5 Ligue 1 youngsters destined for big future transfers

#1 Malang Sarr (OGC Nice)

Sarr celebrating his goal on his Ligue 1 debut against Rennes last season

In today's market, top-quality defenders are in short supply and the demand for them is naturally very high. Virgil van Dijk joined Liverpool for £75m earlier this year, shattering the defensive transfer record (previously £52.5m) in the process.

There's no reason why Malang Sarr, 19, cannot follow suit with a big move of his own in the not-too-distant future. A tough-tackling colossus who, just like Kylian Mbappé, is still in his teenage years, he's unique too - being a left-footed centre-back.

He's made 38 appearances for France's various youth teams and unsurprisingly, he'll be expected to lead from the back at club level and on the international stage for the upcoming decade onwards.

After the heights of a third-placed finish in Ligue 1 the season prior, Nice narrowly missed out on a Europa League place at the end of a frustrating campaign last season. No European competition means less exposure for players like Sarr, but he'll relish the challenge of helping them improve this term - despite four defeats and a mid-table place already after nine matches.

He was an unused substitute in two of their defeats but it says a lot that their only clean sheet, a 1-0 win over Lyon, was secured with Malang involved. Excels at interceptions and someone who prides themselves on being a reliable distributor of possession, it's a case of who and when rather than if he'll complete a big move.