2024-05-11 18:54:29
Who were the best under-23 players in Europe last month?
İdman.biz presents an article with a link to livesport.ru.
ESPN once again presents its “Hot List”, which each month reveals the most talented football players in Europe under the age of 23.
Typically, young but established stars such as Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham or Barcelona’s Gavi are not included on the list – otherwise they would be on it every month – but we Let’s shine a light on some of those players who deserve praise for their performances and could potentially become the next big names in European football.
Crisencio Summerville
22 years old, winger, Leeds United
Signed from Leeds for a paltry €1.5 million from Feyenoord in 2020, the Dutchman is safe to say enjoying his truly breakthrough season in English football. Summerville, recently named Championship Player of the Season, has been instrumental in Yorkshire’s promotion (19 goals, nine assists). Given his promising showings in the Premier League last season, there is every reason to expect the 22-year-old to make even more of an impact at the top level this time around – be it at Leeds or elsewhere.
A year in the Championship has clearly made the winger a more complete striker. He continues to be a threat in one-on-one duels and executes his moves at such a speed that it is difficult for defenders to understand his intentions or direction. But Summerville now has a better feel for the central zones. His “signature move” of curling the ball into the far corner while cutting in from the left (he takes over three shots per 90 minutes) has also been perfected and should prove effective at a higher level.
Archie Gray
18 years old, right back/centre midfielder, Leeds United
Staying in the Championship and Leeds (although to be fair it hasn’t been a good week for them as they look set to face a promotion play-off) it would be fair to also award the competition’s Young Player of the Season. With no senior experience prior to this campaign, Gray has played a remarkable 40 of 43 games – often in the initially unfamiliar position of right-back.
Although Gray – the son of former Leeds striker Andy and great-nephew of club legend Eddie – has performed admirably at right-back, his future may lie in a more central role. Already an England youth international despite only recently turning 18, Gray is an exceptionally intelligent youngster who combines top-notch positional awareness, brilliant ball retention and passing skills into a physically well-developed body.
With such a well-balanced skill set and a tenacious attitude atypical for his age, it’s easy to imagine him dictating the pace of play in Leeds’ midfield for years to come.
Morgan Rogers
21 years old, attacking midfielder, Aston Villa
Early indications are that Aston Villa have done a brilliant job of scouting by signing the Middlesbrough winger for £8m in the January transfer window. Rodgers looks great and has adapted to the Premier League in record time. The England youth international not only scored twice in April but also looked like a game-changer as Unai Emery’s side looked to earn a spot in the Champions League next season.
What makes Rogers particularly interesting is his combination of physical and technical attributes. Although he is quite tall, he is athletic rather than lanky and has excellent speed, which is especially useful when breaking through lines in possession. However, he also has a fluid touch, dodges pressure elegantly, shoots the ball exceptionally well (three shots in 90 minutes, 52% on target) and is also adept at making penetrating passes.
With these important skills already in his arsenal, there is no reason to believe that he cannot continue to develop into a genuine top Premier League player.
Adam Wharton
19 years old, central midfielder, Crystal Palace
And speaking of moves from the Championship to the Premier League, Wharton has looked very impressive at manager Oliver Glasner’s revived Crystal Palace. Following the same successful plan that saw Palace sign Eberechi Eze (QPR) and Michael Olise (Reading) from the second division, Wharton joined the south London club from Blackburn in January for £18 million.
Just a few months later, Wharton has started 12 Premier League games and it is no exaggeration to say he is at home among the best. Having recorded assists against Manchester City and Newcastle in April, the box-to-box midfielder has all the attributes needed to be effective in a number eight position.
His relentless energy allows him to cover large areas of the pitch, he works diligently defensively (9.6 successful defensive tackles per 90 minutes) and when in possession, Wharton is happy to take risks with his passing game – often looking for options to push forward (15 passes forward per 90 minutes is a pretty good indicator) or looking for running players with longer passes (which is a standout feature of his game). Moreover, the left-footed midfielder is also blessed with a quick and practical ability on the ball and can get past opponents thanks to his excellent ability to move with it.
Georges Mikoutadze
23 years old, forward, Metz
With 23 league goals, the French-born Georgia international can claim a share of the credit for Metz’s successful promotion last season. However, this campaign, after a difficult half season at Ajax, the speedy 23-year-old could once again be Metz’s hero as the player on loan from the Dutch giants has scored nine goals in 14 years since joining his former team. matches.
During April, Mikautadze hit the goal six times, including one lucky rebound, and three of these six goals brought Metz important victories. Mikautadze’s energetic, free-roaming style clearly suits Metz’s counter-attacking game rather than Ajax’s more rigid, possession-based style of football, which has also led to positional problems as he is hardly a traditional number nine, and this means there is a temptation to play him on the wing.
However, being somewhat independent from a tactical point of view and with quick finishing in the box and borderline offside being his calling card, there is no doubt that Mikautadze needs carte blanche to get into the box – plus the space there – to play to your strengths.
Riccardo Calafiori
21 years old, central defender, Bologna
Although Thiago Motta, the manager who is about to lead Bologna into the Champions League, is the main architect of the Serie A club’s excellent defensive record this season (27 goals conceded in total, third behind Inter Milan and traditionally impenetrable Juventus) ), defender Calafiori also deserves his share of credit.
Calafiori, a Roma academy graduate, has made a huge impression in Serie A this season after returning to Italy after a year at Swiss side Basel. In April, Calafiori, playing at left-back in Bologna’s back four, was as dominant as ever as Bologna kept clean sheets against Salernitana and Frosinone and a 3-1 away win at Roma. was probably the most satisfying victory of his career to date.
The left-footed centre-back, whose mobility, pace and ball control also allow him to play as a left-back, is a very impressive modern defensive player who plays forward, intercepts and anticipates before launching his team’s attack. Moreover, he has an impressive presence on the field, which is rare for a 21-year-old.
His overall defensive contribution is well illustrated: he averages 10.9 successful defensive actions per 90 minutes (compared to 8.5-9 would be the norm for a top young centre-back). It is clear that Calafiori’s impressive year in Serie A has attracted the attention of a number of top European clubs.
İdman.biz