5 breakout players of the season
The 2018-19 season is practically over with only the Champions League final left to be played at the time of writing. The top 5 leagues have been won by the same clubs that won it last year which is the first time something like this has happened.
While Real Madrid struggled throughout the season, Barcelona bottled it in the end and Bayern won the double despite performing below-par. But there have been fairy-tale campaigns for clubs like Ajax and Tottenham who punched above their weight despite their financial limitations.
In all this chaos there were players who enjoyed a breakout 2018-19 campaign. A breakout season doesn't have to be the first season in which the player breaks into the first team. It is generally the first season in which a player goes from being under the radar to be the star player of the team.
Today we look at 5 players who enjoyed a breakout campaign this season and will be on the books of big clubs next season.
#5 Aaron Wan-Bissaka
When the PFA team of the year was announced, there was a section of fans and media that preferred Wan-Bissaka at right back in place of Alexander-Arnold, such has been the rise in the performances of England U-21 this season.
Wan-Bissaka, in the youth ranks, started as a winger only to be converted into a right-back after making it to the first team. Yet to be capped by the English national side, the defender has excellent ball control. On average, he engages in 7.27 offensive duels per game, beating his man 56.3% of the time.
Overall, Wan-Bissaka is a huge asset in the final third. His pace, trickery, and close control make him a real threat in one v ones. He is comfortable taking the ball infield, before making intelligent passes in central areas. This is partly due to him being employed as a winger in the youth setup.
Reports suggest that Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made Wan-Bissaka his number one target at right-back while Manchester City and Tottenham have also been keeping track of the player. Wherever the player ends, he surely has a bright future ahead of him.