Who should sign Azzedine Ounahi?

When the World Cup rolls around every four years, we all want to predict which previously unknown player is going to announce themselves at football’s top table.

Whether it’s James Rodriguez bursting onto the scene with his golden boot-winning performances in 2014 or Michael Owen proving himself to be one of the world’s greatest back in 1998, there is always someone who uses the competition to go from zero to hero in the space of one month.

This year, there is no stronger contender for that title than Morocco’s Azzedine Ounahi.

The 22-year-old midfielder was an entirely unknown quantity a month ago, playing his club football in France for Angers. Having helped to inspire Morocco to become the first African side ever to reach a World Cup semi-final, Ounahi is now the subject of interest from clubs all across Europe and a big transfer could soon be on the cards.

Where Ounahi goes next could be the biggest decision of his entire career and determine whether he blossoms into the star we saw in Qatar, or slides back into irrelevance over the coming years.

So, without further ado: who should sign Azzedine Ounahi?

Between spending over £200m on new signings in the last 12 months and Eddie Howe’s genuinely impressive work getting the best out of his players, Newcastle’s squad looks a lot better than it did this time last year.

All the same, their squad still lacks strength in depth and this is something they will need to address before becoming a true Premier League heavyweight. Ounahi would provide Howe’s side with better options in midfield, while his youth means he could grow into a superstar on Tyneside.

Leicester are among the Premier League clubs reported to have sent their scouts to take a look at Ounahi. While his World Cup heroics might have just seen him move out of the Foxes’ price range, this could actually be a very sensible move for the Moroccan.

While their season so far has been a mixed bag, Leicester have a good record when it comes to signing young players, improving them and selling them on for a large profit. With Youri Tielemans likely to move on in 2023, a space could be opening up in midfield for a bright-eyed young star like Ounahi.

If ever a club needed some fresh blood in midfield, it’s Juventus.

The Bianconeri have fallen on tough times and lack quality in midfield, with Paul Pogba injured and the likes of Fabio Miretti and Nicolo Fagioli still finding their feet in Turin.

Their present financial situation might prevent a move for Ounahi…