15 Best Players Outside Europe’s Top 5 Leagues, Including Ex-Chelsea Star & Arsenal Targets

Top talents not currently at traditionally big clubs.

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15) Mathieu Valbuena (Dynamo Moscow)

French playmaker linked with top Premier League clubs such as Arsenal and Liverpool in the summer, Mathieu Valbuena made the somewhat surprise move to Russia instead.

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14) Douglas Costa (Shakhtar Donetsk)

Exciting Brazilian winger currently playing for Ukraine giants Shakhtar Donetsk, Douglas Costa has been linked with Arsenal and other top clubs in the past.

13) Adam Maher (PSV)

A top class youngster on the radar of both Manchester City and Manchester United, PSV playmaker Adam Maher is tearing it up in the Eredivisie.

12) Demba Ba (Besiktas)

Former Chelsea striker Demba Ba was a top goalscorer in his time in the Premier League, and is one of the star players now at Besiktas.

11) Aleksandar Mitrovic (Anderlecht)

Exciting young striker compared with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Aleksandar Mitrovic has been a regular for Anderlecht for the last couple of seasons.

10) Talisca (Benfica)

A superb teenage prospect bursting onto the scene this season, Anderson Talisca has caught the eye of Arsenal and Chelsea with his displays for Benfica.

9) Juan Fernando Quintero (Porto)

Linked with Arsenal in the summer, Colombian prospect Juan Fernando Quintero is among the star players in the Portuguese top flight.

8) Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray)

Undoubtedly the marquee player of Turkish football, Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder is currently at Galatasaray despite constant links to Manchester United.

7) Yacine Brahimi (Porto)

A player catching the eye for Porto this season, Yacine Brahimi has been compared to French midfield legend Zinedine Zidane.

6) Memphis Depay (PSV)

Another top class PSV player, Memphis Depay was in superb form at this summer’s World Cup for Netherlands, attracting interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

5) Hulk (Zenit Saint Petersburg)

A big-name Brazilian international, Hulk is still with Russian giants Zenit Saint Petersburg despite being linked with bigger clubs several times.

4) Nicolas Gaitan (Benfica)

A top target for Liverpool and Manchester United, Benfica winger Nicolas Gaitan is undeniably his side’s star player and one of the best in Portugal.

3) Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar Donetsk)

A player catching the eye in the Champions League this season, Shakhtar Donetsk striker Luiz Adriano is in sensational form in front of goal.

2) William Carvalho (Sporting Lisbon)

A player tipped for a big future, Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho is valued at £37m and has been linked strongly with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United in recent times.

1) Jackson Martinez (Porto)

Surely the best player outside Europe’s top five leagues, Porto striker Jackson Martinez has been in highly prolific form for his club, attracting strong interest from the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in the last few years.