Football has a whole host of outstanding youngsters applying their trade at some of the biggest clubs. The official award to the best young player in Europe, named the Golden Boy, is given to the best player under 21 in the calendar year. Today, there’s so many contenders who can win it, and some on this list have already done so.
Many young players are rumored to move in the summer transfer market to bigger clubs as they continue to hit new heights. For the previous transfer window, we wrote an informative piece about which players went where.
Let’s take a look at the five hottest talents in the world right now.
Bukayo Saka
Arsenal and England winger, Bukayo Saka is one of the most exciting prospects in English football. His explosive speed, as well as close control dribbling make him a menace to any defense.
Saka also has an eye for goal, having scored 12 goals in the 2024/2024 season. Because of his goal scoring abilities, punters often back him to be first goalscorer, especially at Arsenal home matches. If you’re looking for a reliable sportsbook, SBO should be your first stop. The site provides thorough, objective reviews of various bookmakers, keeps tabs on the newest bonuses, best odds, and offers professional betting advice.
Saka is also one of England’s best players despite his young age. In the EUROs, he played an important role for England on their journey to the final.
Jude Bellingham
The Borussia Dortmund center midfielder has been outstanding for club and country this year. He has added goals to his game, and is a magnificent passer of the ball.
Bellingham has cemented his place in the England national team at only 19 years of age, and his career looks exceptionally bright. He became captain of Dortmund at the start of the season, and is predicted to move on at the end of the season. All the top clubs from Man City to Liverpool will be after his signature, and the transfer fee will probably be in excess of $100m.
Bellingham came second place in the 2024 Golden Boy award, and this year he will want to go one step further. If he achieves glory for England and his club, he has every chance of winning it.
Gavi
Gavi is the current holder of the Golden Boy award, winning it in October 2024. He plays in the center midfield role for Barcelona and Spain, and is an integral part of both teams.
He is known for his exquisite first touch, vision, and passing ability. In the 2024/2024 season, Gavi made 47 appearances scoring twice. He is famous for his linkup player with teammate, Pedri, and the two are often compared to Barcelona and Spanish legends Xavi and Iniesta.
Pedri
Pedri is an incredibly talented footballer who plays in the free role for Barcleona and Spain. His best abilities are his passing, vision, close control and shooting. He won the Golden Boy award in 2024, after an impressive breakthrough season where he made 52 appearances and scored 4 goals.
Jamal Musaila
Hailed as a special talent by German manager, Hanse Flick, Musaila has got everything to reach the very top. He’s able to find pockets of space between the opposition’s defenders and midfielders, and can dribble the ball fantastically well. His pace and shooting ability also make him a danger for any opponent.
Musaila plays either on the wing or in the free role for Germany and Bayern, and at only 19 years of age has bags of potential. Interestingly, he came through the ranks of Chelsea, but joined Bayern Munich at age 16.
Josko Gvardiol
Gvardiol is an intelligent center back, who reads the game well and is able to bring the ball out from the back. He has often been compared to Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi.
Gvardiol plays for RB Leipzig and the Croatia national team. In the summer of 2024, Chelsea bid £80m for him but it was rejected. He later signed a contract extension with RB Leipzig until 2027.
Nonetheless, because of his composure of the ball, and his ability to play out from the back, all the big boys are showing an interest.
