Houssem Aouar

Houssem Aouar spent six formative years at Lyon, where his elegant left foot, dribbling in tight spaces, and eye for a through-ball made him one of Ligue 1's most coveted midfielders, attracting sustained interest from Arsenal. He chose Algeria over France internationally, a decision that gave the Fennecs genuine creative quality in central midfield. His move to Al-Ittihad in 2023 raised questions about his development arc, but at 27 he remains Algeria's most technically refined midfielder — the player trusted to unlock low blocks when direct approaches stall.