 to 48 teams.

"When I went on holiday I actually bumped into David Alaba and he's in a similar boat obviously playing with Austria," Robertson told Liverpool's official website.

Like Robertson, Alaba skippers his national team. They next time both men meet will be in the Champions League last-16 tie between their respective teams.

"He said he'd been to a couple of Euros, but never been to a World Cup," Robertson said. "We were both kind of talking that we were getting on a bit, so the chances are running out for us to qualify."

Robertson sees the World Cup as "a massive, massive thing" that he wants to experience. Scotland made it through to the Euro 2020 finals, but their last World Cup trip was to France 98, when Robertson was four years old.

"The World Cup is the one that bites away at me," said the left-back. "I'll definitely have one more shot at it – maybe two, let's see. It is something you want to achieve and something you want to be part of, and in the future that's definitely a target of mine."

Liverpool's sketchy start to the Premier League season means they have ground to make up when the campaign resumes for the Reds on December 26, with a trip to Aston Villa.

Just six wins from 14 games have left Liverpool sixth in the table, albeit going into the World Cup break on a high after successive victories against Tottenham and Southampton.

Robertson said: "We've not got any time to waste, the start of the season hasn't been what we wanted. It's been nowhere near the standards that the fans have been used to for us, so it's important when we come back we try to hit the ground running because that’s all we can do."

There was a boost for Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp when winger Luis Diaz returned to training at the club's camp in Dubai on Tuesday, with the Colombian fit again after recovering from a knee injury.

Liverpool have contacted UEFA and Real Madrid to complain about their ticket allocation for March's Champions League last-16 clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Jurgen Klopp's team were drawn to face the holders in a repeat of last season's final after finishing second to Serie A leaders Napoli in Group A last month.

UEFA regulations say visiting teams are entitled to at least five per cent of tickets for Champions League matches, and reports suggest Madrid took the decision for March 15's second leg due to the impact of renovations at their historic home.

However, a statement from Liverpool on Tuesday said their initial allocation of just 1,800 tickets was still "significantly less than expected" for the game.

The statement continued: "The club has contacted UEFA and Real Madrid regarding the reduced allocation to understand the rationale behind this decision.

"LFC will provide supporters with an update when the ticket allocation has been confirmed."

Liverpool's 1-0 defeat to Madrid at the Stade de France in May was overshadowed by the breakdown of security outside the stadium in Paris, with fans of the English club complaining of heavy-handed policing as kick-off was twice delayed.

Luis Diaz is among the 33 players Jurgen Klopp is taking with him for Liverpool's training camp in Dubai.

The Premier League side are heading to the United Arab Emirates on Monday for warm-weather training in preparation for the resumption of domestic football at the end of the month, following the break for the World Cup in Qatar.

Diaz – who has four goals and two assists in 12 games for Liverpool this season – has been out of action since suffering a knee injury in the 3-2 defeat at Arsenal on October 9, but the Colombian attacker is expected to be fit to take part in team training during the trip.

Fellow injured team-mates Joel Matip, Naby Keita, Diogo Jota and Arthur Melo are also included in the travelling party, though the latter two are not thought to be close to returning and will simply just be given a change of scenery in their rehabilitation.

Liverpool will play friendlies against Lyon and Milan while out in Dubai, before returning to face Manchester City in the EFL Cup fourth round on December 22.

With the Merseyside club only having seven players at the World Cup, manager Klopp has been able to take a strong squad, which also includes Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson, Thiago Alcantara and Roberto Firmino.

Darwin Nunez – who was eliminated in the group stage with Uruguay – will join up with the squad next week, with Dubai only a short flight from Qatar.

Virgil van Dijk has complete confidence Liverpool will remain a force in world football regardless of who owns the Reds.

It was confirmed last month the club's Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are exploring the possibility of selling up or seeking outside investment as they aim to keep up with the Premier League's big spenders.

Reports suggest Liverpool are valued at an eye-watering £3.7billion with Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs said to be overseeing the process.

Van Dijk, speaking to reporters after helping the Netherlands defeat the United States 3-1 to reach the World Cup quarter-finals, says Liverpool will continue to thrive whoever is in charge at Anfield.

"I have full trust in Liverpool that they will be fine. We are a very established club, one of the biggest in the world and that will stay that way," he said.

"Whoever comes in to fill in those roles, they will do very well. I am aware of everything that is happening.

"Whether I am taking it in and doing something with it right now, I don't think so because the full focus is on the World Cup but hopefully everything will be sorted and clarified when I am back. At this point, I am definitely not thinking about it."

Liverpool struggled for consistency prior to the World Cup and sit sixth in the Premier League, 15 points off leaders Arsenal and seven back of Spurs in fourth.

They did win five of their six Champions League group-stage games but finished second behind Napoli on goal difference and face Real Madrid in the last 16 in a repeat of last season's final, which they lost 1-0.

Jude Bellingham is expected to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of this season, with numerous clubs lining up to sign him.

The England international, who has impressed during the World Cup, is contracted with Dortmund until 2025.

It has been speculated that Bellingham will cost English clubs more than £100million to fund the deal.

TOP STORY – CITY TO USE GREALISH IN DEAL FOR BELLINGHAM

Manchester City will dangle Jack Grealish to Borussia Dortmund as part of a deal to land Bellingham, claims Football Insider.

Grealish, who City signed for £100m from Aston Villa 18 months ago, has not fully convinced since his switch to the English champions.

According to the report, City are intensifying their interest in Bellingham and are willing to use Grealish.

Le10Sport have also reported French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in 19-year-old Bellingham.

ROUND-UP

– Liverpool are plotting a surprise move for Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, reports Calciomercato. The Serbian striker has scored six Serie A goals this term.

– Mundo Deportivo reports Borussia Dortmund's Thomas Meunier is willing to listen to offers from Milan, Juventus, Manchester United and two other Premier League clubs if Barcelona do not bid for him.

– Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix is open to a Premier League switch amid interest from Chelsea, claims GiveMeSport transfer expert Dean Jones.

– Calciomercato reports that Arsenal are interested in a January move for Real Madrid's Marco Asensio.

– Leeds United are interested in a January move for Newcastle forward Chris Wood, claims Football Insider. Wood left Leeds for Burnley in 2017.

Once every four years players from across the globe get a chance to perform on the world stage and force their way into the football zeitgeist.

Whether it is a young midfielder from Ghana who has been battling injuries the past couple of seasons, or a mercurial Dutch forward trying to push his way out of the Eredivisie, it is the perfect launchpad to alter the course of a player's career.

Stats Perform has identified four players who have lit up Qatar and, in turn, have seen their profile and transfer stock skyrocket, opening the door to a new world of possibilities come the January transfer window.

Take a look at these young leading lights...

Cody Gakpo, the Netherlands

Cody Gakpo has perhaps been the breakout star of the tournament, finding the back of the net in all three of the Netherlands' group matches.

Having spent his entire career with PSV, the 23-year-old six-foot-four forward took a huge step forward in the 2021-22 season when he shattered his best goal return, following up his 11 goals in the 2020-21 campaign with 21 last time out.

While those in the Netherlands set-up were waiting to see if he could replicate his terrific 12 months, he has taken another leap, with 12 goals and 14 assists in 19 combined Eredivisie and Europa League contests this term.

There were rumours in the most recent transfer window that Leeds United were among the clubs looking to lure Gakpo away from PSV for a fee in the range of €30million, but he opted to reject their contract offer in the hope of landing at one of Europe's biggest clubs.

That bet on himself has proven to be a masterstroke, with his performances on the Qatar stage well and truly putting him on the radar of Champions League sides including Real Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern Munich, per Dutch journalist Marco Timmer.

He became the first player from any European nation since 2002 to score in each group match, while he also became only the second player to put his side 1-0 up in all three group fixtures.

Enzo Fernandez, Argentina

Just over six months ago, Enzo Fernandez was playing for River Plate back in Argentina, but just half a season after arriving at Benfica for a deal worth up to €18m, the attacking midfielder could be moving on to greener pastures.

Fernandez, 21, broke into the Argentina squad while still with River Plate, but did not receive his senior debut until September 24 this year.

His lead-up to the World Cup was strong enough to book his ticket to Qatar, and after coming off the bench in Argentina's first group-stage loss to Saudi Arabia, he came on and scored against Mexico, forcing his way into the starting XI before contributing an assist against Poland.

His rapid rise has not gone unnoticed, and Marca is reporting Benfica have slapped a €100m fee on their new star if any team wants to pry him away while his contract still has another four seasons locked in.

Real Madrid are one side said to be accepting of that figure, with Marca claiming they now view him as an alternative option to Borussia Dortmund and England prodigy Jude Bellingham.

Mohammed Kudus, Ghana

Ajax's Mohammed Kudus had begun to break out at the club level this season heading into the World Cup.

The 22-year-old central midfielder scored four goals – including one each against Liverpool and Napoli – while adding two assists in six Champions League fixtures.

After being awarded his first senior international cap for Ghana back in 2019, he was spotted at Danish side Nordsjaelland and brought over to Ajax for a €9m fee in 2020.

He missed extended stretches of both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns through injuries, and still has not been used as a guaranteed starter this season, but his emergence on the World Cup stage has been undeniable.

Against South Korea, Kudus delivered Ghana their only win of the group as he found the back of the net twice in a 3-2 triumph, and it was a performance that is said to have caught the eye of European powerhouses.

Fichajes named Liverpool, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain as interested parties, and Sports Illustrated believe his price will be around £90m.

Harry Souttar, Australia

Australia have now qualified for five World Cups in a row, but after not winning a game at both the 2014 and 2018 editions, they had centre-back Harry Souttar to thank for finally taking three points against Tunisia.

Souttar, 24, stands at a towering six-foot-six and showed off an impressive ability to cover ground in a hurry when he was called upon for a potentially game-saving, last-man challenge to defend Australia's 1-0 lead.

It was one of the most spectacular defensive efforts of the tournament so far and one that will go down in Australian football folklore, and it is even more significant when taking into account his recent history.

Tipped as a potential £20m transfer target late in 2021, Souttar then tore his ACL and missed 12 months of action, returning to the field in time to get three games under his belt with Stoke City before jetting off to the World Cup.

While he could be forgiven for needing time to work his way into form, he has instead started all three group games and been the Socceroos' top performer, including his stellar efforts in a second clean sheet against Denmark to help his side through to the knockout stage.

Clearly back to the player he was before his injury – at least – Souttar's showings on the world stage have been the kind that can take a career to a new level.