Picking The World's BEST Wonderkid In EVERY Position! 💫 | Saturday Social
► Subscribe to Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Watch Sky Sports with NOW: https://bit.ly/NOWPremierLeagueYT This week on Saturday Social Joe Thomlinson & Adam Smith are joined by Julien Laurens and Lyes Bouzidi. Lamine Yamal has been making headlines over the last few weeks with his Ballon d’Or campaig and whilst still being just 19 he is now a firmly established star. So we tasked Jules with bringing us his Best XI of Wonderkids to watch this season. A few rules - players must be 21 or under, we're also not looking for the obvious which rules out players like Yamal, Doue, Jacquet, Cubarsi, Zaire-Emery… who are already household names! premierleague football saturdaysocial Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:00 Goalkeeper 02:40 Right Back 04:06 Centre-Backs 07:13 Left Back 07:58 Midfielders 16:22 Right Winger 19:06 Left Winger 20:20 Striker ► Premier League highlights: https://bit.ly/PL2627HL ► MNF, FNF, SNF & Super Sunday analysis: https://bit.ly/SkyMatchAnalysis ► Gary Neville Podcast: https://bit.ly/GaryNevillePodcast ► Saturday Social: https://bit.ly/SkySaturdaySocial ► Buy this season’s shirts: https://bit.ly/SkySportsShop More from Sky Sports on YouTube: ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub ► Sky Sports WSL: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsWSL ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkySportsFootball ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skysportsfootball ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportsfootball ► X: https://x.com/SkySportsPL ► Website: https://www.skysports.com ► To enquire about licensing Sky Sports content, you can…
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Welcome back to Saturday Social we are joined by Lyes and Jules. Right, Lamine Yamal has been making a few headlines Joe, hasn't he with his Ballon d'Or campaign. And it got us thinking about the fact that he's only 19. Yeah, I know you've got thoughts on that. >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, not the best. But he is 19 and we do regard him as a well-established obviously won the World Cup already. Which got us thinking about some of the world's best wonder kids, didn't it? >> Yeah, absolutely. So Jules, today that is your task. You're going to be providing an 11 of the world's best wonder kids to watch really. And you don't want to speak about the established names, do you? >> Yeah, exactly. That's why you won't see Lamine Yamal in our in our 11 or Désiré Doué or even Jaque that we mentioned before, Pau Cubarsí, all those kids who are still 21 or under but that everybody knows really. So we've tried to avoid some of the big clubs and certainly all those big names because again we want to inform people about some other youngsters coming through that are going to be very very good coming forward. >> Like it. Okay, a bit of an education piece. We'll look at this. And Lyes will chip in with some alternatives. >> [laughter] >> Uh should we start with goalkeeper there? >> Yeah, and I mean this one is a pretty easy one really because Luca Brouckmans is only 18 years old but Liverpool have already spent 30 million on him because they believe he's the one for the future. This is his second season at Genk in Belgium and again like a Thibaut Courtois for example or Senne Lammens to a certain extent. He's been starting young because he's incredible. He's 2 meters high 2 meters tall so you say in English. And and there's there's just everything in his game already and he's still not ready to go and Liverpool and start every game in the Premier League or in the Champions League but there's there's the ceiling is really really high for him. >> So do you think he's going to be eventually Alisson's successor? Because obviously Mamardashvili is there but there was rumors linking him with an exit in the summer, wasn't there? So how long are we talking here before he's >> So I I think this season is a very important one. I think Liverpool will see him through the season, will scout him well, go and watch him a lot and see if they think he's ready next summer to come over and then maybe be first on the bench if Mamadou really stays a bit longer or if he's maybe ready at 19 to take over straight away. I think he probably needs maybe I would say a another season in in Belgium hopefully playing in Europe too and then I think he'll be ready because again mentality-wise he's also top top top player. >> Yeah, he's only there till July 2027 we believe joining Liverpool. >> Yeah, I mean what are they putting in the water in Belgium? Cuz you got Brugge winning the league, you got Dendoncker, you got >> Rommens, the goalkeeping situation. >> You get you get situations with national teams sometimes where they just produce so much quality in one area of the pitch. I mean, I remember Algeria for example, we could only produce left backs for a while. Like we were producing left backs that were playing for [laughter] Europe's biggest clubs and we couldn't find a right back. So, it happens sometimes and right now yeah, Belgium they have they have a really nice thing going on at goalkeeper. >> Okay, we'll stick him up. >> Yeah, perfect. >> We'll go to the right back. >> Yeah, I went for Martin Fernandes. Uh if you watch Portuguese football and Porto especially under Farioli, he's been outstanding. He's 19 years old again, second season in the top flight in the first team. Attacking right back like Portugal produce them really overlapping, very good on the ball technically. Can probably play in midfield at times, but a strong defender. I'm surprised that nobody went to get him in the summer because I think he was there. The release clause is a decent release clause. I think this is his last season at Porto and then he will go to a better club because he's he's really that good. >> And that Farioli team is so good, isn't it? >> So good defensively. >> last season the record was just ridiculous, wasn't >> absolutely. Both in Europe and in the league. So, yeah, incredible talent. >> We'll stick him on. And yes, you wanted to chuck a name in the mix. >> Yeah, yeah, I just wanted to to to give some some love to Chavi Espart. Who has kind of had his breakout season at Barcelona. I know we weren't talking about big big clubs, but he's such a a brand new name on the block, but it just feels at Barcelona every single year there's a new player coming from La Masia that that just takes the world by storm. And he's a midfielder that can play on the left, he can play on the right. He's he's kept Alejandro Balde out of the side at times along with Joao Cancelo of course, too. And I'm really interested in seeing where his future lies long-term, whether he will end up being that midfielder that he showed early days in the academy or maybe he he makes a cuz he is a modern-day fullback who can read space well, invert, get in attacking positions. I've been really impressed with him early on this season. >> Definitely. He's starting at Barca in that squad at 19. And he's chipping in with goals in that position as well in that position. >> But he's so good on the ball, too, man. He's so good on the ball. >> yeah. Top, top player. Okay, we'll move on to the center-back >> center-back areas. >> Yeah. >> Bit of a French theme for your center-backs. >> Not just yeah, yeah, and Paris born and bred, even better, yeah. Handsome, smart, [laughter] from Paris. >> What about as a footballer? >> And as a footballer as well. Loïc Badé who's now at Dortmund, who was at Salzburg last season. Left PSG at 17 because he didn't really believe there was a pathway for him towards the first team. Uh went to Salzburg and did really well in Austria, a country that you obviously visited recently. >> Really good listen, yeah, Innsbruck, lovely part of the world. >> Yeah. And then Dortmund went for him because he I think again he's he's that young he's only he's that good so he's only 19 as playing in Champions League. Because of injuries at Dortmund I think he's played even earlier than they thought he would at Dortmund. I thought they they would leave him. >> They're good at that Dortmund though, aren't they? Getting young talent and actually giving them game time. Yeah, very good career progression for young talent players on loan. >> Yeah, completely. And I think the Bundesliga is very good for a defender like him especially to just get to the next level. He's quick, he's really strong, he's 1.95 There's not much really in his game that he doesn't have to make it to the top, top, top. So I think he's one to watch for sure. >> Think about those French center-back positions though, Jules, at that age. Like the challenge of getting in that in that it's impossible basically isn't >> We had Benjamin goalkeeper, we said with Algeria left-back. When you think of Saliba and Upamecano and Konaté and Zagadou and Gardo and then we've got Gardo coming as well, the next one from Lens. I don't know what we give them in academies in France the center-backs but they are absolutely monsters. >> I was going to ask that Jules cuz your next player is another French center-back and Jules is right to mention the plethora of options you have at center-back. Of Over cuz they both played for France's youth. Who do you think has the highest ceiling having watched both of them as well? >> So, I think Gadou is probably the highest ceiling, but I think Ganiu, who's 21 years old, so 2 years older than Gadou, is probably more Premier League ready already. I think this is the last season we have him in Lens, and he will be one of the next big sale from Lens like we saw with Chrissoval, for example, like we saw with Songare this season uh this summer. Ganiu is the next one. He could have gone this summer. There was enough Premier League clubs after him anyway. >> you think he fits? You said Premier League ready. What What Premier League club could he fit into? >> I think he's probably ready for me to go even to a top six Premier League club. Yeah, he's got everything really, and uh we will see him in the Champions League uh this season, which is really good for him and for his own progression, but you will see. He's strong, he's quick, he reads the game really well, he's good on the ball, he can play right center back, left center back, he can play in the back three like they do now and like they did with Piassage last season, and in a back four as well. I really think that he's he's that kind of level already. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Let's get him up. >> Stick him up. >> Obviously, we would have had Jack Grealish and people like that there. >> Yeah, exactly. >> Yeah. >> I I thought he might have brought in Abdou Diallo. He's not He's not Paris born and bred, but all jokes aside, he he he's he's been very, very good for Lens, let's say. Uh he's part of that young Portuguese group that are kind of coming up as well, too. Tall, imposing, really gangly legs. I think he's another one to give it a year, he'll probably be playing for one of the bigger clubs in Serie A if not abroad. >> I think we should shout out Luka Vušković as well if we're talking about the kids in the center back position. He's only 19 years of age. How many metrics he's shining in defensively and going forward as well. Yeah. Left back. >> Uh left back and to be fair, it's one position if if Espai is a right back where maybe there was a little bit less um options for us. I went with Medina from Genk. He's already an Ecuadorian international. He comes from Independiente del Valle who have given us Caicedo and Hincapié and Pacho and the probably the best academy with the Brazilian ones in um in South America. Attacking [snorts] left back, played the whole of last season uh with Genk. This season he's been a bit injured after the World Cup. He played at the World Cup for Ecuador, but he's he's super promising and again at 21 is I think just about ready to make the next step to go to a bigger club and a better league than the Belgium league. >> in the World Cup, wasn't he? >> Yeah, exactly. Yeah, with Ecuador. >> Last one I can reach probably Jules after >> I'll do the others. >> Take over, yeah. >> Into the deeper line position in midfield. >> Yes, and this is a player that we liked a lot and we talked about him during the break. Uh, in Wirtz the wonder kid, the most wonder kid of of German's talent really in that midfield and they've got a loan. Yes, that's another one after to to show us, but made the move from Hertha Berlin where he was in the Bundesliga 2 last season. Incredible incredible in that league with the best player by far. Only 16, he's only 17 now. Went to Bayer Leverkusen, picked up an injury that has ruled him out so far this start of the season which is a real shame, but when you think about a proper regista in that midfield, like somebody who just set your tempo, does everything, it just him. He controls everything and okay, the step up from Bundesliga 2 to the the normal of Bundesliga is is not easy. So, let's see when he plays, but I think he's got so much talent to the to the fact that a lot of Premier League clubs wanted him in the summer. >> Yeah, I think it's interesting he's chosen Leverkusen, right? Because Liverpool were very very interested, weren't they? Arsenal, there was rumors of Bayern Munich being very interested. Do you think he's picked smart there? >> Yeah, I agree. >> ground rather than that heavy jump. That's a good >> Absolutely. I agree. I agree completely. I think at 17 he was probably not ready just yet to make that big move >> [snorts] >> to a club outside of of of Germany and even if you if he'd gone to Bayern look at what happened to Tom Bischof for example, who went to Bayern and didn't really play that much that season. That season I think he knew he had probably more chances to play at Bayer Leverkusen and do well than than if he'd gone to Bayern or another big big club. >> Okay, stick him up. In terms of midfielders, I know that you're not you've caveated not picking the most obvious names. Is it worth chatting about Boadu and where you see his ceiling? Yes, I mean most expensive 18-year-old in history. >> Boadu would have been a shoo-in for this team. I'm sure Jules would have had him in as well too. The fact that clubs like Manchester City are all already willing to spend that much money on him this young testament to his ability. He's a name that I think everybody has really heard about especially in France for for a few years now. The World Cup on top of that the performance against Brazil on the first day. I really like for me Badi's composure. He's so composed for a player that young. It doesn't feel like he really gets under pressure very calm on the ball. I think you're looking at barring some disastrous injury a player that we'll be talking about as one of the best midfielders in the world one day. >> Okay. Next up. >> I agree. >> We go to >> I've got another Paris born and bred midfielder [laughter] in Alexis Beka >> Say that >> I know I know I know >> He's not wrong though to be fair. This is the best talent factory in the game at the moment. >> And he's the next one really Voel Toulouse who's already starting in Ligue 1 only 18. He played a little bit last season already, but this season I think is the season where really he he showed he showed the quality that he's had. One of those modern midfielders you know who can do everything in that midfield. He works hard. He recovers the ball. He's he's so good technically on the ball. He goes forward so you can use him as a box to box. He can play a little bit deeper. Akasera who plays next to him with with with Toulouse with a more experience really good player who will leave Toulouse in Ligue 1 without doubt in the summer as well. Probably like him. He's the great pendant to him in that double pivot, but yeah wonderful wonderful talent and I we just like those those those midfielders who can do it all. >> I know we're joking about the Paris born and bred thing, but like it really is like >> Why is it so just flourishing right now? >> Now George >> I mean it's yeah it's there's a few reasons I think there's the street part of the game is important there cuz you play in your council estate a lot of them do. Then you go to academies. French academies do a really good job everywhere, but some of them have gone to the INF Clairefontaine Academy which is the best of the best you know they gave Kylian or Thierry Henry and those kind of players. And I think that that helps. I think there's that hunger too that you have coming from those areas and those neighborhoods where things are difficult. There's also, for example, in in Alexis' case or Godoy's case as well, the need to to be successful for your own family, you know? And I think this is like you have to become a pro and you you do everything you can to get there because your family need you to do so. I think a lot of that explains probably why and they're all so good. And also, like you said, there's 12 million people in Paris. >> It's a melting pot as well, too. I think that's the the the biggest thing as well, too. You see so many different backgrounds, whether it's North Africans, whether it's West Africans, whether it's French players, you you get a a little bit of everything. And I I think the the end result, as Jules said, is just some some really talented players. >> Yeah, great insight. >> I went just for two midfielders real quick. I went for Gilberto Mora. I think he's becoming more of a household name, although he of course hasn't made that move to to to Europe. But again, it's a player that I think everybody has just heard of over and over and over. So, I think a lot of people were keen on watching him for Mexico this summer. >> He starts against England, didn't he? >> Yeah, exactly. >> We haven't got a destination for him, yeah. >> I don't know where he's going to end up, but >> I just imagine >> the minute he becomes eligible to make that move, every big club will be after him. I feel like I feel like I was watching Pedri this at times this summer. >> Yeah. >> gifted on the ball, so good in tight spaces. And next to him, I went for Bon Tempo as well, too. He's been a player that I've heard a lot about in Brazil, a part of that Santos team. He's kind of been whispered as the next big thing to come out. Made his debut this this this week for Brazil, got an assist against Australia, but very tidy in possession. I think the modern day midfielder Brazil have kind of been lacking for a while now. >> Nice. Okay. >> Two good shouts. >> Into attacking midfield role. >> Lias has got 12 names now. >> Yeah, yeah. >> [laughter] >> This system is full of attacking players. >> You want to go first, I guess? >> Yeah, yeah. I mean, I can go first. Andrea Maximovic. Yeah, you would have played seen him play with Serbia uh in this international break. He's a Serbian international now, only 19. Uh number 10, you could play him wide if you want because he's really tidy on the ball, doesn't have the pace really to be a proper wide player. But as a number 10, just outstanding. The vision, the scanning, uh right foot, left foot. He's scored a wonderful goal the other day uh in the 4-1 defeat, but Leipzig again I think seeing the talent there, going for it, and Leipzig are very good a bit like Dortmund for identifying finding sorry those those young talents. And was obviously very good at Westerlo before, played in the Champions League at 17, but now this is the next step in his career, and I and I think he's one to watch for sure. >> Good shout. Stick him up, and whilst you do that Yes, another name you want to bring to the table. >> for Ibrahim Maza. >> I am this guy's biggest fan, man. I I think So, I I was actually surprised he wasn't on your list. This guy at the World Cup, people will sound biased, he's Algerian. I think he's one of the best talents that we've ever had playing for us. I think his potential can be one day Algeria's greatest player. I think he's that good. At the World Cup, this guy registered the fifth most successful dribbles of the tournament behind Messi, Yamal, Vinicius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham. He was eliminated in the round of 32. He's so technically good in tight spaces. He's really got a good creative bag as well, too. I think he started adding goals to his game. I look at Leverkusen now, this this is starting to look I wouldn't say his team out and out, but he's really starting to gain more and more responsibility, and I think a big move is waiting for him. I think he is so so underrated. >> He was heavily linked with Man City in the summer. That's sort of Bernardo Silva potential replacement, wasn't he? >> I don't I don't think he has the the engine of a Bernardo Silva, per se. He's much more Anything, he's more David Silva than Bernardo. He's so silky, man. >> [clears throat] >> Yeah, such a good player. >> Do you want to speak about Shay Lacey in this role as well? He addresses some right as well. You had to put You just had to put a United player in. >> They could not go in the improved 11 cuz they nobody has improved enough. >> Shay Lacey, I mean, in his cameo from Man United he has played off the right. I'll be interested in seeing if he eventually makes that move more interior. Yeah, I think he's a fantastic talent. The strike this kid has on him is outrageous, and I think before the Brighton game we'd seen glimpses. He did the bar a few times, and then he hit that that screamer against Brighton in the academy. That was a almost a trademark to his game, very Phil Foden in terms of how he cuts in and gets his shots off. Obviously, not the best environment I would say for a young player