The year 2017 promises a lot of surprises to football fans around the world with clubs planning to spend a lot of money on transfers. Some players have already made their mind up on where they will be playing in the upcoming season while a few others are still indecisive.
2016 was a breakout year for many young players who wanted to make a lasting impact on their respective clubs and for others, it feels like they will have to wait a little longer on the sidelines before they get the spotlight.
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There is a popular saying that all kings must fall and the coming years will see new superstars take the front as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi reach the twilight of their careers. Here we take a look at the five young footballers to watch out for in 2017:
#5 Giovanni Simeone
Son of Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone, Giovanni joined Genoa from River Plate in 2016 and has been a constant hit in his first season with the club. A natural finisher by trade, Simeone Jr caught the eye of the world when he scored a brace against Serie A champions Juventus in a 3-1 win for Genoa at the end of November last year.
‘Cholito’ as called by many, has never looked back and has been making impressive strides in his first professional season in Europe.
Like his father, who enjoyed some of his best years in football with Italian clubs Inter Milan and Lazio, Simeone Jr has had a debut season to remember in Italy. The striker can also play as an offensive midfielder with his nimble footwork and speed aiding him to adapt to the different positions.
If the youngster displays the same desire and passion possessed by his father, he could go a long way in his career.
#4 Moise Kean
It’s not very common sight when a 16-year-old takes the field for Juventus, a club that does not have a great record of bringing players through the youth system to represent the first team. However, they have not hesitated one bit in the curious case of wonderkid Moise Kean.
The striker became the first player born in the 2000s to appear in a Serie A and Champions League game when he came on as a substitute against Pescara and Sevilla respectively in the recently concluded season.
Kean impressed in his time with the Juventus youth team, scoring 24 goals in 25 games and it didn’t take too long for Max Allegri to hand him his first team debut as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Pescara. He scored his first goal for the club in Juventus’ last game of the season and became the first player born in this century to score in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
Regular playing time could be a huge factor in the development of the player and it will be interesting to see what happens in his case in the coming season.
#3 Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Jesus came a little late to the Premier League party after he was only eligible to play for the club in January despite signing for the club last summer from Palmeiras. He made a quick impact when he filled in for Sergio Aguero and bagged 7 goals and 4 assists in his 10 league appearances for the club before getting injured and missing out on the rest of the season.
Jesus burst onto the scene when he lit up the Olympics by scoring three goals in the tournament and it didn’t take too long for Pep Guardiola to notice the talented attacker’s abilities.
An interesting attribute of Jesus is his invention and variety of finishing in front of goal which makes him a prolific goal-scorer. He is also a formidable athlete with raw and natural footwork which only adds to his skill set.
The Brazilian was offered to a number of clubs before he signed for City as Guardiola desperately wanted his man and ended up paying £27m to acquire his services and it already looks like a bargain considering the kind of impact he made on his debut season.
#2 Julian Brandt
Julian Brandt looks like he is about take the world by storm in a few years. The wide midfielder has been a vital part of the Bayer Leverkusen side ever since he became a first team regular in 2014 and has also attracted interest from various clubs across Europe.
Brandt is a tricky winger with quick feet and can be deployed on both sides with his fluid movement and nimble footwork acting as an advantage to his strengths. He also tends to use his pace and physical strength to outrun his opponents and is often considered as a tough customer to be dispossessed off the ball.
The player has featured across various age groups for Germany and is set to represent them in the Confederations Cup in Russia and it wouldn’t come to us as a surprise if he sets the tournament on fire and earns himself a call up to the national team when Germany defend their World title next year.
Brandt could be on the end of many exciting things in a few years and is widely regarded as one of Germany’s hottest prospects.
#1 Kasper Dolberg
Ajax’s merry-go-round affair with spotting some of the finest talents in the world has a new member in the name of Kasper Dolberg. The forward was spotted by Ajax’s famous scout John Steen Olsen, the same guy who found the likes of Christian Eriksen and a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Dolberg has drawn comparisons to Ibrahimovic due to his impressive goal-scoring record in his breakthrough season and it looks like he can emulate some of the greatest strikers who have graced the field.
The 19-year-old can play anywhere in the front three and is far from being a finished product but his blistering pace and strength combined with a very clean right foot makes him a complete package.
Dolberg scored 16 goals in the league this season including a 37-minute hat-trick against NAC Breda which is the second fastest in the history of the Eredivisie after the great Marco van Basten. He also bagged six goals in Ajax’s run to the Europa league final, which they eventually lost to Manchester United.
He has already attracted interest from some of the top leagues in Europe and looks like a player who could develop into a consistent goal-scorer in the coming years.
