by Guy Branston, Head of Recruitment at Notts County
I'VE been out on the road again, clocking up the miles and watching games at every level from the Conference to the Premier League. My job is to find the best young players for Notts County and, believe me, there are plenty of them out there.
So if you want to spend your Christmas money on the football New Year, here are five players I'd happily pay to watch in 2016.
Fernando Forestieri – Sheffield Wednesday, Forward
With eight goals in 17 games, the Argentinian playmaker has already illuminated Hillsborough following his summer switch from Watford. Nevertheless, I think his brightest moments are still to come.
He's a player with fantastic pedigree and great goalscoring record who, for some reason, didn't get many games at Vicarage Road.
He's a fox in the box, someone who can play off a big man or rat around on his own. I just think he'll get no end of goals in the fantastic style that Carlos Carvalhal is playing. Pace, power, wave after wave of attacks – it's set up for Forestieri to fill his boots.
Is he good enough for the Premier League? Probably not. But as a solid Championship goalscorer there aren't many better.
Jordan Cook – Walsall, Forward
Walsall's supersub is a player I've had on my radar for a long time now. The former Sunderland trainee is an asset for any team and I'm surprised nobody in the Championship has taken a punt.
If you start him regularly, he will have dips in quality.
But he's always got a goal in him and plenty of strikers have made a good career without being the focal point of an attack.
He's not prolific like Tom Bradshaw. He's not as technically gifted as Romaine Sawyers. But he's physically strong, plays the game intelligently and gets vital goals. For me, you can't have too many players like that in your side.
Greg Leigh – Bradford City, Left-back
Greg is only 21 and he's an absolute whippet going forward. He'll take on his man, get his crosses in. But he also has great positional sense and knows how to defend. If you take him on down the line, you ain't beating him.
He was actually brought in as cover for James Meredith but it's now looking he's set to nick his place. It'll be a great battle.
Greg came through the Man City youth system, following in the footsteps of Kieran Trippier and Ben Mee, who both made careers after being rejected by City.
City produce a lot of good quality young players but not necessarily of that world- class standard they require so, for Football League scouts, they're a real mine of talent.
Abdenasser El Khayati – Burton Albion, Forward
I can't say his name but I know a good player when I see one – and if a Championship club doesn't take him soon, I'll be stunned.
The 26-year-old Dutchman is the business. He can cut in off the right, off the left, play as an out-and-out striker or in behind. It doesn't matter. When you're as technically gifted as this fella, the position is irrelevant.
He went on trial at Reading in 2014 and – in my opinion – they dropped a right rickett in letting him return to Holland.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink didn't make the same mistake and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the former Chelsea striker – now in charge at QPR – didn't make a cheeky bid.
Yanic Wildschut – Wigan Athletic, Winger
When you look at Wildschut's physique, you'd never think he was a winger. He's got the build of a centre-half.
But he's also rapid and skilful with a low centre of gravity, which adds up to a pretty awesome package.
He's the kind of winger who scares the life out of a full-back, rather than the other way round.
He's on loan from Middlesbrough and is blatantly a class above League One. If Wildschut stays, I'd expect Wigan to win promotion, but I've got a suspicion Boro might want him back as they crank up their bid for the Premier League.
