AFCON 2025: Five stars who could play their way into a major 2026 transfer, including Mohamed Salah

Like every major international tournament, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco will again serve as a shop window, with scouts, sporting directors and agents closely tracking performances across the continent.

The competition runs from December 21 to January 18, offering close to a month for players to make statements that could shape moves as early as the 2026 winter market or later in the summer.

With attention firmly fixed, many will be eager to deliver displays capable of lifting their stock, with the spotlight especially relevant for those who have slipped down the pecking order, are eyeing a change of scenery, or are emerging talents looking to accelerate their rise.

With that in mind, Sports Mole highlights five players who could use AFCON as a springboard towards a 2026 transfer.

Yves Bissouma

Few players arrive at the AFCON under as much uncertainty as Yves Bissouma, with the Mali midfielder selected despite not featuring once for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

The 29-year-old has endured a troubled start under Thomas Frank, having been left out of Spurs’s UEFA Super Cup meeting with Paris Saint-Germain due to repeated lateness, while fitness issues have further stalled his progress.

Bissouma has now been linked to three disciplinary matters across the past 18 months, the most recent surfacing last week when footage allegedly showing him inhaling nitrous oxide on November 3 re-emerged, a year after a club suspension for the same offence.

Many supporters now believe his spell in north London is nearing its conclusion, with Tottenham prepared to listen to offers in January as the midfielder’s contract enters its final year, amid reported interest from Turkey.

Whether a winter exit materialises or Spurs seek a short contract extension to protect his value, AFCON offers a rare chance for Bissouma to reintroduce himself after months without competitive football.

Ademola Lookman

Ademola Lookman returns to AFCON hoping the tournament can once again reignite his spark, with the Nigerian attacker entering his peak years after starring at the previous edition.

The 28-year-old forward was central to the Super Eagles’s run to the final in Ivory Coast, netting three times, including decisive strikes against Cameroon and Angola, while finishing as Nigeria’s joint top scorer.

That form carried into club football as Lookman inspired Atalanta to Europa League glory with a hat-trick in the final and later claimed the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award, though replicating those heights has proven difficult this season.

A turbulent summer appears to have disrupted his rhythm, with tensions on the touchline under both Ivan Juric and Gian Piero Gasperini contributing to uncertainty around his future in Bergamo.

With just three goals and one assist from 16 outings, AFCON presents a needed reset for a forward with 18 months remaining on his deal and a reputation to restore — one that could revive his links to Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Tottenham from last summer.

Samuel Chukwueze

In contrast to his fellow Nigerian attacker, Samuel Chukwueze heads to AFCON with momentum firmly on his side after a productive spell in Fulham colours.

The winger has started three of his last four league matches and has been directly involved in five goals across his previous five appearances in the English top flight.

Signed on loan from AC Milan with an option to buy, reportedly worth around £25m, Chukwueze has already strengthened his case for a permanent stay at Craven Cottage.

However, a strong showing on the continental stage could widen his options across Europe, offering a fresh chapter after a challenging period at San Siro.

Karl Edouard Blaise Etta Eyong

This AFCON watchlist feels incomplete without a debutant capable of using the stage to accelerate his rise into elite contention; hence, the inclusion of Karl Etta Eyong.

Signed from Villarreal in the summer of 2025, Eyong has settled quickly at Levante, scoring five times and adding one assist in 12 league appearances, while recording nine goal contributions across both clubs.

The 22-year-old attacker’s progress has drawn attention from Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, alongside Premier League interest from Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United.

With reports suggesting Eyong wants clarity on his future as early as January, AFCON offers another opportunity to strengthen his case after heading into the tournament short of peak sharpness.

Mohamed Salah

Already a global star and one of AFCON’s headline names, Mohamed Salah arrives in Morocco surrounded by rare uncertainty.

The Egyptian’s relationship with Liverpool appears strained under Arne Slot, with the forward often sacrificed as part of a wider reset aimed at reviving the team’s fortunes.

Dropped for consecutive matches and thrust into the spotlight by a revealing mixed-zone interview, Salah’s status on Merseyside has come under intense scrutiny.

Although he provided an assist off the bench against Brighton shortly before departing, speculation persists that this could mark the closing chapter of his Liverpool journey.

With January set to reignite transfer talk and Saudi Arabia looming as a possible destination, every of Salah’s moves at AFCON will be closely watched, both as a measure of his future and his pursuit of an elusive continental crown.