10 years of NXGN: Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala and where 2022's best wonderkids are now

2022: Iglesias was being likened to Kaka within the Real Madrid academy having reached double-figures for both goals and assists for the U19s while Arsenal and Manchester City were tracking his progress.

2023: The playmaker struggled having stepped up to Madrid's Castilla team, and spent the second half of the 2022-23 team representing Madrid's second reserve side, RSC Internacional, in the fifth tier of Spanish football.

2024: Iglesias was loaned to Celta Vigo's reserve side, but started just once in the Spanish third tier amid a number of cameos from the bench.

2025: Back in the capital, Iglesias is now part of the Real Madrid C squad, for whom he appears regularly in the fourth tier.

2022: Endrick was being dubbed the biggest Brazilian talent since Neymar after shining as a 15-year-old in the prestigious U20s Copinha for Palmeiras, with Europe's biggest clubs already queuing up to sign him.

2023: Having scored three goals in his first seven senior appearances, Endrick agreed to join Real Madrid for €60m in January 2023, though he will not move to Spain until the summer of 2024 when he turns 18.

2024: Endrick's first full season of senior football ended with him scoring 11 league goals, including some crucial strikes in the run-in as Palmeiras defended the Brasilerao title. He also began to make his mark on the Brazil national team by scoring against England and Spain, among others.

2025: The forward arrived in Madrid ahead of the 2024-25 season, and despite scoring on both his La Liga and Champions League debuts, his opportunities have been limited due to the Blancos' star-studded attack monopolising the minutes.

2022: Already a full Mexico international, Flores was making waves in Arsenal's youth sides by scoring spectacular goals and pulling off even more spectacular celebrations.

2023: Flores joined Real Oviedo on loan ahead of the 2022-23 season, but slowly fell out of contention for the Spanish second-division side. He was then sold to Mexican giants Tigres in September 2023.

2024: The winger played regularly during his first year months in Liga MX, though mostly as a substitute.

2025: Flores is slowly securing himself a place in the Tigres line up as the 2025 Clausura gets up to full speed.

2022: Dubbed 'the Swedish Messi', Bardghji was already the youngest goal-scorer in the history of the Danish Superliga, and the wide forward was being linked with a host of Europe's biggest clubs.

2023: After an injury-hit start to the 2022-23 season, Bardghji established himself as a regular contributor in Copenhagen, though he netted just three goals.

2024: Bardghji enjoyed a breakout season as he netted 11 goals in all competitions, including a late winner against Manchester United in the Champions League, and top Premier League clubs were following him closely before he suffered a serious knee injury in May 2024 that ruined any hopes of a summer transfer.

2025: The forward is continuing his recovery as he eyes a return before the season is out.

2022: The youngest goalkeeper to ever keep a clean sheet in MLS, Slonina had established himself as Chicago Fire's No.1 as some of Europe's biggest clubs began to prepare transfer bids.

2023: Chelsea won the race for Slonina, paying £12.3m to sign him in the summer of 2022, though he did not join up with the Blues until January, and turned out exclusively for the Blues' U21s upon his arrival.

2024: Slonina joined Belgian side Eupen on loan for the 2023-24 season, and he wasn't short of work as they tried but failed to avoid relegation from the top flight.

2025: The 'keeper was loaned out again last summer, joining League One side Barnsley, and he put in some eye-catching performances for the Tykes before a finger injury led to his spell in South Yorkshire being cut short.

2022: A defensive midfielder who was being linked with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, Gourna-Douath had earned comparisons to Paul Pogba after establishing himself as a key player for Saint-Etienne.

2023: He became the most expensive signing in Austrian football history when Red Bull Salzburg paid €15m to acquire him in the summer of 2022, and he slowly became a star performer over the course of the campaign.

2024: Gourna-Douath remained a key man for much of the 2023-24 season at Salzburg, but slipped out of the line up in the final weeks of the campaign as they surrendered the title.

2025: The midfielder continued to be left out of the line up with regularity to begin the current season, but that didn't put off Roma, who took him on loan in January.

2022: The youngest player to ever appear in Europe for United, Shoretire was on the fringes of the first team at Old Trafford after the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich had tried to sign him over the previous 12 months.

2023: Shoretire did not make a senior appearance in the first half of the 2022-23 season before joining Bolton Wanderers on loan, where he was a regular starter in League One but struggled to make a major impact.

2024: The forward remained on the outside looking in at United, and he was released upon the expiration of his contract in the summer of 2024.

2025: A move to Greece followed for Shoretire as he joined PAOK, and he has predominantly been a substitute since his arrival at the club.

2022: Manchester City and Real Madrid were among the teams showing an interest in the midfielder after he made his Flamengo debut late in the 2021 season.

2023: After Newcastle had a bid of around £20m rejected for Franca in January 2023, he eventually did move to the Premier League, joining Crystal Palace for a similar fee six months later.

2024: Injuries bookended Franca's first season in England, meaning he made just 10 league appearances for the Eagles.

2025: Franca's recovery from a fractured rib has kept him on the sidelines for the majority of the 2024-25 campaign, with his career at Palace yet to properly get going.

2022: Michut was beginning to make the odd appearance for the PSG first team having been regarded as one the best passing midfielders in the European youth ranks over the previous few years.

2023: In a bid to earn more first-team minutes, Michut was loaned to Sunderland for the 2022-23 season, where he was in an and out of the line up as they reached the Championship play-offs.

2024: The Black Cats decided against keeping Michut, and he was thus sent on loan to Turkish Super Lig side Adana Demirspor. He gradually became a key starter, and his move was made permanent in the summer of 2024.

2025: Bizarrely, Michut played just two more games for Demirspor before he was released in August due to payment delays. He spent just over two months without a club before joining Dutch side Fortuna Sittard, where he is now making regular Eredivisie appearances.

2022: Regarded as one Europe's top centre-back prospects, Okoh was busy recovering from a serious knee injury that he suffered just 48 hours after earning his first call-up to the senior Switzerland squad in November 2021.

2023: After almost 16 months out, Okoh finally returned to action in early March 2023, but made just one first-team appearance in 2022-23.

2024: Injuries continued to plague Okoh, and he made just 12 appearances for Salzburg's reserve side, Liefering, in the Austrian second division.

2025: Okoh continues to feature regularly for Liefering, though injuries have remained an issue.

2022: Dubbed an "outstanding talent" by Jurgen Klopp, the £3m signing from Derby County had already both played and scored for Liverpool's first team during his first full season on Merseyside.

2023: Gordon didn't play at all in 2022-23 as a persistent pelvic injury forced him into an extended spell on the sidelines.

2024: After 17 months out, Gordon eventually returned to action in November 2023, but made just three appearances for the first team over the course of the campaign.

2025: Gordon was loaned to Norwich City in August, but made just one start in the Championship before his spell was cut short. He returned to the second tier in January, though, as he joined Portsmouth for the remainder of the campaign.

2022: Having been unearthed by the same Boca Juniors scout who first spotted Carlos Tevez and Juan Roman Riquelme, Barco had become the fourth-youngest player to ever debut for the Argentine giants.

2023: Barco forced his way into the Boca line-up midway through the 2023 season, and played an important role in their run to the Copa Libertadores final as he was moved from left-back to the wing.

2024: Brighton spent around £8m to bring Barco to the Premier League in January 2024, and he made a handful of appearances before the culmination of the campaign.

2025: Barco was loaned to Sevilla so as to gain some experience of European football, but he made just three La Liga starts before the spell was cut short in January. He then joined Strasbourg in January, and he has quickly become a starter in Ligue 1.

2022: Having been likened to Zlatan Ibrahimovic when coming through the ranks at Danish side Vejle, Faghir had joined Stuttgart in August 2021 as he looked to make his mark on a top European league.

2023: After making six Bundesliga appearances in his first season in Germany, Faghir was loaned back to Denmark to join FC Nordsjaelland, but he started just six league games.

2024: Faghir spent the 2023-24 season on loan at German second-division side Elversberg, but after an encouraging start, injuries limited his opportunities.

2025: Now back at Stuttgart, Faghir is playing for the reserve side in the third tier, but it seems his chances of ever breaking into the first team are slim.

2022: Having starred for Villa as they won the 2021 FA Youth Cup, Chukwuemeka had begun to make some impressive cameos in the first team amid interest from top English and European clubs.

2023: The midfielder completed a shock £20m move to Chelsea in the summer of 2022, but he made only two Premier League starts during his first season at Stamford Bridge.

2024: Chukwuemeka made a strong start to the 2023-24 campaign under Mauricio Pochettino, but a knee injury ruled him out for over four months, and he struggled to maintain his fitness thereafter.

2025: Enzo Maresca made it clear that Chukwuemeka wasn't part of his plans at Stamford Bridge, but he had to wait until January before he was able to complee a loan move to Borussia Dortmund.

2022: The son of former Croatia defender Dario Simic, the striker was beginning to edge into the Salzburg first-team squad after joining the Austrian giants for €4m in the summer of 2021.

2023: Simic was largely a substitute in the first half of the 2022-23 season before joining Swiss champions FC Zurich on loan in January 2023, for whom he scored four goals as his starting opportunities were limited.

2024: Back at Salzburg, the striker enjoyed a decent start to the campaign, but the goals dried up in the second half of the season. He was then sold to Cardiff City, who in turn loaned him out to Belgian side Kortrijk.

2025: Simic started just one game in the Jupiler League before his stay at Kortrijk was ended in January due to injury.

2022: Balde had already made his competitive Barca debut after impressing in the 2021 pre-season, with many predicting he would go onto be Jordi Alba's long-term successor at Camp Nou.

2023: The left-back's development accelerated in 2022-23 to the extent that he appeared at the World Cup in November and became Barca's recognised starter at the position.

2024: Balde remained Xavi's first-choice left-back to start the following season, but a ruptured tendon suffered in January ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign.

2025: Back fit, Balde is an almost ever-present in Hansi Flick's line up as he continues to establish himself as one of Europe's premier full-backs.

2022: Regarded as the best midfield prospect to emerge in Czech football since Tomas Rosicky, Karabec had been around the Sparta Prague first team for almost two years.

2023: Karabec didn't kick on in the way many hoped he would in 2022-23, with most of his appearances coming off the bench as he scored just two league goals.

2024: The midfielder again struggled to hold down a starting role at Sparta, and he was subsequently loaned to Hamburg ahead of the following season.

2025: Karabec has begun to show what he is capable of since his arrival in Germany, and is playing an important part in Hamburg's push to earn promotion to the Bundesliga.

2022: Having been scouted by the likes of Real Madrid, Liverpool and Juventus, Iceland international Johannesson was settling into life in Denmark after completing a summer move to Copenhagen ahead of the 2021-22 season.

2023: The central midfielder appeared regularly for Copenhagen, albeit mostly as a substitute, and was loaned to German second division side Fortuna Dusseldorf ahead of the 2023-24 season.

2024: Johannesson enjoyed an encouraging season, as he produced 16 direct goal contributions in all competitions, which in turn convinced Dusseldorf to make his move permanent.

2025: One of the most productive midfielder in the 2. Bundesliga, Johannesson continues to impress with his attacking returns.

2022: Another top prospect emerging from the Chelsea academy, Colwill was playing a key role on loan at Huddersfield Town as they chased promotion back to the Premier League.

2023: Though it was Colwill's own goal that cost Huddersfield in the play-off final, he did enough to earn a top-flight loan move, joining Brighton, where he became a starter around the turn of the year.

2024: Colwill was immediately installed into the Chelsea team under Mauricio Pochettino, and largely impressed while also earning his first England cap, though a toe injury basically ended his campaign in March 2024.

2025: The defender has retained his place in the Blues' line up under Enzo Maresca, though some questions has been asked of his performance levels at times.

2022: The youngest player to ever score on their Ajax debut, Unuvar had been tipped for the top for some time, and was spending the 2021-22 season starring for Jong Ajax in the Dutch second division.

2023: The winger spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Turkish champions Trabzonspor, but he started just one league match for the club. Ajax then sent him back out on loan, this time to Twente, in the summer of 2023.

2024: Unuvar started just two Eredivisie games for Twente, though he enjoyed a couple of eye-catching cameos over the course of the season. He was then sent on loan to Espanyol in Spain during the summer that followed.

2025: Having managed just two substitute appearances in La Liga, Unuvar's loan was cut short, and Ajax cancelled his contract in January. Twente picked him up shortly after, and he has taken up a similar role as an impact substitute since his return to Grolsch Veste.

2022: The centre-back had become a mainstay of the Santos defence over the course of the 2021 season, and was being heavily linked with a move to Barcelona.

2023: Newly-promoted Spanish side Almeria made a surprise €7m move to sign Kaiky in the summer of 2022, and though he started the season in the line-up, he gradually fell more and more out of favour.

2024: Having made just eight La Liga appearances in the first half of the 2023-24 season, Kaiky was loaned to second-division side Albacete in January 2024, where he quickly become a starter.

2025: Almeria's relegation has opened up more opportunities for Kaiky, though he hasn't quite locked down a regular starting role as yet.

2022: Having rejected Liverpool to join Nordsjaelland as a 16-year-old, Schjelderup was earning comparisons to Jack Grealish as he began to catch the eye in Denmark.

2023: Schjelderup took his game to a new level in the first half of the 2022-23 season, and was the top scorer in the Danish top-flight at the winter break with 10 goals. He then joined Benfica in a €10m deal in January 2023, but made just one substitute appearance for the Portuguese giants during his first six months in Lisbon.

2024: The winger returned to Nordsjaelland on loan in September 2023, and after a slow start, he rediscovered his best form in Denmark as he scored 10 goals and provided a further 10 assists in all competitions.

2025: Schjelderup was kept in Portugal for the 2024-25 season, and after a slow start, he has begun to earn starts for Benfica thanks to some impressive performances.

2022: Having marked his first-team debut with a goal, Patino was being tipped to become the next superstar to emerge from Arsenal's famed Hale End academy.

2023: Patino spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Blackpool, where he put in a number of impressive performances in the Championship, even though the Tangerines were relegated.

2024: The midfielder was expected to leave Arsenal on a permanent basis in the summer of 2023, but he instead joined Swansea on loan. After an encouraging start to life in South Wales, Patino's form dipped in the second half of the campaign.

2025: Patino left Arsenal to join Deportivo La Coruna in August 2024, but he has barely featured for the Spanish second-division outfit.

2022: A former superstar in Barcelona's youth ranks, Simons had begun to make more regular appearances in the PSG first team having been one of the stars of the 2021-22 UEFA Youth League.

2023: PSG expected him to sign a new deal in Paris and join PSV on loan at the end of the season, but Simons instead moved to Eindhoven on a permanent deal, and finished as the league's top scorer with 19 goals, while he also provided 12 assists in all competitions. That form led to the 19-year-old being called-up to the Netherlands' World Cup squad in late 2022, before PSG paid the €6m buy-back clause in his contract and sent Simons on loan to RB Leipzig for the 2023-24 campaign.

2024: The playmaker managed the step up in quality well, and established himself as one of the best creative players in the Bundesliga as he laid on 12 league assists to go with eight goals. Leipzig then agreed to take him on loan for a second successive campaign.

2025: Simons missed three months of action due to ankle injury, but he has again been impressive when he has been fit, and Leipzig eventually agreed to pay an initial €50m to make him their club-record signing in January.

2022: The right-back had broken into the Lyon first team at the start of the 2021-22 and was beginning to show why many believed he was the best teenage player in his position in Europe.

2023: Chelsea spent just over £30m to sign Gusto in January 2023 before loaning him back to Lyon, though injuries limited his game time after the transfer was confirmed.

2024: Gusto gradually showed improvements over the course of his first Premier League season as he has deputised excellently for the injured Reece James.

2025: The Frenchman remains first-choice right-back at Stamford Bridge, and looks to have moved ahead of James in the pecking order.

2022: Dubbed 'the left-footed Neymar', Kayky had become the latest South American talent to land in Manchester after breaking into the Fluminense first team following a glittering youth career.

2023: Kayky was loaned to Pacos de Ferreira in the summer of 2022, but made just eight league appearances for the Portuguese side before being recalled. He was then sent on loan back to Brazil with top-flight side Bahia, and he made almost 30 appearances before suffering a serious knee injury in July 2023.

2024: The forward worked his way back to full fitness back in Brazil as he sat out the whole 2023-24 campaign.

2025: A loan move to Sparta Rotterdam followed for Kayky, but he made just two Eredivisie starts before his stay in the Netherlands was cut short, and he was instead loaned back to Bahia once more.

2022: Clark broke onto the scene with a series of stunning goals for New York Red Bulls before Leipzig agreed to sign him in January 2022. Clark was then loaned back to New York for the 2022 campaign.

2023: Injuries and a lack of consistency meant that Clark started just three MLS matches in 2022, and he couldn't break through at Leipzig when he moved to Germany in early 2023.

2024: Clark spent the first half of the 2023-24 season on loan at Danish second-division side Vendsyssel, but he only made two appearances, and was then released by Leipzig. He then joined Minnesota United and earned minutes in the early weeks of the MLS season before being traded to CF Montreal in August 2024.

2025: After a strong end to the previous campaign, Clark is established in Montreal as they again look to reach the MLS playoffs.

2022: Having broken the record for the most goals in a single Premier League 2 season and scored on his first-team debut in the previous campaign, Delap's 2021-22 season had largely been ruined by injury amid hopes he would be loaned out to gain experience.

2023: Delap spent the first half of the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Stoke City before joining fellow Championship side Preston North End for the second half of the season, but managed just four league goals across the entirety of the campaign.

2024: The striker signed up for another season in the Championship as he joined Hull City on loan, and he managed eight goals despite missing three months with a knee injury.

2025: Ipswich Town agreed to pay up to £20m to sign Delap following their promotion to the Premier League, and he has been a revelation despite the Tractor Boys' struggles, with top English sides set to battle over his signature this coming summer.

2022: Hannibal made headlines when United paid £4.5m to sign him from Monaco in 2019, and he had developed to an extent that he was a regular in the first-team squad through the 2021-22 season.

2023: The midfielder was loaned to Birmingham City for the 2022-23 season, and he started more often than not for the Championship side.

2024: Hannibal earned praise from Erik ten Hag early in the following campaign, but soon fell out of favour, and he joined Sevilla on loan in January 2024. The Spanish side, however, weren't impressed with the Tunisia international's attitude as he made just six La Liga appearances.

2025: United allowed Hannibal to join Burnley on a permanent deal ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, and he has played an important part in the Clarets' promotion push.

2022: Afena-Gyan broke onto the scene after two stunning goals against Genoa in October 2021 earned him some new trainers from Jose Mourinho, and he continued to catch the eye for the Giallorossi.

2023: Despite him signing a new contract in July 2022, Afena-Gyan was sold to Cremonese a few weeks later, and he failed to find the net in 23 Serie A appearances as he suffered relegation.

2024: The winger only made one start in Serie B after a broken foot kept him out of action for three months.

2025: Afena-Gyan was loaned to Juventus last summer, but he has played exclusively for the Bianconeri's reserve side in Serie C.

2022: Having joined City from Anderlecht in the summer of 2020, Lavia had become a star performer in the club's youth sides while also stepping up to make his first-team debut.

2023: The midfielder joined Southampton in a £10.5m deal in the summer of 2022 and was excellent in his first Premier League season despite the Saints suffering relegation.

2024: Chelsea beat Liverpool to Lavia's signature ahead of the 2023-24 season, paying £58m for the privilege, but the Belgian made just one Premier League appearance for the Blues due to a series of injury problems.

2025: Injuries have continued to plague Lavia, and while he has managed more appearances this time around than in his debut campaign, Chelsea are still waiting for him to show his best in a blue shirt.

2022: Having become the youngest player to ever appear at a European Championship finals in 2021, Kozlowski joined Brighton for £8m in January 2022 before being sent on loan to Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise.

2023: The central midfielder was again sent out on loan for the 2022-23 campaign, joining Vitesse, and he became an important player for the Eredivisie outfit, who in turn took him on loan for a second season.

2024: Kozlowski continued to be a regular starter for Vitesse before Brighton decided to sell him in the summer of 2024, as he left the Seagulls having never made an appearance for them to join Turkish side Gaziantep.

2025: A key figure for the Super Lig outfit, Kozlowski continues to develop nicely while contributing the odd goal and assist.

2022: Having been likened to Lionel Messi by some coaching staff at La Masia, Ilias had started Xavi's first match in charge at Camp Nou and was a regular around the first-team squad.

2023: Ilias was limited to playing for Barcelona Atletic in the Spanish third tier in 2022-23, and in turn rejected a new contract and left Camp Nou on a free transfer, joining Villarreal a few weeks later.

2024: The forward slowly worked his way into the line-up for the Yellow Submarine, though goals and assists proved hard to come by.

2025: Ilias continued to grow into his role during the early weeks of the season, only to suffer a serious knee injury in November that is set to end his season.

2022: Ilaix was compared to Paul Pogba while coming through the ranks for Barcelona, but a contract dispute after he broke into the first team saw him leave for Leipzig in the summer of 2021. A lack of minutes, though, led to him being loaned to Valencia in January 2022.

2023: Moriba did enough for Valencia to extend his loan for another season, though he started just 10 league matches over the course of the campaign.

2024: The midfielder did not make an appearance for Leipzig during the first half of the 2023-24 season, and was loaned to Getafe in January, where he was a rotational figure.

2025: Moriba is again back in Spain after joining Celta Vigo on loan for the current campaign, where he has mostly been a starter.

2022: Having spent time in PSG and Everton's academies, Cho had broken out as a young star of Ligue 1 at Angers, and Borussia Dortmund had a €20m bid for the forward turned down in January 2022.

2023: Cho joined Real Sociedad in a €11m deal in the summer of 2022, but injuries limited his involvement, and he made just five starts in La Liga.

2024: Having made just one league start in the first half of the season, Cho was sold to Nice for €12m in January 2024, and he appeared regularly upon his return to France.

2025: Cho is a regular starter at Nice, where he has chipped in with the odd goal and assist through the campaign.

2022: A product of the Hertha Berlin academy, Netz was in the midst of his first season at Gladbach having joined the club in a €4m deal in the summer of 2021.

2023: The left-back struggled for game time in 2022-23 under manager Daniel Farke, as he started just seven Bundesliga matches.

2024: Netz forced his way into the Gladbach line-up during the following season, and was being linked with a summer move to England.

2025: Still in Germany and now a veteran of over 100 Bundesliga appearances, Netz has had to make do with a rotational role in 2024-25.

2022: A prolific goalscorer at youth level, Leonardo had begun establishing himself as Santos' starting central striker while being linked with the likes of Liverpool.

2023: The striker netted 17 goals in all competitions during the 2022 campaign, and followed that up with another 21 in 2023.

2024: Leonardo joined Benfica in an €18m deal in January 2024, and managed to score seven goals in just 14 Primeira Liga games despite mainly being a substitute.

2025: His stay in Portugal was a short one, as he joined Al-Hilal in a €40m deal in September, and he has already surpassed 20 goals in all competitions for the Saudi champions.

2022: Demir was getting to grips with being back in Austria after Barcelona surprisingly cut short his year-long loan in January 2022 amid concerns they could not afford to sign the forward permanently at the end of the campaign.

2023: The Austria international joined Galatasaray on a permanent deal in the summer of 2022, but a series of injury problems limited his impact during his first season in Turkey.

2024: Demir was loaned to Basel for the 2023-24 season, but struggled to make an impact in Switzerland, as he started just six league games.

2025: Back at Galatasaray, Demir is well down the pecking order in Istanbul, and has only made short cameo appearances in the Super Lig this season.

2022: Soule was being compared with Angel Di Maria in his native Argentina as he began to force his way into Juventus' matchday squad on a regular basis.

2023: The forward made sporadic appearances through the 2022-23 season, but there were other players of his age who were making a bigger impact on the Bianconeri's first team.

2024: After being loaned to Frosinone, Soule was one of Serie A's breakout starts of the season, as he scored 11 goals for a team that was eventually relegated.

2025: Soule's form convinced Roma to spend €25m on him ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, and he has been in and out of the line up at Stadio Olimpico.

2022: The young star of Russian football, Zakharyan was averaging a goal or assist every other game in the top flight.

2023: Sanctions placed on Russian clubs blocked Chelsea from signing Zakharyan in the summer of 2022, and he went on to directly contribute to 15 goals in the Russian Premier League in the following campaign.

2024: Real Sociedad paid €13m to sign Zakharyan in August 2023, but he was in and out of the line-up in La Liga as he scored just the solitary goal.

2025: A torn tendon meant that Zakharyan didn't make his first appearance of the current campaign until February, and he is slowly getting himself back to full fitness.

2022: Pepi burst onto the scene in the 2021 MLS season, scoring 13 goals for FC Dallas before completing a record-breaking €17.5m move to Augsburg in January 2022.

2023: The striker struggled for goals in Germany before joining Groningen on loan in the summer of 2022, and Pepi enjoyed an encouraging season in the Netherlands, scoring 13 goals in all competitions.

2024: PSV were convinced to sign Pepi following that campaign, and though he was almost-exclusively been a substitute in Eindhoven, he still chipped in with some important goals.

2025: Pepi took his game to a new level in 2024-25, and had already scored 18 goals in all competitions before suffering a season-ending knee injury in January.

2022: Sesko was enjoying his first full season in the Salzburg first team, with the man nicknamed 'Mini-Haaland' on his way to netting 11 goals in all competitions.

2023: Despite interest from Manchester United, Sesko agreed a €24m move to RB Leipzig in August 2022 that would see him move to Germany 12 months later. In the meantime, he scored 18 goals in all competitions during his final season at Salzburg.

2024: Sesko wasn't a regular starter at Leipzig in his opening months at the club, but he found form in the closing weeks of the campaign, and again finished the season with 18 goals in all competitions.

2025: While he continues to be linked wit top English clubs, Sesko isn't being distracted, and is closing in on the first 20-goal season of his career.

2022: A goalscoring machine at youth level, Moukoko had broken countless records after breaking into the Dortmund first team at 16, though injuries had held back his development somewhat.

2023: Moukoko enjoyed the best season of his career to date in 2022-23, for which he was rewarded with a World Cup call-up in December and a new contract in January amid interest from Chelsea and Barcelona. He ended the campaign with seven Bundesliga goals, despite starting just 11 games.

2024: The striker slipped down the pecking order at Signal Iduna Park, and managed to make just four Bundesliga starts over the course of the 2023-24 campaign.

2025: Moukoko joined Nice on a season-long loan deal in a bid for more minutes, but he has not settled in France, and has barely featured in Ligue 1.

2022: The versatile defender was entrenched in the Ajax first-team squad, though he was more of a rotational piece for Erik ten Hag.

2023: Rensch established himself in the Ajax line-up over the course of 2022-23, becoming the club's starting right-back.

2024: A veteran of over 130 Ajax games despite being just 21, Rensch remained a regular starter in Amsterdam while showcasing his versatility.

2025: Rensch's performances convinced Roma to swoop for him in January, as the Italian side paid €5m to bring him to Serie A.

2022: Regarded as the best player to emerge from Lyon's academy since Karim Benzema, Cherki had been heavily linked with Real Madrid as he looked to make his mark on the first team in France.

2023: Cherki fared better in 2022-23, even if his attacking numbers didn't reflect some of the excellent performances he produced under Laurent Blanc.

2024: Lyon's poor form in the first half of the following season led to Cherki losing his place in the side, and was largely a substitute in the final months of the campaign, which led to reports he could leave.

2025: Despite interest from Borussia Dortmund, Cherki remained at Lyon, and has enjoyed a productive campaign where he has cemented himself as one of the most creative players in Ligue 1.

2022: The youngest player in Premier League history from his time at Fulham, Elliott had recovered from a serious ankle injury suffered in August 2021 and making his mark on the first team at Anfield.

2023: Elliott was in and out of the line-up during a difficult season for Liverpool, but he looked set to be a staple of the team as the Reds planned for a squad overhaul.

2024: Able to play either in midfield or a wide attacker, Elliot emerged as a key rotational piece for Jurgen Klopp, and made some important contributions off the bench.

2025: Elliott was expected to kick on again under Arne Slot, but an injury suffered early in the season saw him fall down the pecking order, and he remains on the fringes at Anfield.

2022: Former Chelsea academy star Musiala was blossoming into a key piece of Bayern's attack as well as a regular member of the Germany squad having chosen to represent them over England.

2023: Musiala exploded in 2022-23, scoring 16 goals - including the goal that sealed the Bundesliga title on the final day - and providing 16 assists while becoming Germany's key attacker after an impressive World Cup.

2024: The forward didn't quite hit the same levels amid Bayern's struggles under Thomas Tuchel, but he did impress at yet another major international tournament as Germany hosted Euro 2024.

2025: Musiala has been back to his best at the Allianz Arena as the Bavarians look to regain the Bundesliga title, and he was rewarded with a bumper new contract in February.

2022: Another potential superstar to emerge from Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, Gavi had gone from an unknown teenager to regular starter for club and country in the space of a few months.

2023: Gavi became more and more influential for Barca, and was rewarded for his performances by winning the Golden Boy.

2024: The midfielder again impressed during the early weeks of the 2023-24 season, but suffered a season-ending ACL tear while playing for Spain in November.

2025: Gavi returned to action in October, but he is yet to show his best level as yet while rotating in and out of the Barca XI.

2022: Wirtz had exploded in 2021-22, hitting double-figures for both goals and assists as he began to be linked with Bayern Munich. A serious knee injury suffered in February 2022 had, though, ended his season prematurely.

2023: The playmaker returned to action in January 2023, and returned 12 direct goal contributions through the second half of the season as he looked back to his best almost immediately.

2024: Wirtz was sensational for Xabi Alonso's side in 2023-24, as he was directly involved in 38 goals across all competitions as Leverkusen won their first Bundesliga title as well as the DFB-Pokal.

2025: Though Leverkusen haven't quite hit the same level this time around, Wirtz has continued to excel and establish himself as one of the best attacking midfielders on the continent.

2022: Bellingham was taking his game to greater and greater levels at Dortmund, singling him out as one of the best central midfielders in Europe, regardless of age.

2023: The midfielder took his game to another level yet again, becoming a starter for England and a vice-captain for Dortmund while scoring 14 goals in all competitions. Real Madrid eventually won the race for his signature, paying €103m to bring him to the Bernabeu.

2024: Bellingham made a record-breaking start to life at Madrid and was regarded as the early front-runner for the 2024 Ballon d'Or before eventually finishing third as Los Blancos won both La Liga and the Champions league. As well as being a star man at club level, he also produced some moments of magic to help lead England to the Euro 2024 final.

2025: After a slow start to the campaign, Bellingham has rediscovered his best form in recent months, and is regarded by many as the best midfielder in world football right now.