Who are the most sought-after young midfielders in Europe currently set to dominate elite soccer for a long-time?
Europe has become a breeding ground for nurturing future football prospects. Recently, there’s been a massive increase in youngsters who are naturally skilled and blessed with untapped potential who are quickly developed to go into first-team roles with remarkable professionalism.
In order to provide results for sustainability, many soccer teams have made it their objective to invest more in their academy, and concentrating on acquiring distinctive assets in an effort to reduce the annual spending binge on transfers.
Midfielders are often seen as the soul and engine of the team, because they’re tasked with the team’s defensive, attacking, progression, and transitioning duty on the field.
The biggest clubs in the world are always seeking to steal the best talent from their rivals during the transfer window with the aim of winning a major trophy at the end of the season.
Even with the top-established midfielders in European soccer still playing actively at the highest level, the younger generation of midfielders is gradually and painstakingly making a name for themselves.
Who Are The Most Sought-After Young Midfielders In Europe?
- Yunus Musah – (Valencia)
There is a core of Valencia players who are younger with the potential to become superstars over the next five to six years. As such Yunus Musah is one of them, even though his still a young player who has great potential to grow into a superstar.
When he left Arsenal for Valencia it was evident that he wants to be important and play regularly with a team ready to give him that opportunity to break through the ranks.
Musah’s determination and aggression to become a better player at Valencia shows he’s one of the most sought-after youngsters in Europe and should he continue his rise and keep up with the form, he’s bound to leave the Mestalla soon.
- Luka Sucic – (RB Salzburg)
In recent times Austrian giant Salzburg has continued to earn itself a great reputation as one of the best clubs for the development of young aspiring soccer players ready to learn the rudiments and craft of the game.
Since Sucic was earmarked as a potential star in 2016, when he arrived at the club, he has consistently shown he can live up to that hype and expectations with Salzburg, before he would leave the club for a bigger outfit just like his predecessors.
The 20-year-old good run of form and trajectory has been well noticed among top-sides in Europe since he’s fast becoming one of the best young midfielders in the game. Sucic is not just an any-how midfielder, he’s a mature and composed play-maker even way beyond his age.
Should he continue with his impressive rise and excellent form, it’s just a matter of time before some of the top teams in Europe come knocking on Salzburg’s door.
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- Florian Wirtz – (Bayer Leverkusen)
Bayer Leverkusen is another iconic Europe talents hotbed and is the home of Florian Wirtz, the young midfielder who took the Bundesliga by storm in 2020.
In his 61 minutes debut for Leverkusen, he dazzled and showed the world what to expect from a youngster who is still maturing, in a game where he broke Kai Havertz’s record as the youngest debutant in the history of the club.
Since his debut, Wirtz has been growing in lips and bound for the German outfit, with clubs across Europe reported to be interested in snapping him off the hands of Leverkusen, having shown he’s good enough to flex muscles with the big boys.
- Romeo Lavia – (Southampton)
When Lavia was put on the market for sale by Manchester City, the Saints were swift enough in their approach to snap up the young midfielder for £12m.
Before his injury which he picked up against Chelsea, it can be said that the Belgian has already hit the ground running for the Saints showing glimpses of class and grit with a world-class performance.
Considering his age and how great a player he could be in the future, Chelsea and other top teams were reported to offer a lucrative deal for his signature before he eventually joined Southampton in the summer.
- Moises Caicedo – (Brighton)
Caicedo has consistently proven he is the right replacement for Yves Bissouma following the departure of the club’s energetic midfielder in the summer to Tottenham with each of his Premier League games oozing excellent performance.
However, with top side lurking around the Ecuadorian for his signature after a blistering start to life in the top flight, the Amex side may need to start preparing for life after his potential departure with Manchester United set to snap him up in the summer.
With Caicedo’s impressive performance against Chelsea at the weekend, reports have it that Liverpool may also try harder in the summer to bring the Ecuadorian to Anfield, having shown grit, maturity, and composure in Brighton’s midfield against the topside.
- Danilo dos Santos – (Palmeiras)
Danilo’s rise and form for the Brazilian outfit Palmeiras have seen him catch the eyes of top managers in Europe, particularly Mikel Arteta being one of the coaches interested in the midfielder.
The defensive midfielder has racked up a total of 132 games for Palmeiras at 21, scoring 12 goals and 10 assists with five titles to his name since his first-team breakthrough for the Brazilian giant.
With his consistent performances for Palmeiras not going unnoticed by monitoring Chelsea, Arsenal and a host of brilliant teams are ready to rival the Gunners for Danilo.
- Arda Guler – (Fenerbahce)
The sheer interest in Guler by teams like Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool is a testament to his potential. He is a superb dribbler blessed with the unrivaled composure and maturity posses by a world-class player.
Guler is primarily a left-foot attacking midfielder, comfortable operating centrally as a play-maker tasked with the transitioning of his team attack. Since he made it into the Fenerbahce team, he’s been trusted with the burden of carrying the team on his shoulder and he has never failed to impress.
At the age of 17, the youngster is already seen as the next world-class midfielder for the Turkish national team, having shown he can make tough decisions on the ball.
- Enzo Fernandez – (Benfica)
Enzo is the latest highly-rated Argentine currently plying his trade in the Portuguese top-tier league, after joining the club during the summer from River Plate.
With his laudable rise and excellent performance for the Portuguese giant this season, a host of clubs in Europe has been monitoring his progress for a potential transfer negotiation that could see him play for one of the best in Europe.
Looking at his box-to-box combined with a central role at Benfica, Barcelona has earmarked him as the perfect replacement for the aging Sergio Busquets whose time at Nou Camp is fast winding down.
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- Kouadio Kone – (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Kone, a product of the Toulouse youth system is one of the young midfielders who has been making waves in the Bundesliga with his performances for Monchengladbach.
Adapting to the German league didn’t take much time for the youngster following his move to the club for £8m. As a matter of fact, he has been one of the club’s most consistent players showcasing technical ability, versatility, and athleticism despite their deep form.
His box-to-box prowess and ability to kickstart play without leaving his primary assignment begging for cover, are one of the reasons top clubs have appointed a scout to monitor his progress.
- Orkun Kokcu – (Feyenoord)
Kokcu’s journey to the pinnacle of Netherlands football has been nothing but impressive since he graduated as a first-team player at Feyenoord.
Though the youngster still has a long way to develop into a renowned top-level midfielder in Europe, his consistent display both in the Eredivise and European competition for the Dutch giant shows he can be a trusted lieutenant for any potential side that gets to sign him.
Last season he played a pivotal role for Feyenoord scoring seven goals and nine assists in 32 matches, and with the new campaign still in its infancy, he will be expected to once again play an instrumental role for the team.
FAQ
Who is the best young midfielder in 2022?
Pedri- Barcelona
Who is the best midfielder right now?
Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City
Who is the best young player in 2022?
Jude Bellingham- Borussia Dortmund
Who is the best playmaker in soccer?
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