50 for the future: UEFA.com's ones to watch in 2019/20
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
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Our correspondents pick out 50 young players who could be big news this season.
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We asked UEFA.com's team of reporters across the continent to pick out some of Europe's rising stars.
How many of our 50 will be familiar names by this time in 2020? Our hit rate has not been too bad at all; here's who we tipped for success in July 2018.
Yunus Akgün (TUR, 19 – Galatasaray)
A two-footed winger with good first touch and vision, he almost joined Anderlecht in the winter and has since been linked with Lazio.
Benoît Badiashile (FRA, 18 – Monaco)
Central defender who has been on Manchester United's radar; younger brother of Monaco goalkeeper Loïc Badiashile.
Josip Brekalo (CRO, 21 – Wolfsburg)
A speedy left-sided winger with a killer shot, Brekalo scored regularly at youth levels and is increasingly featuring for Croatia's senior side.
Rhian Brewster (ENG, 19 – Liverpool)
Jürgen Klopp says: "Rhian Brewster is a top striker; he is a top talent and I have told him already that he has an important role this year."
Samuel Chukwueze (NIG, 20 – Villarreal)
Precocious winger with UEFA Europa League experience; the Nigeria Football Federation's young player of the year for 2017/18.
Kevin Danso (AUT, 20 – Augsburg)
"He is a big, beefy player," says former Augsburg coach Manuel Baum; an imposing central defender who is already a senior international.
Alphonso Davies (CAN, 18 – Bayern)
Born in a Ghanaian refugee camp and raised in Canada, the winger sparkled in the spring after joining Bayern from Vancouver Whitecaps.
Moussa Diaby (FRA, 20 – Leverkusen)
Unable to secure a regular place in an all-star Paris attack, Diaby moved to Germany this summer; expect the winger to seize the opportunity.
Denis Drăguș (ROU, 20 – Viitorul)
A protégé of Romania great Gheorghe Hagi, the versatile attacker missed this summer's U21 finals through injury but is expected to blossom in 2019/20.
Carel Eiting (NED, 21 – Ajax)
Frenkie de Jong's potential successor with the Dutch giants, he has an unorthodox style coupled with vision and intelligence.
Jurgen Ekkelenkamp (NED, 19 – Ajax)
A UEFA Champions League debutant in the knockout stages in 2018/19, this technical, rangy and versatile midfielder could become an Ajax regular this year.
Eljif Elmas (MKD, 19 – Napoli)
Capped by North Macedonia at 17 as Turkey looked to secure his services, this midfielder joined Napoli in July after impressing at Fenerbahçe.
Fábio Silva (POR, 17 – Porto)
A very promising forward, once on the books at Benfica, Fábio Silva shone during Porto's victorious 2018/19 UEFA Youth League campaign, scoring in the semis.
Gedson Fernandes (POR, 20 – Benfica)
On our radar since he was named in the team of the tournament at the 2016 U17 EURO, the midfielder was a title winner at Benfica in 2018/19.
Ianis Hagi (ROU, 20 – Genk)
The son of Romania great Gheorghe Hagi was classy at the 2019 U21 finals; left Viitorul this summer for Genk, where he will play in the UEFA Champions League.
Amadou Haidara (MLI, 21 – Leipzig)
The elegant midfielder idolised Steven Gerrard as a child and has a similar nose for the spectacular; returned from a serious knee injury to sparkle in the spring.
Erling Braut Håland (NOR, 19 – Salzburg)
Son of ex-Norway midfielder Alf Inge Håland, the tall striker scored nine in a FIFA U-20 World Cup finals game against Honduras in May 2019.
Adam Hložek (CZE, 17 – Sparta Praha)
The Czech league's youngest ever scorer has made over 20 appearances for Sparta, having stayed in the club's academy despite interest from Manchester City and Bayern.
Mohammed Ihattaren (NED, 17 – PSV)
An attacking midfielder with shades of Mesut Özil about him, the Dutch U19 international made his first Eredivisie appearance in January.
Jovane Cabral (CPV, 21 – Sporting CP)
Already a first-team regular, the Cape Verde forward won two domestic cups with Sporting CP in 2018/19 and scored the Goal the Season in the Liga.
Dejan Joveljić (SRB, 19 – Frankfurt)
A quick, agile goalscorer, Joveljić was snapped up by Eintracht from Crvena zvezda to replace Real Madrid-bound Luka Jović.
Ozan Kabak (TUR, 19 – Schalke)
The right-footed centre-back was one of Galatasaray's brightest sparks in a shaky start to 2018/19; joined Stuttgart for a reported €12m in January and moved to Schalke in June.
Ibrahima Konaté (FRA, 20 – Leipzig)
Holding his own in the Bundesliga after two seasons in the centre of the Leipzig defence, Konaté demonstrated his class at the U21 EURO with France.
Alex Král (CZE, 21 – Slavia Praha)
The top-rated defensive midfielder reached the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals later term, and met his lookalike David Luiz in the defeat against Chelsea.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (GEO, 18 – Rubin)
Wide man became the first 21st-century-born player to feature in the Russian Premier Liga while on loan at Lokomotiv last season.
Jacob Bruun Larsen (DEN, 20 – Dortmund)
A quick forward who has modelled himself on club-mate Marco Reus, Larsen broke into the first team with Dortmund and Denmark last season.
Renan Lodi (BRA, 21 – Atlético Madrid)
A new arrival at Atlético this summer, the attack-minded left-back will be charged with filling the boots of countryman Filipe Luís.
Sean Longstaff (ENG, 21 – Newcastle)
Combines youthful energy with the assuredness, passing and vision of an old pro. Sparkled for the Magpies in a three-month spell last term before an injury lay-off.
Arne Maier (GER, 20 – Hertha)
A versatile midfielder who is perhaps at his best in a holding role. Maier has been on the books at Hertha since he was just nine.
Donyell Malen (NED, 20 – PSV)
New No9 at PSV, replacing Luuk de Jong. Left Ajax for Arsenal young but has been at PSV since August 2017. This could be his most successful season yet.
Ivan Oblyakov (RUS, 21 – CSKA Moskva)
A holding midfielder, winger or full-back, Oblyakov was one of Russia's breakthrough talents last season.
Dani Olmo (ESP, 21 – Dinamo Zagreb)
A skilful wide man with pace, Olmo left Barcelona at 16 for regular football in Croatia; scored Spain's U21 EURO final winner this summer.
Andreas Skov Olsen (DEN, 19 – Bologna)
Scored 30 goals in 53 games in 2018/19, the last of them against Austria in a 16-minute cameo at the U21 EURO. Joined Bologna from Nordsjælland earlier this month.
Strahinja Pavlović (SRB, 18 – Partizan)
Juventus have an eye on the tall, powerful centre-back, who has maintained his poise in six months in the Partizan first team – including two Belgrade derbies.
Luca Pellegrini (ITA, 20 – Juventus)
The Italy U21 left-back impressed on loan at Cagliari in the spring; left Roma for Juventus this summer for a reported €22m fee.
Denys Popov (UKR, 20 – Dynamo Kyiv)
A resilient central defender and expert tackler, Popov scored three headers in Ukraine's shock 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup success.
Ricard Puig (ESP, 19 – Barcelona)
Likened to club great Andrés Iniesta, the midfielder made his first-team debut last season and will expect more opportunities in 2019/20.
Marco Richter (GER, 21 – Augsburg)
A quick forward capable of playing in either wide position, Richter caught the eye at the 2019 U21 EURO, scoring three in Germany's run to the final.
Rodrygo (BRA, 18 – Real Madrid)
Following in the footsteps of Vinícius Júnior, the classy winger left Santos for Real Madrid this summer for a reported transfer fee of €45m.
Romário Baró (POR, 19 – Porto)
Phenomenal attacking midfielder with quick feet, pace and a good passing range. Dangerous when deployed behind a striker and from free-kicks.
Matvei Safonov (RUS, 20 – Krasnodar)
The academy graduate eclipsed two experienced keepers to become Krasnodar's No1 last season; the new Igor Akinfeev?
William Saliba (FRA, 18 – Arsenal)
Arsenal won the tussle for the centre-back's signature earlier this month before loaning him back to St-Étienne for the 2019/20 campaign.
Ismaïla Sarr (SEN, 21 – Rennes)
The winger set out his stall by scoring a stunning drive against Jablonec, named the UEFA Europa League's best goal of 2018/19.
Xaver Schlager (AUT, 21 – Wolfsburg)
The blond central midfielder's touch is excellent but his mind may be even better; has a great range of passing and a sense for snuffing out danger.
Tiago Dantas (POR, 18 – Benfica)
Short in stature but long on talent, the creative midfielder has trained with the seniors this season; "It's a dream come true," he said.
Sandro Tonali (ITA, 19 – Brescia)
Dubbed the new Andrea Pirlo, the 2017/18 Serie B player of the year won promotion to the top flight last season; expect an Italy debut soon.
Ferran Torres (ESP, 19 – Valencia)
The second player born in 2000 – after Vinícius Júnior – to score in the Spanish Liga, Torres also hit both goals in Spain's 2019 U19 EURO final win against Portugal.
Heorhiy Tsitaishvili (UKR, 18 – Dynamo Kyiv)
An explosive winger with prospects; see his marvellous solo goal in the 2019 U-20 World Cup final against South Korea.
Nikola Vlašić (CRO, 21 – CSKA Moskva)
The son of a decathlete, the attacking midfielder has impressed in Russia, and his U21 performances have propelled him into Croatia's first team.
Güven Yalçın (TUR, 20 – Beşiktaş)
A forward with strong physique and good eye for goal, Güven scored two hat-tricks last season and made his Turkey debut in May.