In 2009 we saw numerous young talents blossom. Alexandre Pato enjoyed his first full Serie A season with great success. Arsenal’s young gunners continued to thrive under the knowing gaze of Arsene Wenger. And Gonzalo Higuain, Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero showed Europeans why they should fear Argentina’s attack come summer 2010.
Thats all well and good… but I think it is time to look to the future. Namely, what budding starlets stand to make themselves household names over the next year (or few years). The following is a list of young football phenoms (all U-21) who I predict will have a serious impact on their respective teams, and thus the trajectory of their career over the next year, and for the future. Please note that I have left out the likes of Bojan, Tony Kroos and Gareth Bale (among others) due to the fact that while they will continue to grow and flourish with their squads, they have, for the most part secured a role on their squad, and are already looked upon as starting XI or role players.
Lets take a look at the list:
Honourable Mention: Jack Wilshere – MF – Arsenal – England
Sorry Jack, much like Arsene, I just didn’t know how to fit you into the lineup. Maybe next year.
10: Franco Di Santo – ST – Chelsea – Argentina
Although he has already played 16 games plus with the big club, the young Argentinian has not been as prolific has he was once professed to become. However, he is currently on loan at Blackburn, which will enable him to increase his playing time 10 fold when cutting his teeth in the EPL. Look for Di Santo to establish himself in the second half of the 2009/2010 season
Coutinho Bravo
9: Phillipe Coutinho – MF Vasco Da Gama – Brasil/Dominic Aidiyah – ST- Milan – Ghana
Ladies and gents, we have a tie for 9th. It was both difficult to select and difficult to cut these two players as they have yet to prove themselves in a truly dominant fashion. The 20 year old Ghanaian has been toiling away in Norway over the past few seasons while his younger Brasilian counterpart his biding his time in Brasil with Vasco until he is legally entitled to play in Italy. Both will heading to Milan come January, the former AC and the later t0 Inter, and for the life of me, I dont know who will make the bigger impact first.
Posted by Robert Greco 
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