Which players are attracting attention in Europe's biggest leagues? Scouting Spotlight looks at three players each week whose performances are making headlines.
Goncalo Guedes -- Valencia (on loan from Paris Saint-Germain)
A €30 million signing for PSG in January 2017, Guedes made only 13 appearances for Unai Emery's side before being loaned to Valencia. The former Benfica winger has rediscovered his spark in Spain to help his new club climb to second in La Liga.
Playing style
A speedy forward comfortable on either flank or supporting a central striker, Guedes' exceptional control and ability to play the killer ball mark him out as a huge talent.
His natural awareness of where his teammates are positioned sees the 20-year-old regularly create chances and assists, while he has a powerful strike of his own and likes to shoot from range.
Guedes' dribbling skills are suited perfectly to a fast-paced counterattacking style, with the Portugal international capable of bursting from one box to the other with the ball at his feet.
His composure to then look up and spot the right pass is what convinced PSG to pay €30 mfor his services, before Neymar and Kylian Mbappe hindered his first-team opportunities.
Form
Guedes made headlines at the weekend with a dazzling performance in Valencia's 4-0 thrashing of Sevilla. The contrast between his two strikes demonstrated the versatility to his game, the first a blistering drive cracked in from the edge of the box and the second a carefully dinked finish over the goalkeeper.
Guedes curled in another spectacular effort against Real Betis the week before, with his tally standing at three goals and five assists in five starts and two sub appearances since moving to Spain. It's unlikely the youngster will find himself on the bench again, having already been likened to compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo.
Where would he fit in?
Manchester United were strongly linked with a move for Guedes in January but were gazumped by PSG. His recent displays may convince Jose Mourinho to return for the forward, although Valencia are at the front of the queue as they try to tie up a permanent deal.
Luis Alberto -- Lazio
A £6.8m signing for Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool in 2013, Alberto failed to make the grade at Anfield and was loaned out to Malaga and Deportivo La Coruna. He joined Lazio on a permanent deal in August 2016 for a €4m fee that is beginning to look a bargain.
Playing style
Alberto's intelligence in the final third is what first caught the eye of Liverpool when they scouted him playing on loan at Barcelona B from Sevilla.
Now 25, he has progressed and grown in confidence, possessing the vision to find teammates with defence-splitting passes or make incisive runs of his own to open up space in attack.
Often used in a wide role at his previous clubs, Alberto adopts a central position at Lazio to provide support for Ciro Immobile. His freedom to drift across the pitch, as well as his set-piece responsibilities, has seen him create more chances than all but four players in Serie A.
He is deceptively quick, especially over the first 10-15 yards, but prefers to have the ball at his feet to dribble through the defensive line.
Form
Alberto struggled to break into the first team at Lazio after joining in summer 2016, but has taken his chance to impress in the current campaign.
His set-piece assist for defender Bastos in a 3-0 win over Cagliari at the weekend was his fourth in nine appearances, the most important of which came via a perfectly weighted pass to Immobile in a 2-1 triumph away to Juventus.
That was the Italian champions' first defeat at home in two years, showing how far fourth-placed Lazio have come under Simone Inzaghi. Alberto's ability to play in a central role has been key to the manager settling on a system, with the Spaniard claiming three goals so far in crushing victories over AC Milan and Sassuolo.
Where would he fit in?
You would hope Liverpool inserted a buy-back clause in Alberto's contract, similar to the arrangement which saw Barcelona re-sign Gerard Deulofeu from Everton. The Reds' Premier League rivals are certain to take an interest in the forward if he maintains his form, but Lazio sporting director Igli Tare is known for driving a hard bargain.
Issa Diop -- Toulouse
Part of a miserly Toulouse defence that conceded only 41 goals last season -- the lowest total outside the top three in Ligue 1 -- Diop is regarded as a promising talent, representing France at every age level from Under-16 through to the U21s.
Playing style
A commanding presence at the back, 6-foot-4 Diop has been a regular for the past three seasons despite only turning 20 at the start of the year. The youngster was thrown in at the deep end in 2015-16 when, despite two red cards in his first 10 appearances, his contribution helped Toulouse avoid relegation on the final day.
Diop's positioning and keen sense of danger are huge assets to Pascal Dupraz's side. The centre-back will often look to step up and beat his man to the ball, rather than allowing him to turn towards goal.
He has the pace to recover and defend long balls over the top and is strong in possession, playing short passes into midfield or striding forward from defence. It is rare to see Diop beaten in the air, and he uses his height advantage effectively at attacking set-pieces.
Form
After a shaky start that included four defeats in the first eight matches and a 6-2 drubbing by Paris Saint-Germain in Neymar's Parc des Princes debut, Toulouse have steadied themselves with back-to-back victories to climb to tenth.
Diop's performances have been key to that recovery, helping Toulouse record three clean sheets in his last five appearances and heading in the winning goal against Angers at the weekend.
Where would he fit in?
Diop's progress is being tracked by a host of clubs including Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City, Roma and Inter Milan, while there was talk of a £15m bid from Chelsea earlier this year. The 20-year-old's style is well suited to the Premier League, but he would need game time in order to develop.