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There is always talk about who the best young players in the world are, but not much about the players who might be on the cusp of that circle. Ones that haven't quite made a breakthrough yet, but are expected to do so in the near future.
The next generation of superstars are knocking on the door with some young stars already nailing down first-team roles in their respective clubs.
That being said, here is a look at 10 of the best young players who could make major breakthroughs in 2018:
#10 Alban Lafont
Team: Toulouse
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Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 18
Alban Lafont is the youngest Ligue 1 goalkeeper to make his debut at the age of 16 years and 310 days. That was back in 2015, in which he made a mighty impression to the club and has been Toulouse’s starting goalkeeper ever since.
Standing at 1.93m tall, Lafont is incredibly agile, moving from post to post - he also has an incredible leap on him which makes him able to get to the top corners of his net. His height is his greatest asset as he looks ever so commanding when standing on his line.
Lafont has a whopping 80 appearances already for the club, which says everything about how highly the French team rate him so early on in his career. He has had a great responsibility put on his shoulders and has handled it exceedingly well, and It is to no surprise that the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal are keeping their eyes firmly on him.
#9 Mile Svilar
Team: Benfica
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 18
Mile Svilar has had an incredible start to the season after being crowned the youngest ever goalkeeper to play for Benfica, as well as become the all-time youngest to ever play in the UEFA Champions League, once held by Iker Casillas.
The Belgian youngster might be remembered for making a calamitous mistake on his debut in the European competition against Manchester United, but it was evident to see that Svilar has the tools necessary to eventually become a household name in Europe’s elite group of goalkeepers.
José Mourinho had high praise for the goalkeeper: “Only a great goalkeeper suffers a goal like Svilar suffered. The mediocre goalkeepers would not suffer such a goal, for they would have stayed in goal. I like this kid, because he’s not afraid to leave goal. He’s a big talent.”
Svilar likes to take risks and like with anything, sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. He might have to shift that style slightly as he matures, but with risks come big rewards, too. Svilar has a great technical ability and his passing off the floor has been similar to that of Ederson’s.
#8 Ryan Sessegnon
Team: Fulham
Position: Left-back
Age: 17
While many people know who Ryan Sessegnon is, the Fulham left-back-cum-left-winger will have the most important 12 months of his career so far during 2018.
He has already hit the ground running with goal after goal after goal at Fulham, but his game could elevate considerably if he is set to move at the end of this season to a Premier League club. The young, England defender will command a huge fee given his potential, but would be worth every penny if he is to remain on the course he is.
Sessegnon is the closest player in England’s top two divisions that resembles Gareth Bale. They both started at left back but might find themselves adopting more of a winger’s role. Bale certainly has, and reaps the rewards of making that change, but Sessegnon is, at the moment, in between both left and left wing and does not have one set position.
The England U19 player already has seven goals this season in the Championship, a truly incredible amount from a player who is so young and plays in defence. There is no doubt about it that this speedy, intelligent youngster has an incredible future ahead of him.
#7 Matthijs de Ligt
Team: Ajax
Position: Centre-back
Age: 18
Another Ajax academy graduate is receiving a whole host of attention, especially from Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
Matthis De Ligt is the latest Ajax defender who has been promoted through the youth ranks and impressed massively while playing for the first team. The young Dutch centre-back has already made three national team appearances for the senior side when he was just 17 years old.
One of De Ligt’s major asset is his unbelievable composure and calmness when on the ball, looking to either keep possession tight or to find that pass that is going to split the opposition’s defence in two. He is more than capable of either.
So far this season, De Ligt has a sensational 90.2% pass completion rate which has set him apart from other central defenders his age in Europe. The Dutch international also stands at 1.88m and has the agility and strength to bully strikers who do not have those qualities in abundance. It is the reason why many clubs think he would be a good fit for the Premier League.
#6 Filippo Melegoni
Team: Atalanta
Position: Central midfielder
Age: 18
Filippo Melegoni is another talent who has risen from the ashes at Atalanta and has waded his way through the youth system. Atalanta have one of the best academy systems in Italy and have produced some fantastic talents over the years, including Roberto Gagliardini.
While Melegoni has not featured as much for the first team as he would have hoped, his future is still shining bright.
Atalanta’s coach, Gian Piero Gasperini mentioned that he must become more of a physical player and work on the typical attributes that midfielders have to dominate the middle of the park. Technically speaking, Gasperini could not have been more complimentary.
There are great expectations with the young Italian for the coming years, but his most important duty now is to make sure that he is starting to become consistent throughout the 90 minutes and win aerial battles - his main weakness.
#5 Houssem Aouar
Team: Lyon
Position: Midfielder
Age: 19
Lyon have a proud tradition of promoting players from their academy with the latest to take the stage being Houssem Aouar.
The central midfielder has featured 21 times this season in a variety of different positions with his best being in the centre of the park. Bruno Génésio, Lyon’s manager, has used him as a defensive midfield, attacking midfield and even as a winger at times.
Such is his phenomenal variety and ability to play in different positions, the coach is able to place Aouar where needed for the time being.
Aouar’s best game for Lyon this season came against Amiens, where the French U19 international scored two goals to stage an emphatic comeback and three points. In that game, he featured as a central midfielder and Lyon reaped the rewards of playing him there.
He has an elegant touch about him as well as the ability to drive at pace through the opposition. There are big things coming from possibly the leader of France’s next generation.
#4 Malcom
Team: Bordeaux
Position: Winger
Age: 20
Malcom is having the season that most dream about of his age. Bordeaux might be in a relegation dogfight, but the Brazilian winger is the one shining diamond in this French team.
Throughout the past two weeks, Malcom has been the topic of speculation for a lot of Premier League clubs, with Arsenal supposedly leading the way for his signature. Arsene Wenger might have said it was unachievable to sign the Brazilian in January, the Gunners might well wait until the summer to give it the green light.
Malcom is an incredibly quick and skilful winger - just like what you associate Brazilian forwards to be. His explosiveness is incredible and it is why leaving him with space with a one-on-one is so dangerous. Malcom loves to take players on and build them with his skill, intelligence and pure speed.
He can score with his left and his right, from afar and inside the box, there are not many areas on the pitch in which he is not dangerous from. Whichever club eventually lands him, they have one insane talent on their hands.
#3 Kai Havertz
Team: Bayer Leverkusen
Position: Attacking Midfield
Age: 18
For any young player looking to break out into the first team, Germany is arguably the best place in doing so. That is what Kai Havertz has found at while being with Bayer Leverkusen.
Havertz has been, on more than one occasion, compared to Germany’s pristine attacking midfielder, Mesut Özil. It has come to the attention of people who have seen both that they share very similar characteristics when playing as the number 10.
What the German U19 does not possess at this moment in time is a consistent tally of goals. For Leverkusen’s first team, he has five goals in 46 appearances. What is impressive, though, is his ability to contribute with assists. He already has six assists this season with half of the season yet to play.
Havertz also has an aerial advantage over player also occupying this position. This makes him more of a threat from set-pieces, but also allows Leverkusen to win the ball in the air and construct an attacking phase from a dangerous area. He is only 18-years-old, but is likely to work his way into the German national team by his early 20s.
#2 Dimitri Oberlin
Team: FC Basel (on loan from Red Bull Salzburg)
Position: Forward
Age: 19
Dimitri Oberlin impressed a lot of potential suitors with his fantastic UEFA Champions League group stage performances for FC Basel.
In six appearances, four starts, Oberlin found the back of the net four times against top opposition in CSKA Moscow and Benfica.
The Swiss international’s pace is electrifying, highlighted by one of his goals scored against Benfica. The Portuguese team whipped in a free kick into the area which was quickly cleared from danger by none other than Oberlin.
Immediately after heading it away, he sets off with an immense turn of speed and makes his way from one end of the pitch to the other. He eventually gets put through one-on-one with the goalkeeper who cannot stop Oberlin’s shot. It was a perfect example of his composure and speed all in one move.
Oberlin has a very bright future for whoever signs him - he certainly has the speed and finishing capabilities to be a menace anywhere he goes.
#1 Pietro Pellegri
Team: Genoa
Position: Forward
Age: 16
Remarkably, Pietro Pellegri made his Serie A debut aged just 15. It took him just two months after his 16th birthday to score his first goal in Italy and, as expected, the world’s media went mad for him.
Players of that age only dream of getting the chance to impress their club, but Pellegri is living that dream out in full. His own idol is Zlatan Ibrahimović and it is clear to see him model his game on the Swedish legend.
Pellegri is 1.91m tall - tall enough to be the target man of any team. He is also deceptively strong and can hold off defenders and bring others into play.
At just 16, it is expected not to have the most refined technical skill in your locker, and Pellegri will have to work on that as he grows into himself, but he has not done badly so far with two goals in his five appearances this season.
It will be easy to forget how young Pellegri is given his involvement in the first team, but the young Italian centre-forward could really grow into a goal-scoring machine for club and country.
