Top 3 youngsters in football at the moment
For years Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated headlines for being the most lethal and feared players on the pitch because of their ability to score in big matches and bring trophies to their respective clubs. However, as they age, their glory days will be over, and fans will turn to younger stars.
The teens with the greatest potential can undoubtedly be found in Europe, regardless of their nationalities. In recent months, a few youngsters have been catching our attention following their impressive performances for their clubs and nations.
The trio on this list are below 20 years of age, but have earned themselves quite a reputation, and are dominating the headlines. Here is a look at 3 young footballers who are destined to shine for their clubs and countries in the near future.
#3 Reiss Nelson
In July 2017, Reiss Nelson made his senior debut when he faced Bayern Munich in the International Champions Cup. In the 2017-18 season, Arsene Wenger included him in his squad on multiple occasions.
He played 8 games for The Gunners in the Europa League, and 3 games in the Premier League. However, the 18-year-old failed to score for the senior side. In Premier League 2, Nelson actually impressed fans by scoring 9 goals in 11 games, and laid 3 assists for his team-mates.
When Unai Emery took over, perhaps he felt that the English youngster needed more game time elsewhere in Europe in order to better prepare for the battles in the Premier League. As such, Nelson was loaned to Hoffenheim.
Few expected him to thrive in Bundesliga. In 6 matches for the German club, Nelson has scored 5 goals. At the same time, he has also been given the chance to play in the UEFA Champions League, something Arsenal wouldn't have been able to offer him this season.
Julian Nagelsmann's men are struggling in the group stage after getting just 3 points from 4 matches played thus far. In Bundesliga, Hoffenheim sit in 7th place and Nelson is certainly attracting plenty of attention.
Emery refused to rule out the idea of recalling Nelson back to England early. According to reports, the 18-year-old remains keen to rejoin The Gunners as soon as he can, but does not mind playing in Bundesliga this season to gain more experience as a first team player.
If Nelson continues his impressive run in Bundesliga, he could attract interest from big clubs in Europe. Judging at how things are progressing, the youngster looks set to remain an Arsenal player after he signed a new long-term deal,right before leaving on loan.
All stats via transfermarkt