50 youngsters to watch in Europe’s top 5 leagues: 30-26

30. Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig / 19 / D(C)) - WhoScored.com rating 7.08*

Remember the name. Dayotchanculle Upamecano. OK, well just remember Dayot then! The teenager is a first team regular for RB Leipzig and as such saw Champions League action in the first half of the season having only turned 19 in October. Despite not being the tallest the Frenchman is strong in the air and anticipates attacking moves well, ranking among the top ten Bundesliga players for interceptions per game (2.8). He doesn’t dive in unnecessarily either, winning 2.2 tackles per game but being dribbled past just three times in 13 league appearances.

29. Dele Alli (Tottenham / 21 / AM(C)) - WhoScored.com rating 7.08*

Another player who would have ranked far higher in the previous campaign, Dele All hasn’t hit the same heights this time around but is still picking up solid figures nonetheless. Still just 21 after all, the England international has had a direct hand in 11 league goals this season (five goals, six assists) but has actually impressed more in the Champions League thus far. Handed a more creative role this season, Alli’s defensive figures have dropped, along with shots and dribbles, but his key passes have risen from 1.4 to 1.9 per game this season.

28. Pablo Fornals (Villarreal / 21 / AM(C)) - WhoScored.com rating 7.10*

A player on the radar of a number of top clubs on the continent, 21-year-old Fornals is among the first names on the Villarreal team sheet already. Arriving from Malaga in the summer for €12m, the Yellow Submarine would expect to make a big profit on that fee for a player that has been likened to another former Malaga graduate in Isco. He’s certainly been a real creative force this season, registering six assists in 16 league starts, but he doesn’t shirk his defensive responsibilities either, averaging an impressive 2 tackles per game despite predominantly starting behind the striker.

27. Thilo Kehrer (Schalke / 21 / D(R)) - WhoScored.com rating 7.11*

Having broken into the Schalke side in impressive fashion last season, Kehrer has made a starting berth his own under new coach Domenico Tedesco. His versatility is a real asset, capable of playing in either full-back role, the youngster has been utilised in a back three more often than not this season and been completely unfazed. His distribution from defence is improving in the new system but it’s his tackling that has really caught the eye this season, with 2.9 per game an excellent figure for a player in his position.

26. Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Crystal Palace / 21 / M(C)) - WhoScored.com rating 7.11*

Profiting from a loan spell away from Chelsea, where he threatened to break into the first team for some time without ever really being given the opportunities, Loftus-Cheek has everything it takes to be a top player for club and country in the future. The one criticism of his game is linked to perhaps his greatest strength, that he plays in such an elegant and almost casual fashion that can at times see him lose his defensive positioning. It’s his power on the ball that makes him such a handful for opponents though, epitomising the phrase ‘good feet for a big lad’ to complete 3 dribbles per game, which is enough to rank fourth in the Premier League.