The upcoming Confederations Cup is regarded by many as a dress rehearsal for the FIFA World Cup, with most teams sending inexperienced youngsters and resting major players for the off-season. The quadrennial championship that pits various continental champions against each other, will feature talented younglings from Portugal, Chile, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Australia and Cameroon.
Many superstars had first burst into the limelight at the Confeds, including a certain Ronaldinho, who was awarded the Best Player title in the 1999 edition when he was just 19! first burst into the limelight at the Confeds, including a certain Ronaldinho, who was awarded the Best Player title in the 1999 edition when he was just 19!
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Defending World Champions Germany recognise this opportunity to develop their youngsters and are resting first team regulars like Toni Kroos, Sami Khedira, Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels etc and sending an inexperienced side, captained by 23-year-old PSG attacker Julian Draxler.
Thus, what the tournament ensures is a stage for youngsters to grow and show their worth, especially as Premier League scouts are sure to be present in numbers looking to recruit talents. Also up for grabs is a golden opportunity to impress their managers and ensure a spot in their respective nations’ World Cup squads.
Here are the top 5 younglings that are likely to secure a dream move to the EPL, provided they show their mettle when the games begin in Russia.
#1 Gelson Martins (22, Portugal and Sporting Lisbon)
With top Portuguese sides like Benfica, FC Porto and Sporting Lisbon churning out one talented youngster after another, it is no wonder that rumour mills are working overtime associating Sporting Lisbon’s Gelson Martins with top EPL sides.
Further fuel was added to the fire after the staggering £30 million swoop by AC Milan for Portugal’s golden boy Andre Silva. If reports by the BBC and The Sun are to be believed, the 22-year old striker is being considered by Liverpool as a fallback option in case a deal for AS Roma’s Mohammed Salah falls through.
Gelson is fresh from a standout season with Sporting Lisbon, having recorded 6 goals and 9 assists. He was also the lone spark in an otherwise forgettable Champions League campaign for the Lisbon side, with the youngster having averaged 2.5 successful dribbles per game.
Despite his best efforts, Sporting finished outside the UEFA Champions League qualifying spots. The financial stress that comes along should push down Sporting’s asking price of £50 million for their prized asset.
Having got his first senior Portugal cap only in September 2016, the young striker will also be eager to impress manager Fernando Santos to ensure a spot in the 2018 World Cup squad.
| Competition | Goals | Assists | Key Passes Per Game | Dribbles Per Game |
| Portuguese League | 6 | 9 | 1.4 | 2.3 |
| UEFA Champions League | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 2.5 |
#2 Hirving Lozano (21, Mexico and Pachuca)
Mexico’s boy wonder has been on the radar of quite a few EPL sides for some time now. The skilful 21-year-old Pachuca winger, nicknamed ‘Chucky’ has been linked to Manchester United and Manchester City in recent years.
Goal.com recently reported that Pachuca’s vice-president has disclosed that as many as five European giants have made bids for him including Benfica, and PSV. There are also reports that Manchester City will sign him and loan him out to PSV for two seasons to develop.
What might circumvent that process is a convincing Confederations Cup campaign, especially as Mexico are drawn in the relatively easy Group A composed of Portugal, New Zealand and Russia.
Lozano had yet another outstanding season with Pachuca, ending up as the top scorer of the CONCACAF Champions League with a staggering 8 goals in 8 games. He is now a regular member of manager Juan Carlos Osorio’s senior Mexican side and has already scored twice in 16 games.
With a great ability to cut in from the wing and shoot, he is sure to be a player to watch out for as El Tri battle it out for the title in Russia.
| Competition | Goals | Assists |
| Mexican League | 7 | 5 |
| CONCACAF Champions League | 8 | 2 |
#3 Mathias Ginter (23, Germany and Borussia Dortmund)
A member of the title-winning 2014 German World Cup Squad, the Borussia Dortmund centre-back has emerged as one of Europe’s most sought-after young defenders, with Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino known to be a huge fan. He did not have the best of seasons this year but has been called up by Joachim Low to the Confederations Cup side with veterans like Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels being rested.
Still to fulfil the early promise he showed, the 6 foot 3 inch 23-year-old must grab this tournament by the horns and lead the German backline to ensure a dream move to the EPL. Much like Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham, Ginter relies on great positional awareness rather than hard tackling and this must be the reason why Pochettino is so keen on adding him to his squad.
Because of his superior positional awareness, Ginter can also be deployed as a defensive midfielder, having averaged 1.5 interceptions per game this season in the Bundesliga. The £15m valued defender is also reportedly being wooed by 1899 Hoffenheim as they look to fill the gap left by Bayern-bound Nicolas Sule.
| Competition | Tackes Per game | Interceptions per game | Clearances per game | Blocks per game |
| Bundesliga | 1.3 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| UEFA Champions League | 1.4 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 0.1 |
#4 Nelson Semedo (23, Portugal and Benfica)
Valued at €60 by Benfica, Semedo is the most sought after right wing back in World Football today. Fresh from a breakthrough season with the Portuguese champions, Manchester United and Barcelona are reportedly in a tug of war for the 23-year-old’s signature.
Benfica’s asking price is so high that Barcelona are considering signing Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin as a fallback option! Barcelona’s unwillingness to meet Semedo’s release clause might open the door for Mourinho to pounce.
Having already completed a deal for his former Benfica teammate Victor Lindelof, United are now reportedly in the front seat to land the marauding wing-back, nicknamed ‘Nelsinho’. Semedo might have trouble breaking into the first XI of Portugal in the tournament, with Southampton’s Cedric being manager Fernando Santos’ preferred right back.
But given a chance, the speed merchant is sure to put on similar displays that got him two goal and six assists for the Aguia last season.
| Competition | Goals | Assists | Dribbles per game | Tackles Per Game | interceptions per game | Clearances Per Game | Blocks per Game |
| Portuguese League | 1 | 6 | 1.6 | 3 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| UEFA Champions League | 1 | 0 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
#5 Timo Werner (21, Germany and RB Leipzig)
The driving force behind a stellar RB Leipzig season where the rookie club made a genuine title challenge in the Bundesliga, it is no wonder that EPL bigwigs like Liverpool are eyeing 21-year-old striker. With an incredible 21 goals in the German top flight last season, Werner is expected to be Germany’s front man at the Confederations Cup.
Jurgen Klopp is sure to be watching as he plots to mount a double raid of Leipzig with Werner and Guinea international Naby Keita as the intended targets. A shift from the wing to a central striker position saw the mercurial Werner have a breakthrough 2016-17 season as Red Bull’s club Leipzig finished second to Bayern in the Bundesliga and ensured qualification for their first ever UEFA Champions League.
Werner finished 4th in the league’s top scorer charts behind Dortmund’s Aubameyang, Bayern’s Lewandowski and Anthony Modeste of FC Köln, all veteran strikers!. He chipped in with 5 assists as well.
If he carries the same form into the Confederations Cup it won't be long before we see him in a top EPL side, despite RB Leipzig’s best efforts to hold on to their talismanic striker.
| Competition | Goals | Assist | Shots per game | Key Passes Per Game | Dribbles Per Game |
| Bundesliga | 21 | 5 | 2.4 | 1 | 0.7 |
