January 3 – The CIES Football Observatory has ranked 270 players to watch with England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham (pictured) leading the pack in a report focussed on young and developing players born in 2003 or later.
CIES say that that their ‘experience score’, which is used to sort the players, was calculated from the number of official game minutes played at club or national team (senior, U23 and U21) level in 2023, the sporting level of the 25 most competitive matches in which the footballers took part, as well as the percentage of minutes played as first choice players.
The following footballers head the rankings for their respective position:
- Goalkeepers: Guillaume Restes (2005), Toulouse FC, experience score 77.6 out of 100
- Centre backs: Giorgio Scalvini (2003), Atalanta BC, 92.7
- Right full/wing backs: Arnau Martínez (2003), Girona FC, 95.4
- Left full/wing backs: Alejandro Balde (2003), FC Barcelona, 95.4
- Holding midfielders: Pablo Gavi (2004), FC Barcelona, 96.0
- Attacking midfielders: Jude Bellingham (2003), Real Madrid, 96.2
- Right wingers: Xavi Simons (2003), RB Leizpig, 90.6
- Left wingers: Alejandro Garnacho (2004), Manchester United, 82.9
- Centre forwards: Rasmus Höjlund (2003), Manchester United, 88.9
Notable Premier League challengers appearing high in the rankings include Chelsea’s young defender Levi Colwill, who earned a score of 94.5 playing at left-back for the 93% of the Blues’ matches after rejoining his boyhood side from a successful loan spell at Brighton last season.
Similarly, Manchester City youngster Rico Lewis scored 94.0 in the right-back category after securing a wealth of first team football this term, just shy of Girona’s Arnau Martinez who has impressed in his teams unprecedented pursuit of the La Liga title.
The attacking midfielder category is predictably headlined by Real Madrid star man Jude Bellingham, but is also host to a number of young stars such as German duo Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala as well as Liverpool starlet Harvey Elliot.
Lastly, Brighton and Ireland striker Evan Ferguson scores 88.4 points, narrowly missing out on the top spot to Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund, who scored his first Premier League goal to snatch the win versus Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
To read the full report, click here.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1714372648labto1714372648ofdlr1714372648owedi1714372648sni@g1714372648niwe.1714372648yrrah1714372648