NXGN 2023: The 50 best wonderkids in football

Dubbed ‘The Turkish Messi’ in his homeland, Arda has been touted for the top of the game for a number of years, and has shown exactly why since breaking into the Fenerbahce first team in the summer of 2021.

The youngest goalscorer in the club’s history, Arda possesses a dribbling ability and close control that few can match, while his eye for the spectacular has always marked him out as a special talent.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder is already a full Turkey international after making his debut in November, and the likes of Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayern Munich have all shown an interest in signing him over the past 12 months.

Chelsea’s policy of spending big to secure some of the world’s most exciting talents has made headlines over the past few months, but their decision to bring Andrey to Stamford Bridge is likely to age very well indeed.

The Blues beat off interest from Barcelona to sign the 18-year-old in January, paying an initial £13 million to Vasco da Gama after the midfielder’s breakout season in the Brazilian second division.

Nicknamed ‘The Brazilian Busquets’, Andrey showed he is more than just your average defensive midfielder when he captained Brazil to their recent U20 South American Championship title, finishing the tournament as the joint-top scorer with six goals, and is currently back on loan in his homeland as he awaits a work permit.

Not many players can claim to have made their Santos debut at a younger age than the great Pele, but when Angelo stepped off the bench to make his professional bow as a 15-year-old in October 2020, he did just that.

Now 18 and a veteran of over 100 first-team matches, the winger has developed into one of Brazil’s finest young players, leading to the likes of Barcelona and Newcastle showing an interest in signing him.

The youngest goalscorer in the history of the Copa Libertadores, Angelo is most comfortable cutting inside from the right-hand side, and his talents are expected to land him a European move over the next 12 months.

With Liverpool’s midfield crying out for an injection of energy and quality this season, Bajcetic stepped up in a big way to become almost an automatic selection for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The 18-year-old, whom the Reds beat Manchester United to sign from Celta Vigo in December 2020, has shown an ability to combine excellent defensive instincts with a confidence in possession that belies his lack of experience.

Mohamed Salah recently labelled Bajcetic as Liverpool’s “best player” during their difficult run around the turn of the year, and despite having suffered a season-ending injury, it would now be a surprise were he to lose his place in the team next season, even once the planned summer overhaul of the squad is complete.

With his flaming red hair, it is difficult not to notice Barco when he is on the pitch. But even without his physical characteristics, the left-back is able to stand out with the way he performs with the ball at his feet.

The fourth-youngest player to ever debut for Boca Juniors, the 18-year-old was discovered by the same scout who first spotted the likes of Carlos Tevez and Juan Roman Riquelme, and Barco looks set to follow in their footsteps to the top of the game.

Manchester City continue to show an interest in signing the teenager, while Juventus have also been linked as the battle for one of South America’s brightest young talents begins to heat up.

Ahead of Monaco’s first Ligue 1 match after the World Cup, Ben Seghir had played just a solitary minute of first-team football, as a substitute in the Europa League.

But anyone who watched his appearance off the bench against Auxerre would never have known, as the attacking midfielder took the game by the scruff of the neck, scoring two stunning goals on his domestic debut to seal a 3-2 victory.

Not since Thierry Henry burst onto the scene had a player so young netted twice for Monaco, and the 18-year-old has been a regular starter ever since, with his quick feet and eye for a pass marking him out as yet another special French talent.

Though PSG do not have the greatest record when it comes to keeping hold of their exciting academy players, they certainly know how to nurture talent, and Bitshiabu’s development is a perfect illustration of that.

Always at a physical advantage during his youth career due to his height (he currently stands at 6'6''), the 17-year-old has since shown improvements in his ability on the ball that suggest he will become a top-class centre-back.

Bitshiabu broke Kingsley Coman’s record as PSG’s youngest-ever player when he debuted in December 2021, and he played a key role in France winning the U17 European Championship the following year.

It’s rare for a player to have represented both Barcelona and Real Madrid before their 18th birthday, but that’s exactly what Bravo has done after a whirlwind few years.

The Spain youth international was regarded as the best No.9 prospect at La Masia when he decided to leave Barca for Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2021, but after briefly holding the record as the German club’s youngest-ever player, he was allowed to leave on loan a year later.

Madrid jumped at the chance to get one over their old rivals and welcome Bravo into their Castilla squad, for whom he has been a regular in the Spanish third tier this season. It is expected that Los Blancos will pay €6m to make the deal permanent this summer.

A revelation for Rosario Central after making his first-team debut at the start of the 2022 Argentine season, Buonanotte became the latest South American talent to be snapped up by Brighton in January.

The Seagulls paid over £5m up front to bring the attacking midfielder to the Amex Stadium, and Buonanotte has already made his Premier League debut for Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

The 18-year-old is regarded as a long-term successor for his compatriot Alexis Mac Allister at Brighton, and it’s likely they will be fighting it out for a place in the national team in the years to come.

Leaving Manchester City’s academy to join Dortmund certainly worked for former NXGN winner Jadon Sancho, so why shouldn’t it work for another English winger?

Bynoe-Gittens moved to Germany in 2020, and though injuries limited his impact during his first two seasons, the 18-year-old is now a key member of the first-team squad and has already scored a number of key Bundesliga goals.

He was also an important player for England’s U19 European Championship-winning side in the summer of 2022, with his pace and trickery while cutting inside from the left making him a nightmare for opposition defenders.

Likened to Paulo Dybala, Carboni has broken into the Inter first team this season having rejected approaches from Liverpool and Juventus to join the Nerazzurri in 2020.

The 18-year-old forward impressed within the youth ranks in Milan, and has already played in both Serie A and the Champions League, as well as having earned a call-up to train with the senior Argentina squad.

The World Cup holders are confident of convincing Carboni to represent them after he previously played for Italy’s age-group teams, and securing his international future would be a coup for the South American giants.

Having spent time in both Paris Saint-Germain and Everton’s academies as his family moved between France and England, Cho broke out at Angers in Ligue 1 last season.

His form earned him a call-up to the French U21 squad (having previously represented England) and an €11m move to Real Sociedad over the summer.

Capable of playing anywhere across the forward line, the 19-year-old has struggled with injuries since arriving in Spain, though when he has been available, he has shown why La Real were so keen to bring him to La Liga.

Hailed as a “natural force” by Jurgen Klopp, Doak has wasted little time in making an impact at Liverpool having joined the Reds from Celtic in a £600,000 deal over the summer.

The 17-year-old winger, who has been likened to Wayne Rooney due to his aggression and physicality when in possession, has already become the youngest Scot to appear in the Premier League and is an U21 international.

Though he currently has the likes of Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz ahead of him in the pecking order at Anfield, it won’t be long before Doak is pushing Liverpool’s established forwards for a starting berth.

A key member of France’s U17 European Championship-winning team in 2022, Doue has carried the form he showed in that tournament into his first campaign as a regular in the Rennes first team.

The academy that produced the likes of Eduardo Camavinga and Ousmane Dembele certainly seems to have done it again with Doue, who became the first player born in 2005 to score in one of Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues back in September.

The 17-year-old central midfielder has since opened his account in the Europa League too, and Newcastle are among the clubs to be showing an interest in signing him over the next 12-18 months.

Ever since clips of him dominating Brazil’s prestigious U20 Copinha as a 15-year-old went viral in January 2022, the race to sign Endrick grew more and more intense among Europe’s elite clubs.

In the end, Real Madrid beat off competition from Barcelona, Chelsea and PSG as they agreed to pay Palmeiras up to €60m to sign the forward, who is regarded as the best talent to emerge in Brazil since Neymar.

The 16-year-old will have to wait another 18 months to move to Spain, but having scored three goals in his first seven top-flight games, expect Endrick to keep burgeoning his growing reputation in the meantime.

Brighton have been crying out for a consistent striker since their promotion to the Premier League, but early signs suggest that they might have found their man in Ferguson.

The 18-year-old became the youngest player since 2009 to score in back-to-back Premier League matches earlier this season, with his strength and finishing ability allowing him to translate excellent youth-team performances to the senior level.

Already a full Republic of Ireland international, Ferguson rejected Liverpool when he decided to move to England, and Brighton are already reaping the rewards of being able to secure a top teenage talent.

Given the speculation that surrounded Fresneda during the January transfer window, it’s amazing that he remains a Real Valladolid player, though that is unlikely to last much longer.

The right-back was linked with a host of top European clubs over the winter, including Arsenal, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, with reports suggesting that the 18-year-old could cost up to €30m to prise him away from the Spanish strugglers.

He will most likely move on in the summer, with his new club set to inherit a player who particularly caught the eye when he was able to shut down Vinicius Junior when Valladolid took on Real Madrid in December.

Barcelona are used to producing world-class talents within their famed La Masia academy, but even they have outdone themselves when it comes to Gavi.

The midfielder is still only 18, but is already a veteran of over 80 appearances for one of world football’s biggest clubs, with his combative nature and exceptional ball control ensuring that he has bridged the gap from youth team football to the elite with ease.

The youngest player to ever represent Spain, Gavi became the third-youngest to ever score at a World Cup for any nation when he netted against Costa Rica in November, though that is likely to just be the start of him making a regular impact on major international tournaments.

Nothing illustrates the popularity that Garnacho has among Manchester United supporters more than the fact that the Old Trafford faithful have replaced Cristiano Ronaldo’s name with the teenager’s in the famous ‘Viva Ronaldo’ chant in recent months.

The 18-year-old, who joined United from Atletico Madrid in 2020, was the star of the club’s FA Youth Cup-winning side last season, and has carried that form into the first team as he continues to make his mark under Erik ten Hag.

A tricky winger who is most at home cutting inside from the left, Garnacho represented Spain at youth level, but has since been called-up to the senior Argentina squad, and is expected to make his Albiceleste bow in the not-too-distant future.

A technically-gifted No.10, Gharbi first came to prominence when he was spotted outshining some of PSG’s more senior squad members during an open training session that was designed to give the media a chance to watch Lionel Messi in Paris for the first time.

Gharbi still has some way to go to reach the levels of the legendary Argentine, but his early performances in the first team at Parc des Princes suggest he is set for a long career at the top.

The 18-year-old, who recently switched international allegiance from France to Spain, has previously been of interest to both Liverpool and Chelsea, and if opportunities remain hard to come by at PSG in the coming years, there will be a long line of clubs willing to take him off their hands.

Premier League supporters have seen Hall emerge as an energetic left-back over the past few months at Chelsea, but it is actually in central midfield where the 18-year-old is most comfortable.

That versatility is perhaps Hall’s greatest asset, meaning he has been able to play with confidence that belies his years in a variety of roles when given opportunities by both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.

There have been some concerns that the Blues’ lavish spending could lead to the pathway from academy to firstteam at Stamford Bridge being blocked, but Hall has shown he is good enough to become a regular contributor over the next few years at least.

Not since Matthijs de Ligt was coming through the ranks at Ajax has there been this much excitement around a homegrown defender, but Hato is showing that he has the talent to one day generate the same transfer fees as Bayern Munich’s €67m summer signing.

Despite only having turned 17 in March, Hato has already captained Ajax’s U19s this season, and is a regular in the Dutch champions’ matchday squad after becoming the third-youngest player to ever make their first-team debut for the club.

Extremely comfortable in possession for a central defender, Hato can also play at left-back, and it should not be long before he becomes the next academy talent to make Ajax millions when Europe’s richest clubs come knocking.

Issahaku was just a 16-year-old when he was named Player of the Tournament at the U20 African Cup of Nations in 2021, as a series of outrageous long-range goals capped some remarkable performance by the Ghanaian forward.

Now 19, Issahaku is in the midst of his first European season having joined Sporting C.P. around a year ago, having been previously linked with both Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen.

He was also part of the Ghana squad at the 2022 World Cup, and is regarded by many as perhaps the most talented African player of his generation given the ability he possesses in his rocket of a left foot.

Almeria pulled off something of a coup when they completed the €7m signing of Kaiky in the summer of 2022, with the newly-promoted La Liga side beating the likes of Barcelona to the centre-back’s signature.

Kaiky had become a regular starter for Santos for around a year before his move to Europe, earning comparisons with compatriot Marquinhos in his native Brazil.

The 19-year-old has settled well in Europe, too, and though not always a starter in Spain, he has made solid contributions towards his new club’s bid to survive in the top flight.

The star of Salzburg’s run to the final of the 2021-22 UEFA Youth League final, Kameri has now made the transition from academy star to first-team contributor at the Austrian champions.

The attacking midfielder, who has been compared by some to Bruno Fernandes, has already started both domestic and Champions League matches for Salzburg, though injuries have stalled Kameri’s progress in recent months.

Regardless, the 18-year-old has already caught the eye of new Austria manager Ralf Rangnick, and a first international call-up is now almost inevitable in the coming months.

Tipped to become “one of the best players in the world one day” by a former coach in Australia, Kuol arrived in Newcastle in January having emerged as a potential star of the future in the A-League.

The forward provided a goal or assist every 57.5 minutes for Central Coast Mariners, leading to the likes of Barcelona, Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund showing an interest in him before the Magpies won the race for Kuol’s signature by paying £300,000.

The youngest player to be called-up by the Socceroos since Harry Kewell in 1997, the 18-year-old made two appearances at the World Cup before being sent on loan to gain experience in Scotland with Hearts.

Southampton’s struggles in the Premier League this season have overshadowed what has been a superb debut season of first-team football for Lavia, with the Belgian midfielder having looked at home at the highest level from the opening day of the campaign.

The former Anderlecht academy star arrived in England with Manchester City in 2020 having caught Pep Guardiola’s eye at the KDB Cup (named after Kevin De Bruyne), and soon became a star of City’s youth teams.

But with his path to the senior side at the Etihad Stadium blocked by Rodri, Lavia was allowed to leave in the summer of 2022, as Southampton paid just over £10m to sign him. The 19-year-old has since been the subject of a £50m bid from Chelsea, and there will likely be plenty of suitors for him should the Saints be relegated.

It takes a special player to earn Pep Guardiola’s trust at the age of 18, but Lewis certainly seems to have done this season having become a regular in the Premier League champions’ starting line-up.

The youngest player to ever score when starting their first Champions League match, the England youth international has shown an aptitude to learn over the past months after adapting his game brilliantly to play as one of Guardiola’s famed full-back/central midfield hybrids.

Talk of a full international call up from England has already begun, and it is now expected that Lewis will be Kyle Walker’s long-term replacement at the Etihad Stadium.

Flamengo announced in February that Matheus had signed a new deal at the club, with reports suggesting the contract contains a €200m release clause as interest from Europe in the attacking midfielder intensifies.

Newcastle are said to have had a €20m offer rejected in January while both Arsenal and Real Madrid have also been linked with the 18-year-old after he established himself in the Brazilian top flight in 2022.

Regarded at Flamengo as the club’s best youth product since the emergence of Vinicius Junior, it feels like only a matter of time before Matheus follows the Madrid superstar to Europe.

An Amsterdam native, Misehouy dreams of one day becoming a star of the Ajax first team, and the attacking midfielder is certainly closing in on making his dream a reality.

One of the key players in the Netherlands side that reached the U17 European Championship final in 2022, Misehouy has gone on to become a regular in the Jong Ajax team that play in the second tier of Dutch football.

A supreme ball carrier who is comfortable playing as either a No.10 or a winger, the 17-year-old has already trained with the Ajax senior squad as he nears a first appearance at the Johan Cruyff ArenA.

The star of the Benfica team that won last season’s UEFA Youth League, Moreira was almost immediately linked with a move to Manchester City, and they are unlikely to be the only member of Europe’s elite to be monitoring his progress.

The 18-year-old winger, who is capable of playing on both flanks and has been compared to Nani in the past, is a box of tricks and is capable of changing matches with both his dribbling and passing ability.

Eligible to represent Portugal, Belgium and Germany, Moreira has already debuted in both the Primeira Liga and Champions League, and is expected to earn more regular minutes over the next 12 months.

A true goalscoring revelation at youth level, much was expected from Moukoko when he entered the Dortmund first team as a 16-year-old, and the striker has not disappointed.

Bundesliga’s youngest-ever goalscorer, the Champions League’s youngest-ever debutant and the youngest player at the 2022 World Cup, Moukoko is already a veteran of over 60 first-team appearances, despite having only turned 18 in November.

A recent ankle injury came just at the wrong time as Moukoko was hitting the best form of his senior career thus far, as illustrated by the efforts Dortmund went to to tie him down to a new contract amid interest from around Europe in January.

Being dubbed ‘the next Paul Pogba’ might not be the compliment it once was, but there is no question that Benfica midfielder Ndour possesses a lot of similar qualities to the Juventus star.

The Italy youth international left Atalanta to move to Portugal in 2020, and was a key member of Benfica’s UEFA Youth League side two years later having already broken Joao Felix’s record as the youngest player to debut for the club’s reserve side in the second division.

While the 18-year-old is recently made his senior debut, there are plenty of other clubs showing a keen interest in him, including both Manchester United and Juventus.

Arsenal’s Hale End academy has already provided the first team with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah in recent years, but the production line is showing no signs of slowing down if Norton-Cuffy is anything to go by.

A physical but technically-gifted right-back, Norton-Cuffy came to the attention of Gunners’ fans after he shone while on loan at Lincoln City in the third tier of English football last season.

The 19-year-old’s rise continued as he impressed for England as they won the U19s European Championship during the summer, and he has continued to develop in the Championship this season while on loan at first Rotherham United, and now Coventry City.

Dubbed ‘The Norwegian Neymar’ back in his homeland, Nusa broke onto the scene by scoring a number of stunning goals for Stabaek in the summer of 2021, becoming the second-youngest player to find the net in Norway’s top flight behind Martin Odegaard.

Being the second-youngest to achieve a feat has become a habit for Nusa, too, as the 17-year-old is behind only Ansu Fati on the list of youngest Champions League scorers after netting on his debut in the competition for Club Brugge in September.

A tricky forward capable of playing anywhere across the attack, Nusa has been linked with Manchester City and both Milan clubs in recent months, with Norway fans already excited by the prospect of him linking up with Erling Haaland and Odegaard for the national team in future years.

Nwaneri made headlines around the world in September as he became the youngest player in Premier League history after coming off the bench for Arsenal away at Brentford as a 15-year-old.

The attacking midfielder has been highly-rated by the Gunners’ academy staff for years, and though he is yet to earn another senior appearance, it is expected that he will go onto have a career at the very top of the game.

Arsenal’s rivals certainly believe that to be the case, with the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea fighting hard to sign Nwaneri before he agrees to professional terms in north London.

Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup has offered manager Roberto Mancini some time to start planning for the future, and the Azzurri boss has been able to hand out debuts to a number of youngsters over the past 12 months.

The least experienced to make their full international bow was Pafundi, with the 17-year-old playmaker becoming the youngest player to represent Italy for over 100 years.

A diminutive playmaker, Pafundi has also broken into the senior side at Udinese but has clubs from around Europe tracking his progress, with reports suggesting that Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid are all watching him closely.

It won’t be long before Argentine football fans are looking for a player to take up Lionel Messi’s mantle in the national team, and early signs suggest Prestianni might have the talent to at least make sure the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner isn’t missed too much.

The 17-year-old winger is already a regular in the Velez Sarsfield first-team squad having emerged from one of South America’s most prestigious academies to become the club’s youngest-ever player.

Prestianni, who can play on either flank, is yet to establish himself as a starter, but that has not stopped both Real Madrid and Barcelona from making early enquiries as they look set to battle it out for another top teenage talent.

Real Madrid’s plan for life after Karim Benzema is still taking shape, but if Alvaro Rodriguez’s early steps into the first-team picture at Santiago Bernabeu are anything to go by, then Los Blancos may well already have found a successor to their No.9.

Rodriguez provided an assist for Marco Asensio to score on his Liga debut in February, and the 18-year-old followed that up the next week by scoring a late equaliser against local rivals Atletico Madrid.

Compared to Erling Haaland by Madrid’s academy staff having been converted from a winger to striker in the past couple of years, the Uruguay youth international now looks destined to become a key figure in the Spanish capital over the next few years.

Almost three years on from becoming the youngest player in La Liga history after making his debut against Real Madrid as a 15-year-old, Romero is finally establishing himself as a regular contributor at senior level.

Having left Mallorca to join Lazio in the summer of 2021, the playmaking forward has had to bide his time for regular opportunities at Stadio Olimpico, but is now earning regular minutes under Maurizio Sarri.

Dubbed ‘The Mexican Messi’ when growing up, the 18-year-old now looks set to represent Argentina at international level after accepting his first call-up to the senior national side in 2022.

The youngest player to ever score in the Danish top-flight, Roony has been on the radar of top European clubs for a number of years, with the Swedish wonderkid seemingly destined for a career at the very top.

The forward, who can play centrally or on either flank, has had scouts from the likes of Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund watch him in the past, while he has spoken openly about his dream of one day joining Real Madrid.

For now, though, the 17-year-old is focusing on continuing to develop at Copenhagen, where he has recovered from an injury-hit start to the season to become a regular contributor for the second successive campaign.

City Football Group, the network of clubs run by Manchester City’s owners, are always on the lookout for young talents, with their focus having been on South America in recent years.

Savio became the latest Brazilian to join in the summer of 2022, as French side Troyes paid an initial €6.5m to sign the winger from Atletico Mineiro before he was sent on loan to PSV to begin his integration into European football.

Previously compared to Antony and Arjen Robben, the 18-year-old has had a taste of first-team football in Eindhoven, though injuries have disrupted his campaign in the Netherlands.

Another top Norwegian talent, Schjelderup rejected the chance to join Liverpool back in 2020, and instead opted to join FC Nordsjaelland in the hope that he would be fast-tracked into the first-team.

It was a move that paid off, and two-and-a-half years on, the winger joined Benfica in a deal worth an initial €10m having been the top scorer in the Danish top flight during the first half of the 2022-23 campaign.

The 18-year-old is comparable to Jack Grealish and Eden Hazard for his dribbling ability, and though he is still to start making his mark in Portugal, it is expected that he will become a key member of Roger Schmidt’s squad over the coming months.

The sole goalkeeper to appear on the NXGN top 50 list for the second successive year, Slonina’s stock has continued to rise after he shone for Chicago Fire during his first full MLS season as a starter.

Chelsea eventually won the race to sign the 18-year-old, paying £12m to bring him to Stamford Bridge at the end of the American season, where he is currently biding his time behind Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy in the pecking order.

Slonina has, however, made his United States debut after making his first appearance for the national team in January following attempts by Poland to convince him to represent them during 2022.

Life after Robert Lewandowski has not all been plain sailing for Bayern Munich, but they can least be happy in the knowledge that they seem to have found his long-term replacement in the shape of Tel.

The 17-year-old, who previously broke Eduardo Camavinga’s record as Rennes’ youngest player, joined Bayern in a deal worth an initial €20m in the summer of 2022, just weeks after guiding France to the title at the U17 European Championship.

He has wasted little time in showing exactly why Bayern were keen to spend so much on him, either, with the striker having already become the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Bundesliga.

Vinicius Tobias has been through a lot in the last 18 months. Having emerged from Internacional’s academy, the full-back was signed by Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer of 2021, with the promise he would move to Europe six months later.

He has never played a competitive game for the club, however, and was forced to flee Ukraine after Russia’s invasion of the country in February 2022.

Two months later, a deal was struck for him to move on loan to Real Madrid, and the 19-year-old has impressed to a level to have already earned his first call-up to the senior squad, with Los Blancos now likely to pay the €10m purchase option to keep him permanently in the coming months.

Once upon a time, Ronaldo Nazario emerged from the Cruzeiro academy and quickly took Brazilian football by storm. Now, Vitor Roque is well on his way to following in the great No.9’s footsteps.

The forward left Cruzeiro to play top-flight football with Athletico Paranaense in April 2022 and scored seven goals during his first season with the club as they reached the final of the Copa Libertadores.

He recently finished joint-top scorer as Brazil won the U20 South American Championship, and looks destined to join Barcelona in the near future having previously been linked with a host of Premier League clubs.

Wanner rose to fame in January 2022 after he was summoned back from a training camp with Germany’s U17s to make his debut for Bayern in the Bundesliga, becoming the club’s youngest-ever player in the process.

The attacking midfielder has remained with Julian Nagelsmann’s first-team squad ever since, and though opportunities have not always been easy to come by, he continues to be regarded as an elite talent by the German champions.

The one question mark over the 17-year-old’s immediate future is that of which national team he will represent after he was invited to train with Austria’s senior squad by new manager Ralf Rangnick.

Yamal will not turn 16 until July, and yet he is already being mobbed outside Barcelona’s training ground, such is the level of excitement that surrounds one of the most prestigious talents in the club’s recent history.

La Masia experts have been singing Yamal’s praises for years, but his name has become more familiar this year after he was called-up by Xavi to train with the first-team squad on a number of occasions.

A key player for Barca’s U19s and a Spain international at the same age-group, the winger has even been paid the ultimate compliment after he was compared to the great Lionel Messi in terms of their performances at the same age.

Zaire-Emery only made his PSG debut in August, but in the months since he has done nothing but break record after record having earned the trust of manager Christophe Galtier with his impressive performances.

The youngest debutant, starter and goalscorer in the history of the French champions, the 17-year-old then became the youngest player to start a Champions League knockout match when he was named in the line-up to face Bayern Munich in February.

Though he has been used on the right-hand side at times this season, Zaire-Emery’s best position is in central midfield, where he is able to dictate the tempo of games and show off his full passing range.