5 U-20 outfield players who played the most minutes in 2021
European football, at the moment, is replete with youngsters who have risen to prominence following exposure to top-tier football. Almost every league in Europe has a young player among its most influential stars.
CIES, the International Center for Sports Studies, recently released a study on under-20 players across the continent. There, the research organisation listed the U20 players who played the most minutes in 2021.
On that note, here's a look at the five U20 outfield players with the most minutes in 2021.
Note: Minutes per match has been used as the metric to rank the players.
#5 Jude Bellingham (70.2)
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is one of the most promising talents in European football. The 18-year-old joined the Bundesliga giants from Birmingham in 2020, and has gone on to cement a starting spot for himself.
Such has been his importance to BvB that he was one of the most active under-20 outfield players in 2021. He played a total of 4220 minutes in the calendar year, translating to 70.2 minutes per match.
The teenager has scored four goals this season, and provided ten assists in 28 games for Dortmund across competitions. He has been linked with a return to England recently.
Jude Bellingham 📸 https://t.co/QK8R0oas7o
If he keeps up the good work, one of the Premier League giants could snap him up in the near future.
#4 Charles de Ketelaere (74)
Club Brugge's Charles de Ketelaere rose through the club's youth ranks before graduating to the senior team in 2019. Now in his third season with the first team, De Ketelaere has become one of Brugge's most influential players.
The centre-forward can play across the attacking line, and can even couple up as an attacking midfielder. In 2021, the 20-year-old amassed 4536 minutes across competitions for Brugge.
The Belgium international has been in fine form this season, scoring 13 goals and assisting nine across competitions for the club.
Leicester City are eyeing up a potential transfer for Charles De Ketelaere.
🚨 Leicester City are eyeing up a potential transfer for Charles De Ketelaere.
PSG and Real Madrid have also been linked and a final fee of around €40m has already been mooted.
(Source: RTL Belgium) https://t.co/1Qhgmb2dB8
Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City were linked with the player in the January transfer window, but nothing materialised.