22 Football Wonderkids under 22-Years Old to Watch in 2022
Our predictions to light up the world of football next year.
What better way to start a publication on the next generation of footballers than with a list of talents that will take over 2022?
To make it even more entertaining, the U21TV editors (that would be me and my son Daniel Gomes) divided the task of putting the list together — so each one of us is naming eleven players to watch out for next year!
Daniel Gomes XI
Kamaldeen Sulemana, GHA, 19, LW, Stade Rennais, €20M
Ghanian sensation Kamaldeen Sulemana is one of the most thrilling young players in Ligue 1, having already established himself as one of the league’s top forwards in his first season with Stade Rennais.
Sulemana arrived to European football in 2019 and immediately took the Norwegian Eliteserien by storm. He made 43 appearances, 14 goals and 8 assists for Nordsjaelland before being transferred in July 2021 to Rennais for €15M — a bargain in hindsight, given the young winger has recently been linked to big clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester United.
Ryan Gravenberch, NED, 19, CM/DM, Ajax, €33M
Another product from the renowned Ajax youth academy, Ryan Gravenberch affirmed himself on the club’s first team at a very early age — 16 years and 130 days, beating Clarence Seedorf to become the youngest player in Ajax history to debut on Eredivisie.
Unsurprisingly, the young Dutch midfielder has since proven to be worthy of a debut so early in his career. Gravenberch is now an undisputed “starting XI” player in Ajax and one of the league’s best midfielders at just 19 years old — not to mention he’s a very likely call-up to the Netherlands’ 2022 World Cup squad. There is no ceiling to what this young player can accomplish whether he stays at Ajax or moves to one of Europe’s top 5 leagues.
Andreas Schjelderup, NOR, 17, LW/AM, Nordsjaelland, €5M
Kamaldeen Sulemana’s departure to Stade Rennais could have represented a tremendous loss to Nordsjaelland lineup — but that void has been filled by 17-year old Andreas Schjelderup. The Norwegian prodigy instantly seized his rightful place in Nordsjaelland’s starting XI and has already debuted in Norway’s U21 team, proving he is one of the most talented young players to come up in 2021.
Schjelderup’s quick pace, passing ability and ball control have not gone unnoticed by big clubs, with Chelsea apparently having failed to pursue the young winger.
Given Sulemana’s recent performances in Ligue 1, there is little doubt that his replacement in Nordsjaelland could have a similar impact in Europe’s bigger leagues. A change of scenery might be on the horizon for Schjelderup… if the price is right for the Danish club.
Ryotaro Araki, JPN, 19, RM/CF, Kashima Antlers, €0.55M
Japanese players have been making plenty of headlines for the right reasons this year, but the real, shell-shocking surprise in Japanese football is called Ryotaro Araki.
Standing at just 1,70m, the right midfielder already casts a large shadow as the 2021 J-League Young Player of the Year. Possessing exceptional passing and dribbling skills and capable of playing as a centre-forward/second striker, Araki has been crucial in Kashima Antlers’ 2021 campaign, playing 36 out of 38 games in the J-League and racking up 10 goals and 7 assists.
For the moment, Kashima Antlers want to hang on to their 19-year old talisman, but Araki’s impressive records in the 2021 J-League season may have roused the interest of European football in the new Japanese wonderkid.
Jakub Kaminski, POL, 19, LW/RW, Lech Poznan, €10M
Poland harbors a number of great talents — including Pogon Szczecin’s sensation Kacper Kozlowski, which is also on this list — but none have been shining as brightly this season as Lech Poznan’s Jakub Kaminski.
Despite being a physically unimposing player prone to favor his right foot and look down rather than look forward, Kaminski has nonetheless proved he is one of the most dangerous and efficient wingers of the Ekstraklasa at just 19 years old. His speed, technical ability and relentless attitude allow him to overwhelm multiple defenders and crash the box with ease.
Comfortable playing on either wing, Kaminski has played every match so far this season, helping Lech Poznan retain the 1st place in the Polish league for 16 consecutive matchdays.
An absolute maverick with the ball, the young winger has recently been linked to a possible Borussia Dortmund move. It seems likely that if BVB don’t grab this opportunity, another big club will.
Akinkunmi Amoo, NGA, 19, RW, Hammarby, €4M
The “Little Messi” was the true revelation of the Allsvenskan this season, being one of the nominees for the Best Young Player of the Year award with his 9 goals and 5 assists with 29 league appearances for Hammarby.
After just 18 months at the Swedish club, Amoo has already grabbed the attention of several big clubs with his stunning agility and ball control.
Leicester City and other Premier League clubs are reportedly interested in signing the 19-year old winger, but without having played at full international level for Nigeria and being excluded from the Super Eagles’ provisional AFCON squad, Amoo’s move to England seems unlikely at this point. This may in turn open the door for clubs like Ajax, Valencia and BVB to snatch the Nigerian winger in early 2022.
Sergio Gomez, ESP, 21, LB, Anderlecht, €3M
An exceptional two-way fullback with remarkable crossing and set piece technique, Sergio Gomez is already one of the Belgian league’s top players after just six months playing for RSC Anderlecht.
The Belgian side bought Gomez from Borussia Dortmund for just €2.25M — an absolute steal considering the Spanish defender has since scored 5 goals and made 11 assists in just 21 Jupiler Pro League games this season!
Already one of Anderlecht’s star players, the 21-year old still has room to grow — which makes us wonder just how dominant of a left-back Gomez can become in the near future.
Giacomo Raspadori, ITA, 21, ST, Sassuolo, €20M
Raspadori first made headlines towards the end of Serie A’s 2020/21 season, displaying his goal-scoring ability against top Italian teams AS Roma, AC Milan and Juventus.
This earned the nimble centre-forward a call-up to represent Italy in EURO 2020, which had been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite seeing very little playing time, his presence in the ultimately victorious Squadra Azurra cemented his burgeoning role both at club and national team level.
With 4 goals and 4 assists this season in Serie A (as of December 29th), Raspadori is a very appealing target to big Italian clubs. He has recently been linked to Inter along fellow Sassuolo teammates Gianluca Scamacca and Davide Frattesi.
Kacper Kozlowski, POL, 18, CM/AM, Pogon Szczecin, €10M
Another player that has increased in value after being called up to EURO 2020 was Kacper Kozlowski from Ekstraklasa’s Pogon Szczecin.
The young midfielder was a consistent starting XI player for the club throughout the 2020/21, and his quality performances did not go unnoticed by former Polish national team manager Paulo Sousa, who called Kozlowski up at just 17 years old — the youngest player to play in a EURO.
Kozlowski is a very active, versatile midfielder who is comfortable flanking defensive lines from either wing or through the center. A well-rounded ball carrier and playmaker, Kozlowski already has 3 goals and 4 assists in 16 Polish league appearances this season — a remarkable contribution from an 18-year old midfielder.
Julián Álvarez, ARG, 21, ST, River Plate, €20M
At just 21 years old, Julián Álvarez is already one of Argentinian league’s most valuable players, leading the goalscorers table with 18 goals in just 21 games — nearly averaging a goal per game!
Alvarez’s below average stature (1.70m) does not deter him nor his brutal finishing ability. The River Plate marksman possesses an outstanding shot and sense of opportunity. Add to that a solid footwork and on-ball creativity and you have a terrifying prospect to incorporate the next generation of Argentinian top forwards.
Currently the 21-year old forward has a €20M release clause and has been linked to top European clubs such as Bayern Münich, Mancherster United, AC Milan and West Ham United.
Charles De Ketelaere, BEL, 20, CF/LW, Club Brugge, €25M
Standing over 1.90m, the Belgian juggernaut from Club Brugge known as Charles De Ketelaere is an absolute sight to behold. The 20-year old forward possesses an astonishing level of technique for his size and age which enables him to outrun, outdribble and outscore his opposition.
His towering presence and consistent output of goals and assists have made him an undisputed pick in Club Brugge’s starting XI, as well as the most valuable player in the Jupiler Pro League alongside Dutch teammate Noa Lang.
De Ketelaere has admitted he would consider moving to one of Europe’s top clubs if the opportunity presented itself. He has recently been linked to Chelsea FC.
Paulo Sergio Gomes XI
Adam Hlozek, CZE, 19, ST, Sparta Praga, €19M
We might be seeing a new Lewandowski here — fast, effective, lethal! With a refined sense of opportunity, whether using his feet or his head, in the penalty box or outside of it. His movements behind the defence give him space for an easy shot, or for the pass to a better positioned attacking partner (he has already made 11 assists in the Czech league).
Holzek has a sharp instinct for goal, having scored 34 goals and 33 assists in 112 games for Sparta Prague, where his starting XI condition is unquestionable. He is a regular presence for the Czech national team, which he has represented on 12 occasions.
Josko Gvardiol, CRO, 19, LB, RB Leipzig, €25M
At the recent European Championship, aged only 19, Gvardiol overcame his experienced teammates and started with Croatia’s first team, as left-back, having already played 9 games since June. Hired immediately by RB Leipzig, he returned to the defense centre to cover up for the departures of Upamecano and Konaté.
Robust and possessing a good left foot, Gvardiol can also play on the wing, which allows him to integrate well into the team’s offensive strategy, reaching the opposite area in good condition to make the last pass, or even shoot on goal.
Josh Doig, SCO, 19, LB, Hibernian, €4M
Promising Scottish left-back, a product of the Hearts training schools, took over a starting XI place at Hibernian, being a key player in the 3rd place achieved by the team last season.
Tall and slim, he runs down the left corridor, galloping in good British style with the ball in his control. Besides standing out at the Edinburgh club, he wears the Scottish Under-21 national team’s jersey and is already seen as a future reinforcement for some Premier League clubs.
Aster Vranckx, BEL, 19, CM, Wolfsburg, €10M
Pivotal in the team’s offensive dynamics, with long-distance guided passes, Vranckx brand image is based on his physical size and ability to recover balls in the intermediate zone of the field.
He was transferred last summer from his youth club, KV Mechelen, to Wolfsburg for €8M, after a period of adaptation he won a place in the first team of Germanic club.
Yeremi Pino, ESP, 19, RW, Villarreal, €30M
Yeremi’s meteoric rise is in line with Villarreal’s evolution, after the arrival of Unai Emeri at the club led them to winning the Europa League last season. His preponderance in the Yellow Submarine led him to wear the “Roja” on two occasions.
A versatile and talented winger who can shoot easily, he carries the team through offensive transitions, creating spaces and seizing opportunities to score. A big bet of the club that he recently renewed with until 2027.
Mikkel Damsgaard, DEN, 21, LW, Sampdoria, €18M
Bred at Nordsjaelland academy, Damsgaard reached Serie A, seized the moment and now leads Sampdoria with his fragrant football. A disconcerting creative, Damsgaard works as the picklock that breaks through the opposite team’s vault, being relentless in direct shots, especially with free-kicks.
Injured for 4 months, the big revelation of Euro 2020 was crucial to the excellent campaign of the Danish selection in the tournament. We expected his return to regain his undisputed status in the Genoese team.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, GEO, 20, LW, Rubin Kazan, €16M
Russian side Rubin Kazan’s left-winger raised at Dinamo Tbilisi’s academy takes advantage of his speed to beat direct opponents, as well as of his steady right foot to bend inside the field and deliver his shot to the top corner of the opposite post. With an excellent technique and vision of the game, 2020’s Best Young Player of Russian League should not stay in Kazan for long.
Khvicha, by far the best Georgian player today, caught the eye with his double in Georgia’s unexpected victory over Sweden, laying down Sweden’s hopes of qualifying directly for the World Cup in Qatar.
Jurrien Timber, NED, 20, CB, Ajax, €17M
With good physical attributes, Timber’s ability to anticipate and disarm are his biggest weapons, being an almost insurmountable defender. However, what impresses even more in his style of play, working as a central defender, is his technical skill with the ball — he is a progressive dribbling power, often driving Ajax’s attacking game.
Capped by all the Dutch national youth teams, Timber made his debut this year at the highest level, having already played 6 games in the first team. In just over a year he saw his market value grow from €2M to €17M, and soon it could double!
Ilya Zabarnyi, UKR, 19, CB, Dinamo Kiev, €13M
A typical defender of the Eastern European school: aggressive, powerful and very strong in the head game, with pin-point precision on long passes to reach the wingers. He is the warden of his team’s defensive third, transmitting great confidence to his teammates in more advanced sectors.
One of the great products of Dynamo Kiev’s Academy, Zabarnyi, just over 19, has already 18 (yes, eighteen!) games for the Ukrainian national team. Absolutely essential as a player, both at the club and national team.
Vitinha, POR, 21, CM, FC Porto, €12M
The new midfield mastermind in Portuguese football. With an endless supply of dribbles and skills, Vitinha always finds a solution to get out of any situation, in a 1-v-1 and even when outnumbered. He will be one of FC Porto’s references for years to come, and he is eagerly awaiting the call to the national team (40 games for the U19 and U21 teams combined — that’s about enough, no?!)
A raw talent that should be refined with more game time now that he has found his place at Porto’s first team, after a season spent (read “lost”) at Wolverhampton with very little playing time. A stagnation that, for many prodigies like him, could end up destroying a great career.
Fabio Carvalho, ENG, 19, AM, Fulham, €3,5M
An attacking midfielder who carries the team forward, with great vision of the game, precision in passing and shooting, and a panoply of technical skills that augurs well for a bright future. His dribbling makes him a permanent threat in offensive transitions, but his slight body is easy prey for opposing defenders.
Of Portuguese nationality, he started early at the Benfica football academy and joined Fulham at the age of 12, having represented the English youth teams at various levels from U-15 to U-18. Currently, he is the great talent of the historic London club, but with his contract is about to expire next summer; without renewing it, certainly his talent will be showcased on higher stages of the European elite — already there are rumours regarding the interest of European giants such as Real Madrid!
This article was written by Daniel Gomes and Paulo Sergio Gomes. The father-and-son duo shares two publications on Medium— U21TV and Biblion.
Market values from Transfermarkt and as of December 31st, 2021.
