Best Young Players In Football 2018
In the world of football, young players always occupy a special place in the hearts of supporters. At a time when the success of a club is dictated by their ability to spend money in transfer windows, it is truly heartening to watch these young stars thrive and earn recognition by fighting hard for themselves on the field. They are passionate and possess a sense of raw and untamed talent and it is quite interesting to monitor their development. Sometimes though, all the attention and fame can put too much pressure on them and that can lead to an eventual downfall. However, there are some who succeed the test of time and manage to establish themselves in the world of football.
As part of our top 50 countdown, here are 50-41 of the best young players across the top leagues in 2017.
50. Franck Kessie
Currently serving a loan spell at AC Milan, Kessie was subjected to interest from almost every club in the Premier League top six. In fact, the Atalanta youngster was heavily linked with Chelsea but the player opted to join the Italian giants on a loan move (Source: Metro). A box-to-box midfielder by trade, Kessie also has an eye for scoring goals. This season, he has scored 2 goals and provided 3 assists at Milan and is truly living up to his potential. The 21-year-old even won a Man of The Match award once and if he continues this way, there is no limiting what he can achieve in the future.
49. Levin Oztunali
An integral part of Bundesliga side Mainz 05, Oztunali is an exciting midfield talent with immense potential. Despite being just 21 years of age, he has established himself as a key part of the German side and has been quite influential in the centre of the park in terms of dictating proceedings. In 15 appearances in the Bundesliga, he has provided 4 assists and even won a Man of The Match award. He is quite versatile and can play across a number of attacking positions, thus making him a truly interesting prospect to watch out for.
48. Niklas Sule
Sule rose to European fame for his performances with Hoffenheim and then eventually joined German giants Bayern Munich last summer. Since then, the central defender has been steadily making a name for himself as one of their best defenders. His progress has been truly remarkable and the 22-year-old currently shares defensive duties with the likes of Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng.
47. Amine Gouiri
Gouiri was in spectacular shape in the U17 World Cup, having scored 5 goals for France earlier this year. A naturally attack-oriented striker, the 17-year-old has even made his senior debut for Lyon. He rose through the club’s youth ranks and has made quite a name for himself across Europe. In fact, he is being subjected to interest from some of the top clubs and it will be interesting to see what the future holds for him.
46. Pedro Neto
The 17-year-old Portuguese forward is currently playing for Lazio. He attracted quite a lot of attention with his displays for his former club Braga after having scored for them on debut and has even attracted Premier League attention over the last couple of months. Although he recently signed a three-year deal with Lazio, it remains to be seen if he continues there in the long-term. Given his potential though, Neto can be a wonderful player for any club.
45. Morgan Sanson
Currently playing as a midfielder for Ligue 1 side Marseille, Sanson has established himself as a regular for the side despite being just 23 years of age. In fact, he has already bagged 5 goals in 16 Ligue 1 appearances for the side and his displays in the middle have become crucial to the French club’s successes so far. Interestingly, last season he was the first player in the league to provide 10 assists despite being a central midfielder.
44. Jose Gaya
Gaya is earning a lot of accolades for his stunning displays as an attack-oriented left-back for Valencia. This season, Valencia have remarkably turned things around and are currently sitting in the 3rd spot in the La Liga, ahead of defending champions Real Madrid. Gaya has been a vital part of their good fortune this season owing to his speed and contribution on both ends. He may not be very tall but he knows how to outplay the strongest of opponents to keep trouble at bay.
43. Dominic Calvert-Lewin
At a time when Everton were greatly struggling in the initial stages of the Premier League, Calvert-Lewin rose up to the occasion and stood strong for the Toffees in the front. Ever since Sam Allardyce took charge of the club, things have looked up and the youngster’s prolific displays have only gotten better. He is scoring goals and creating chances for his teammates and has scored 6 goals across competitions so far.
42. Giovanni Simeone
Son of Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone, the 22-year-old currently plays for Serie A side Fiorentina. Although he is an attacking midfielder by trade, the player has made 18 appearances as a centre-forward for the club and has done quite well. Having scored 6 goals, the youngster has also provided 3 assists and is widely renowned for his finishing skills. Tipped to have a big future, it will be interesting to see how the player develops in the near future.
41. Abel Ruiz
Ruiz was arguably one of the best youngsters to have played in the U17 World Cup held in India and he emerged as one of Spain’s shining young talents. Currently a part of the Barcelona B side, Ruiz has earned quite a lot of attention from clubs across Europe but it is understood that the Catalans want to hold on to him for now. At just 17 years of age, Ruiz’s potential knows no bounds and the club will be hoping to keep him for the considerable future at least.