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Young footballers are valuable to any football club for various reasons. With age on their side, these players can become a vital asset for a club's future. They can become a starting option for years to come, or a club may decide to cash in on them to improve their financial standpoints.
Recently, an increasing number of U-21 players are becoming starters for their respective clubs. A study done by the CIES football observatory shows the percentage of use of U-21 footballers in different leagues in the second half of 2021. Based on the use of U-21 footballers, this is how each of the big five leagues ranks.
#5 Premier League - 4.2%
The Premier League is arguably the world's wealthiest and most competitive league. There is no dearth of finance, with several of its clubs having wealthy owners and a heavy amount of revenue from broadcasting rights. Due to this, several youngsters have also been making a solid case for their performances.
Talented U-21 footballers are not stuck in relatively weaker teams. Even bigger names like Manchester City, Manchester United, and Arsenal, among others, have depended on U-21 footballers for first-team duties. As a result, these young footballers have already become dependable names for their respective sides and get regular league minutes.
While several players are worth mentioning, the most notable ones will be Phil Foden, Mason Greenwood, and Bukayo Saka. Aged 21 years or under at the time of induction, they all have performed well in the first half of the current season.
#4 La Liga - 4.6%
La Liga is home to some of the biggest rivalries between clubs and footballers. It seems like only yesterday, El Clasico would put Lionel Messi up against Cristiano Ronaldo. Things may have changed, but some incredible U-21 talents are coming up through the ranks.
Effective use of young players has been done mainly by Barcelona, who find themselves in a tricky situation owing to their finances. But the likes of Gavi, Pedri, and Ansu Fati have already shown that age isn't a factor. Real Madrid may not have had to rely too much on younger players, but Eduardo Camavinga has made the most of the chances he has had so far.
There are talented names at other clubs, including Yeremy Pino, who plays for Villarreal. Ander Barrenetxea, Yunus Musah, and Facundo Pellistri, on loan from Manchester United, are some of the many U-21 talents in the league.
#3 Serie A - 4.7%
The top flight of Italian football has outdone Spain by the smallest of margins, but it's no coincidence. The league has had a reputation of employing relatively older players, but things are now changing. There are several great U-21 talents in the league, many of whom are from Italy.
Juventus have long dominated Serie A, but the scenario has now shifted. While the bigger clubs still rely on more established names, the relatively mid- and bottom-table clubs invest in great U-21 talents. Eddie Salcedo and Janis Antiste of Spezia are just one example of that.
Aaron Hickey and Ivan Ilic are two of the many names who are yet to cross 22 but have already become starters for their respective clubs. Nicolo Rovella is another incredible talent who is out on loan to Genoa. However, the big clubs are not to be left behind, as seen by Juventus when it invested big in Brazilian wonderkid Kaio Jorge.
#2 Bundesliga - 7.0%
Germany has long been known for producing talented youngsters through the rigorous training regimes employed by the clubs. As a result, the current generation of players in the Bundesliga has an incredible presence of U-21 footballers who are already rising stars for their respective clubs.
The beauty of the presence of young talents in the Bundesliga is that the wonderkids are well spread out. Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have an incredible talent in Jamal Musiala. But the list doesn't stop there when one observes Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen.
Jude Bellingham and Giovanni Reyna have already played many minutes, and Jasko Gvardiol is a starter for Red Bull Leipzig. The likes of Jan Thielmann and Manu Kone are some of the lesser-known names, but they are no less talented than the former names.
#1 Ligue 1 - 9.2%
Nearly one in every ten footballers used by French clubs last semester was a U-21 player. France has an incredible talent pool, and the French clubs directly contribute to it. Unlike other leagues, almost every Ligue 1 club relies heavily on wonderkids.
The league has lost players like Eduardo Camavinga in transfers, but this has not affected the total number of footballers. Benoit Badiashile is widely regarded as one of the best defensive talents, and Monaco have still been able to retain his services for the time being. Nuno Mendes has already become a regular in a star-studded team like PSG.
Arnaud Kalimuendo and Jeremy Doku are two of the French league's many exciting young offensive talents. There is no lack of young midfielders. Joris Chotard and Pape Sarr will soon become big names.
