Oscar Bobb returns, Dean Huijsen's big week, Andrey Santos breaks the goal
All your wonderkid news in one place: The Shortlist, 20th March 2025
Happy Friday, scouts. Welcome to The Shortlist, your weekly, bitesize download on football’s next generation.
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Headliners
The players we watched this week.
Short…listed:
A short recommendation.
This week, a Suárez-esque Serbian striker gets added to your shortlists.
If you loved Luis Suárez, you'll like Mihajlo Cvetković. There's something quite reassuring about a stocky little striker hurtling around the pitch, putting defenders under pressure, competing for every ball, running and battling and shooting, leaving everything on the line. Like the Uruguayan, the Serbian does exactly that.
The 18-year-old is a graduate of the FK Čukarički academy, one of the Balkans' best when it comes to producing first-team talent. He already has over 50 senior appearances to his name, in which he's bagged 11 goals, an impressive tally.
This season has seen him become a regular. It follows on from his standout performances at junior level for club and country; we first watched him at last year's UEFA U-17 EURO, where he made our Team of the Tournament, and have been enamoured with him since.
Stephen Ganavas
Malmö FF thought they made him the record Allsvenskan signing this winter, but Cvetković reneged on the deal at the last minute. Their loss will be someone else's gain: the Serbian offers an exciting, well-rounded, almost chaotic package as a project numer nine that clubs will be battling to sign this coming summer.
HEATWATCH
SCOUTED50: Keeping tabs on the golden boys.
🔥 14 / ANDREY SANTOS
Chelsea again! Strasbourg again! Andrey Santos is one of two Chelsea players on loan to BlueCo’s French asset (but aren’t they all all loan, philosophically? Much to ponder) and this year he’s finally found the form that had everyone so excited in the first place. Just watch this screamer smack the woodwork on its way home. A glorious sound.
Honestly, if Chelsea can’t find a space for him next year amidst the (checks notes) £200m collection of midfielders currently vying for a first-team spot, just loan him back to Nottingham Forest, lads. I’m gutted we didn’t get to see him link up with Morgan Gibbs-White during his ill-fated stint; throw Elliot Anderson in the mix and hoo boy, that’s potent.
🧊 15 / ORRI STEINN OSKARSSON
The 'Jake curse' has struck with some force. One of Mr Entwistle’s first contributions to these hallowed pages last year was the inclusion of Orri Óskarsson to The (old) Shortlist - a ‘rangy, meta centre-forward’ he compared to Kai Havertz. Well, that might’ve been especially apt considering Havertz's penchant for - how do I put this lightly? - missing from five yards (he's my favourite player I'm allowed to say that).
Óskarsson has only scored one La Liga goal since the end of September, and is flitting in and out of the starting eleven at Real Sociedad. Development isn’t linear, and there’s a reason Manchester City were so hot on him last summer. Stay tuned.
SCOUTED
Watchlist
The players to keep an eye on – and where to find them.
🏴 🇫🇷 🇵🇹 ALL OF THE PLAYERS!
France U-21 vs. England U-21
Friendly — Friday, 21 March 2025, 20:00 GMT
Lee Carsley is back in charge of the England Under-21s and he has selected a stacked squad to face France tonight (20:00 GMT) and Portugal on Monday (19:45 GMT). You can watch both games on the England YouTube channel. Do it. We will be.
Carlsey was criticised for deploying his Strikerless 4-4-2 in a 1-2 Wembley defeat to Greece during his spell in charge of the senior squad but I hope it returns at this level. That being said, the presence of Liam Delap (2003) means that at least one of the two advanced slots will be occupied by a bonafide Power Forward. Next to him - and perhaps slightly more reserved - we could see Delap’s Ipswich Town teammate Omari Hutchinson (2003) or former Manchester City teammate James McAtee (2002). However, I think this role is tailor-made for Ethan Nwaneri (2007).
Nwaneri’s record at youth international level is sensational. He has 15 goals in 28 caps for the U18s and six goals in nine caps for the U19s, playing as an attacking midfielder, a winger and a false nine across all age groups. Dovetailing with the battering ram that is Delap would be perfect. It would also allow a midfield composition, from right to left, of: Harvey Elliott (2003), Elliot Anderson (2002), Adam Wharton (2004), Jamie Gittens (2004). Sensational.
At the back, I think we will see Archie Gray (2006) and Rico Lewis (2004) on the right and left flank respectively. In the middle, Jarrad Branthwaite (2002) is likely to partner Taylor Harwood-Bellis (2002) given that both players have senior caps. But the player we are really keen to watch is Charlie Cresswell (2002). The Leeds United academy graduate has a 70% Aerial Duel win rate for Toulouse in Ligue 1 this season and is always popping up in SCOUTED Stats for this metric as well as Clearances. Playing as a centre-back in a more dominant side is the next test.
The France side is just as stacked. Les Bleuets have called up their own Power Forward, Thierno Barry (2002). Three years ago, this 195 cm striker was playing in the fifth tier of French football. Now, he’s starting up top for Villarreal in LaLiga. But he might not even start.
That’s because Hugo Ekitiké (2002) is in the U21 squad. That seems unfair. Pairing this Isak regen with the giraffe-sized Barry would be a very meta centre-forward pairing. Behind them, France are again spoilt for choice with Rayan Cherki (2003) another bonkers name to see at this level. I hope to see Dilane Bakwa (2002) get a start, too.
Finally, this is another chance to watch Jérémy Jacquet (2005) before his €40m move this summer. I will not warn you again. He’s probably playing alongside a future RB Leipzig teammate in Carlos Lukeba (2002).
England U-21 vs. Portugal U-21
Friendly — Monday, 24 March 2025, 19:45 GMT
As for Portugal, I am personally not quite as familiar with as many names but they are always super strong at this level. Tune in to catch a glimpse of the latest BlueCo asset, Dário Essugo (2005), alongside Famalicão’s Gustavo Sá (2004) and Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes (2004) in midfield. Up top, somehow Fábio Silva (2002) is still young enough to lead the line.
If you're not sure how to watch U21 football, a federation's YouTube channel is often a great place to start - many friendlies are streamed live. Join us in tuning in!
Vox Populi
We’re listening - here's a SCOUTED poll, for fun.
This week I’ve embedded the form straight into this email like a professional. Please note: it might be slightly broken, depending on how you read emails. If so, hit the link below to vote.
So: Who’s your favourite Spanish Teenage Mutant Centre-Back?
🇪🇸 Pau Cubarsí
🇪🇸 Dean Huijsen
🇪🇸 Raúl Asencio
🇪🇸 Yarek Gasiorowski
Can’t see the form? Vote here.
Further reading
Before Andoni Iraola entered his life, Milos Kerkez was a teenager breaking through at AZ Alkmaar. In 2022, SCOUTED writer Bence Bocsak sat down with the then-teenage full-back - and what they spoke about is fascinating in retrospect.
At just 18 years old, Milos Kerkez has already played in five different countries, broken hearts at AC Milan, and established himself as a cult favourite in the Netherlands. Everywhere he goes, heads turn - and he is showing no signs of slowing down. As we speak, a senior international cap for Hungary looms.
“It’s an honour to play for the national team,” Kerkez says, when he picks up the phone. “Whether the coach needs me for five minutes or ninety minutes, I will go out there and give it my best and put in the tackles. I feel like I am ready.”
The 18-year-old, who is still very much on the rise, has enjoyed a remarkable few years. It’s hard to believe less than two years ago, instead of facing Ajax, Germany or Italy in the space of a few days, he was taking on the likes of Dorog and Kazincbarcika in Hungary’s second division.
Some of Europe’s elite made the trip to Győr to watch him in action. Kerkez received plenty of approaches, but in the end, it was one phone call from an icon of European football that sealed the deal.
“There was a lot of interest in me in the winter. Everything was going fast because the period was so short. I actually wanted to stay in Hungary to grow more physically and leave in the summer. Two days before the window, [Paolo] Maldini called me personally, and he wanted a meeting with me and my father, and we spoke, and that was a big pull for me. You know when Maldini is calling you, you are not thinking too much.
“After that, it was obvious I was going to go to Milan. It was a big club, and when they want you like this, you cannot say no.”
Bence Bocsák
That’s all, folks. See you next Friday.
For everything on the next generation, stay tuned to SCOUTED.
