5 Attacking players that could be important for Argentina if Messi retires

#3 Rodrigo De Paul

De Paul (in black) looks like Di Maria's ready-made replacement

It has taken a while but it seems a light has finally come on in this very talented player's head. He had turned heads when he started out for hometown club, Racing in the 2012-2013 season.

De Paul's close control, pace, dribbling, and intelligence stood him out and helped hasten the departure of veteran Mauro Camoranesi. A €5m move to Valencia followed in 2014 but it was a failure.

Now fully established as Udinese's go-to guy, the 24-year-old has been electric this season for the Zebrette. With 6 goals and 3 assists so far in Serie A football, he is operating on a different level at the moment.

He has featured in three games under Scaloni and has looked impressive in batches. It is clear to see that La Albiceleste would benefit greatly from De Paul's directness, intelligence dribbling and an ability to stretch defences and create chances for teammates. The team has been crying out for a more effective winger since Di Maria's loss of form (3 years and counting).

With the Udinese star in the team, Scaloni can afford to do without the services of the PSG man.