AFCON 2025: Five surprise players you’ve never heard of, including ex-Arsenal gem and non-league hero

International football competitions are the best place for clubs to window shop, especially ahead of the January transfer window.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will serve the same purpose when the continental showpiece commences on Saturday, December 21, in Morocco.

There is a long list of well-known players being called up, such as Mohamed Salah, Bryan Mbeumo, and Omar Marmoush, to mention a few.

However, these tournaments are also known for unlocking gems in the form of young players, who are searching for their breakthrough into the top flight.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at some of the lesser-known youngsters to look out for at AFCON.

Yan Valery (Tunisia)

The French-born right-back was eligible to play for his birth country but chose to represent Tunisia, making his debut for the North African team in 2022 against Brazil.

Valery has mostly played in England, kicking off his career at Southampton under-18s in 2015, spending eight years in total with the Saints, while he had a short loan stint at Birmingham City.

Last year, he moved to Sheffield Wednesday and has been a crucial part of the Championship side’s quest to avoid the drop.

With 16 international caps, Valery will play a huge role for Tunisia at AFCON 2025, especially with his explosive athleticism, strong defensive ability and ball-carrying confidence.

Tunisian head coach Sami Trabelsi used the defender more regularly this year, as he featured heavily in the nation’s World Cup Qualifying campaign, where the Carthage Eagles bulldozed their way to top spot without conceding a single goal.

Haji Mnoga (Tanzania)

Salford City, a League Two club owned by Manchester United’s Class of ‘92, is home to Tanzanian Haji Mnoga.

Although he was born in Portsmouth and represented England under-17 on one occasion, he committed his international future to Tanzania in 2022.

Standing at 1.85 metres, Mnoga uses his size and aggression to compete and win his duels, and he is quite versatile and can feature at right-back, centre-half or even midfield, depending on the system.

The 22-year-old thrives in high-intensity matchups, and his physicality will be crucial for his country, especially as they will come up against Nigeria, Uganda and Tunisia in their AFCON group.

Ryan Alebiosu (Nigeria)

Although he has yet to make his international debut, Ryan Alebiosu was called up by Eric Chelle for the continental showpiece in Morocco.

Alebiosu is a tall right-back, and currently plies his trade for Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, featuring in the starting XI in every league match this season.

The 24-year-old was born in London and came through Arsenal’s famous Hale End academy since the age of eight, turning pro in 2020.

Having played through the age groups, Alebiosu went out on loan a few times to different clubs, including Kilmarnock, Crew Alexandra and St. Mirren.

In July this year, Blackburn came calling, and he has not looked back since then, making 20 appearances for the club and scoring once.

With Premier League club pedigree, Alebiosu is one to watch in Morocco, especially with his combination of height, athleticism, and defensive reliability.

Alebiosu is a strong 1v1 defender and is explosive when carrying the ball forward, but it is his versatility that will help the Super Eagles if he is called upon during the tournament.

Tarryn Allarakhia (Tanzania)

English-born winger Tarryn Allarakhia has only remained in England, playing for several clubs since 2016, but finally settled down at Rochdale last year.

Allarakhia made 19 appearances in the National League for the Dale this season, scoring three goals and bagging one assist.

The 28-year-old brings energy, directness, and a relentless work rate, which is needed in the National League, but can really benefit the national team.

The winger has only won five caps for Tanzania so far, but he is certain to play a role in his nation’s quest to get out of their group in this edition of AFCON.

There is no doubt that he is a late bloomer, but his resilience and story of getting called up to AFCON have become one of the most compelling tales in Tanzanian football.

Noah Sadiki (DR Congo)

The only player on this list who plays his football in the Premier League is Sunderland’s midfielder Noah Sadiki.

The 21-year-old has struck a wonderful partnership with Granit Xhaka in the middle of the Black Cats’ midfield and has earned the trust of his club manager, Regis Le Bris.

Born in Brussels, Sadiki previously played for Anderlecht, coming through their academy, and then moved on to Union Saint‑Gilloise, where he won the Belgian league title and the Belgian Cup.

There has already been interest in him from Chelsea and Manchester United, which means he will be ogled at from afar while fighting it out with his compatriots at AFCON 2025.

A player who does the dirty work, Sadiki quietly mops up defensively and elevates his team’s floor, and he will be crucial for the DR Congo’s engine room in the competition.

AFCON 2025: Five surprise players you’ve never heard of, including ex-Arsenal gem and non-league hero

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