50 for the future: UEFA.com's ones to watch for 2018/19
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
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Our correspondents picked out 50 young players who could be big news by the end of 2018/19; how many will be household names?
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We asked UEFA.com's team of reporters across the continent to pick out some rising stars of the 2017/18 campaign. How many of our 50 will be household names by this time in 2019?
Ethan Ampadu (WAL, 17 – Chelsea)
The defensive midfielder made his senior Chelsea debut last September and his first Premier League appearance in December; capped twice by Wales.
Houssem Aouar (FRA, 20 – Lyon)
An elegant midfielder who can play wide or in a deep-lying creative role, the Lyon academy product scored in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Europa League in 2017/18.
Jan-Fiete Arp (GER, 18 – Hamburg)
Extraordinarily prolific for Germany at U17 level, the forward scored twice in the Bundesliga in 2017/18; one of his country's greatest hopes.
Kepa Arrizabalaga (ESP, 23 – Athletic)
A U19 EURO winner in 2012, Kepa has been Athletic's regular Liga No1 for two seasons and made his senior Spain debut in a 5-0 friendly win last November.
Leon Bailey (JAM, 20 – Leverkusen)
Almost as quick as compatriot and friend Usain Bolt, the ex-Genk attacking midfielder scored nine in his first Bundesliga campaign.
Nicolò Barella (ITA, 21 – Cagliari)
Likened to Marco Verratti and even Andrés Iniesta in some quarters, the midfielder's supposed €35m asking price reflects his ability.
Sander Berge (NOR, 20 – Genk)
The 1.90m-tall midfielder comes from a family of basketball players but is showing huge promise with the ball at his feet in Belgium.
Fedor Chalov (RUS, 20 – CSKA Moskva)
On UEFA.com's radar since 2016, this striker is quick, perceptive and scored seven goals in his last eight games of 2017/18.
Federico Chiesa (ITA, 20 – Fiorentina)
A left-winger with a powerful shot, the son of ex-Italy attacker Enrico Chiesa is a key player for the Viola and Serie A's brightest young thing.
Ante Ćorić (CRO, 21 – Roma)
Having made over 100 league outings for Dinamo Zagreb before joining Roma in May, the little attacking midfielder should hit the ground running in Serie A.
Frenkie de Jong (NED, 21 – Ajax)
"The next Johan Cruyff", no less, according to some, midfielder De Jong's vision, touch, vision and ability to find space has got regular Ajax observers excited about his future.
Matthijs de Ligt (NED, 18 – Ajax)
Just 17 when he played in the 2017 UEFA Europa League final, the central defender has seven senior caps and is an Ajax regular.
Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis (NIG, 20 – Club Brugge)
A #UEL regular with Zorya Luhansk in 2016/17, the forward is scoring more regularly since moving to Belgium – seven goals in 30 league games in 2017/18.
Mikkel Duelund (DEN, 21 – Midtjylland)
A Wayne Rooney fan, the Midtjylland ace has been a first-team regular for three seasons and has shown class with Denmark's U21s.
Phil Foden (ENG, 18 – Manchester City)
Described as "a gift" by City boss Josep Guardiola, Foden starred as England won the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup and made a run of cameo City appearances in the spring.
Martin Graiciar (CZE, 19 – Fiorentina)
Loaned back to Slovan last term following his summer 2017 switch to Fiorentina, the forward was voted top Czech prospect in a winter poll of the country's youth coaches.
Amine Gouiri (FRA, 18 – Lyon)
Leading scorer at U17 EURO 2017, Gouiri has been eased into the Lyon first team with a series of substitute appearances from the autumn onwards.
Dávid Hancko (SVK, 20 – Fiorentina)
Regarded as the new Paolo Maldini in Slovakia, the centre-back - an U21 international regular - joined the Florence side from Žilina this summer.
Amine Harit, (MAR, 21 – Schalke)
Signed from Nantes in 2017, the attacking midfielder has sparkled in the Bundesliga; he played for France at U21 level but represented Morocco at this summer's World Cup.
Ivan Ignatyev (RUS, 19 – Krasnodar)
The 2017/18 UEFA Youth League top scorer with ten goals, Ignatyev was "born a scorer" according to ex-Krasnodar sports director Aleksei Zinin.
Luka Jović (SRB, 20 – Eintracht)
At Jović's first club, Crvena zvezda, director Zvezvdan Teržić said: "Jović will become the best striker in Europe." He is currently showing immense promise on loan in Germany (from Benfica) and will grace the UEFA Europa League this season.
Kirill Kirilenko (BLR, 17 – Dinamo Brest)
Touted for a good few years as Belarusian football's best prospect, the U19 international winger made his senior club debut in 2017.
Justin Kluivert (NED, 19 – Roma)
The left-winger eclipsed his father Patrick by netting an Eredivisie hat-trick in November 2017, and ended 2017/18 with ten goals in the Dutch top flight. Moved to the Italian capital in summer 2018.
Hirving Lozano (MEX, 22 – PSV Eindhoven)
'Chucky' hit the ground running last August with goals in his first three Eredivisie games; he ended the 2017/18 season with 17 goals – and the Dutch league title.
Malcom (BRA, 21 – Barcelona)
The Brazilian flanker became a favourite at Bordeaux following his 2016 move from Corinthians; signed by Barcelona in July.
Dennis Man (ROU, 19 – FCSB)
Taken for a trial at Manchester City as a youngster, he joined FCSB from UTA Arad in 2016 and is showing promise with Romania's U21s.
Sergej Milinković-Savić (SRB, 23 – Lazio)
Already a €100m-rated superstar in Italy, the Spanish-born midfielder came to Lazio via Vojvodina and Genk; he is clearly going places.
David Neres (BRA, 21 – Ajax)
Recruited following his breakthrough at São Paulo, tricky right-sided winger Neres finished last season with 14 Eredivisie goals.
Pedro Neto (POR, 18 – Lazio)
Lazio have the option to buy the winger – along with fellow Braga loanee Bruno Jordão – for €26m; might that look like a bargain in years to come?
Benjamin Pavard (FRA, 22 – Stuttgart)
Signed from Lille, centre-back Pavard took Stuttgart to promotion in 2016/17 and has prospered this past season, helping France to become world champions - and out of position at right-back, no less.
Rodri (ESP, 22 – Atlético Madrid)
Tipped as the next Sergio Busquets, the tall Rodri has returned to his first club Atlético this summer after an excellent spell with Villarreal.
Abel Ruiz (ESP, 18 – Barcelona)
Spain's all-time U17 top scorer with 27 goals, Abel Ruiz was a U17 EURO winner in 2017 and will hope to play in Barcelona's first team next season.
Roland Sallai (HUN, 21 – APOEL)
Having impressed without scoring in the #UCL group stage, the Hungarian forward is being linked with bigger clubs.
Jadon Sancho (ENG, 18 – Dortmund)
Enticed from Manchester City to replace Barcelona-bound Ousmane Dembélé, the midfielder was a regular first-team starter by the end of 2017/18.
Malang Sarr (FRA, 19 – Nice)
The central defender has been on the books at Nice since he was five but may soon move on, with foreign clubs tracking his form.
Ryan Sessegnon (ENG, 18 – Fulham)
The left-back was drafted into England's U21 set-up this season and also helped his club win promotion to the Premier League, via the play-offs.
Volodymyr Shepelev (UKR, 21 – Dynamo Kyiv)
The central midfielder made his first Dynamo appearance in February 2017 and was up to 36 by the end of 2017/18; he has earned three Ukraine caps too.
Milan Škriniar (SVK, 23 – Inter Milan)
Inter's absence from Europe last season kept the Slovakian's profile low, but the ex-Sampdoria man is one of Serie A's leading centre-backs and should prosper in the UEFA Champions League.
Manor Solomon (ISR, 19 – Maccabi Petach-Tikva)
Juventus and Liverpool were reported to be tracking the 1.65m-tall winger, who received his first senior Israel call-up in 2017.
Mile Svilar (BEL, 18 – Benfica)
An eventful run of #UCL appearances in autumn 2017 showcased the goalkeeper's raw talent: expect to see more of him in 2018/19.
Martin Terrier (FRA, 21 – Lyon)
Having scored seven in as many U21 outings for France, the midfielder has made a move from Lille to Lyon this summer. A class act.
Kieran Tierney (SCO, 21 – Celtic)
The left-back has captained both Scotland and Celtic, his profile further enhanced by #UCL appearances in 2017/18.
Lucas Torreira (URU, 22 – Arsenal)
The 1.68m-tall playmaker has it all – nearly. His coach Marco Giampaolo said: "If he was 180cm tall, he would have cost €180m." Joined Arsenal from Sampdoria following an impressive World Cup.
Ferrán Torres (ESP, 18 – Valencia)
A winger of considerable promise, Torres became the first player born in the 2000s to feature in the Liga in December 2017.
Viktor Tsyhankov (UKR, 20 – Dynamo Kyiv)
"Cut from the same cloth as Andriy Shevchenko" according to Dynamo president Ihor Surkis, the midfielder oozed class in 2017/18.
Felix Uduokhai (GER, 20 – Wolfsburg)
Rescued from ailing 1860 München, the centre-back was a revelation in the 2017/18 Bundesliga season.
Dayot Upamecano (FRA, 19 – Leipzig)
Once a trainee at Valenciennes, the teenager has become a commanding central defender at Salzburg and now Leipzig. Expect big things.
Hannes Wolf (AUT, 19 – Salzburg)
Things have calmed down since he scored in four consecutive Salzburg games in August 2017, but the 2017 UEFA Youth League winner remains a classy prospect.
Yusuf Yazıcı (TUR, 21 – Trabzonspor)
Trabzonspor coach Rıza Çalımbay has trumpeted the attacking midfielder's potential and self-belief; Yazıcı scored ten goals in 33 Süper Lig games in 2017/18.
Szymon Żurkowski (POL, 20 – Górnik Zabrze)
Hailed as the new Zbigniew Boniek, the defensive midfielder has awesome stamina, but missed the final cut for Poland's World Cup squad.