The most fascinating U-23 players in Europe's Big Five Leagues
You know when Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher sit down and do their Team of the Season? This is that, but better
I have been thinking of different ways to frame the SCOUTED Stat Leaders and have landed upon this alternative option: Monday Night SCOUTED presents the SCOUTED Squad.
This is not a list of the best young players in Europe’s Big Five Leagues right now. It is a collection of names that have piqued my personal interest when combing through endless Stathead searches.
After all, we want to discover the next generation. Even then, you will recognise some names - they are the Big Five Leagues for a reason - but there are a couple of unknowns, too. As I have emphasised in previous Monday Night SCOUTED newsletters, these are curated shortlists that will lead to further investigation. By documenting those names in the newsletter, I hope that investigation becomes a shared, collaborative experience that we can all revisit.
SCOUTED
In order to fulfil my promise of sharing the overall SCOUTED Stat Leaders with you, I will litter Top 10 graphics throughout this monster.
But first, another theme spawned from the Stat Leader research and I would like to share it with you via extended use of excruciating word play.
Can you smell what Maroc is cooking?
Morocco have one of the most electrifying teams in sports entertainment.
Achraf Hakimi, Adam Aznou, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Abde Ezzalzouli, Osame Sahraoui, Amine Adli, Ilias Akhomach. The list goes on. But it was Ben Seghir and Abde that sparked this thought as they featured in a swathe of SCOUTED Stat Top 10s.
Ben Seghir leads all 01+ players for Carries into the Final Third, Abde ranks seventh - even Sahraoui ranks ninth. Abde ranks first for touches inside the penalty area and third for carries into the penalty area.
In terms of Progressive Carries, Adbe ranks third behind only Jérémy Doku and Lamine Yamal, with Ben Seghir in fifth, behind Florian Wirtz.
Of the 37 01+ players that have attempted 25+ take-ons in Europe’s Big Five Leagues this season, four featured in Morocco’s latest senior squad: Ben Seghir, Abde, Akhomach and Sahraoui.
Osame Sahraoui is a name familiar to SCOUTED ultras. Since making his debut for Vålerenga in 2020, he has consistently ranked as one the most prolific dribblers in Europe. This thread details how we fell in love.
Despite receiving a Norway cap in a 6-0 friendly win against Jordan in 2023, Sahraoui has since committed his international future to Morocco. This adds even more flair.
Then you remember that Brahim Díaz has also pledged his allegiance to the Atlas Lions and it comes as absolutely no surprise that Walid Regragui’s side are on a seven-game unbeaten run, which includes a five-game winning streak.
Throw in the idea that Achraf Hakimi and another SCOUTED favourite Adam Aznou could be the starting full-backs in 2026 and another run to a World Cup semi-final does not sound too ridiculous.
SCOUTED
Morocco can run back a similar playbook with even better squad. Packed with such prolific ball-carriers, oozing with flair, they will be more than happy to cede possession before launching counter-attacks at lightning speed.
The switch to a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 in recent games also allows them to adopt the meta out-of-possession 4-4-2 structure, maximising their ability to absorb pressure while allowing for one more dribbling marvel to be included in the starting line-up.
Hakimi, Aznou, Ounahi, Abde, Brahim and Ben Seghir all have the ability to run through an entire team. In 2026, they will have the depth to refresh the attacking options during the game.
Morocco delivered a Rock Bottom to the likes of Spain and Portugal in 2022, making history as the first African semi-finalists at the FIFA World Cup. By the time they are joint-hosts in 2030, they could become the (People’s) Champ.
Imagine if they had convinced Lamine Yamal to represent them on the international stage…
SCOUTED Stats: The Squad
If you skipped straight to this part, I don’t blame you.
When selecting the 2024/25 SCOUTED Squad, I prioritised different profiles to further diversify the picks. Remember, these are not the 20 best young players in Europe’s Big Five Leagues this season. After all, I have covered the incredible feats of Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer and most recently Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí in previous MNS newsletters.
This is the discovery of new names.
Without further ado, here are the 20 I picked out.
Goalkeepers
The reason we rarely discuss goalkeepers is because there are so few. Only 11 born in 2001 or later have played at least three 90s in Europe’s Big Five Leagues this season.
The reason Kauã Santos is the first pick for the SCOUTED squad is that he is statistically the best out of those five. Per 90, the Brazilian has the highest save percentage, stops the most crosses, stops the highest percentage of crosses faced and has prevented the most goals. The 21-year-old is a giant at 196 cm and was named the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month for September. For context, no goalkeeper had won the award in either of the previous two seasons.
Throughout this part of the newsletter, I am going to provide links to the some of the custom Stathead searches I used to investigate the players.
To start, here is a link for the goalkeeper stats.
Similarly to Santos, Zion Suzuki has made an impressive start to his maiden season in European football. Suzuki made history as the first Japanese goalkeeper in Serie A when he made his debut for Parma and prevented 1.5 goals across his first six appearances. Based on the percentage of his kicks that go long and the average distance of his defensive actions, he is being asked to play in a more traditional style than Santos.
Defenders
I wanted to find two right-footed centre-backs and two left-footed centre backs for balance. However, standout left-footers such as Levi Colwill, Murillo and Willian Pacho seemed too obvious. So, we have three right-footers and one left-footed option this time around.
Bafodé Diakité emerged as the next-best ball-playing centre-back after Pau Cubarsí. Of course, factors such as the quality and style of the team will affect a player’s output, but Diakité’s numbers are impressive regardless. Only Lucas Beraldo and Cubarsí have progressed the ball further with their passing per 90.
But it was Diakité’s 5.4 long passes completed per 90 with a success rate of 92.7% that caught my eye - a figure that seems to reflect Lille’s own success rate with centre-backs.
Your link for ball-playing defenders
Ligue 1 is the hotbed for defensive talent so I am not ashamed to pluck another name from the French top-flight. Compared to the 108 ‘defenders’ on Stathead that fit the 3+ 90s criteria, 2004-born Abdukodir Khusanov ranks first for interceptions per 90 - the only one averaging 3+, fourth for shots blocked per 90, fifth for clearances per 90 and fifth for aerial duels won per 90, with a 64% success rate.
Your link for traditional defensive metrics
How did Uzbekistan produce one of Europe’s standout young centre-backs? Read ’s epic.
Neel Shelat
The lesser-known, left-footed option that jumped out was Natan. The Brazilian is on loan from Napoli at Real Betis and has tackled more opposition dribblers while maintaining a 100% success rate than any other 01+ defender. In total, Koni De Winter is the only 01+ defender with more aerial duels won - both are averaging a success rate above 70%.
Full-back might just be the most varied role in modern football. Just take a look at ’s latest piece to see how many different roles the Arsenal incumbents are asked to perform.
So, I have decided to highlight four.
The first is a hybrid pick. Elder brother to Desiré, Guela Doué has been deployed at centre-back and right-back for Strasbourg this season. He is one of three defenders in our list to make 10+ ball recoveries, 10+ interceptions, 10+ clearances, 10+ tackles and win 10+ aerial duels this season. Doué has also maintained above a 70% success rate for aerial duels and dribblers tackled.
Your link for hybrid defenders
Tiago Santos is one of the standout 01+ players this season. Per 90, he has more touches in the opposition box than any defender, averages more progressive carries and more carries into the final third than any other defender, generates more Shot-Creating Actions than any full-back and even ranks fourth for passes into the penalty area. He received his first senior call-up for Portugal during the last international break and I expect there will be a lot of interest in January.
Your link for flying full-backs
For the ball progression profile, I was taken aback by Alejandro Francés. Signed from Real Zaragoza this summer, Francés has been sharing right-back minutes and ball-progressions responsibilities with 2003er Arnau Martínez. While Martínez ranks first among our defenders for progressive passes per 90 and passes into the final third per 90, this does not come as a surprise.
Your link for progressive full-backs
The fact that Francés occupies sixth and fifth spot not only suggests he is also adept at the role, but also highlights the intelligence of Girona’s recruitment. Even then, Francés ranks first among defenders in his own right with 7.7 long passes completed per 90, just ahead of Pau Cubarsí - Martinez is 16th for this metric.
At left-back, I’ve picked a 192 cm touchline-hugging wing-back. Just about to turn 20, Tom Rothe joined Union Berlin on a permanent deal this summer following a productive season with Holstein Kiel in the 2. Bundesliga. Despite his height, it’s on the ground that Rothe stands out. Monaco’s Vanderson and Como' Ignace Van Der Brempt are the only defenders averaging more tackles + interceptions per 90.
Links to defender statistics
- Your link for the duelists
Midfielders
I have picked three centre-midfielders that cover the main roles we usually associate with a double-pivot: ball-playing, ball-winning and ball retention. After that, I have a couple of attacking midfielders.
When looking for metronomes, the key metrics were dominated by two German internationals. Although Aleksandr Pavlović is younger, I have included his compatriot Angelo Stiller. Firstly, because he is not a Bayern player. Secondly, because he is profiling as a potential heir to Toni Kroos.
Of the 152 players that appear in the midfield search, Stiller ranks first for progressive passing distance per 90, third for progressive passes per 90 and third for passes completed per 90. He even averages 2 key passes per 90, 10x more than Pavlović’s 0.2.
Your link for ball-playing
There was only one option for the ball-winner. Of the 301 players across every position that fit the minimum minutes played criteria, Lamine Camara ranks first for tackles + interceptions per 90, fourth for tackles made and fourth for ball recoveries. You are probably aware of the Monaco midfielder, but get ready to hear his name a lot more.
Your link for ball-winning
For ball-retention, I’m reinforcing the Morocco angle. Reda Belahyane is not an outlier in a host of metrics, but his volume of take-ons for a deep-lying midfielder interested me even before I confirmed his nationality. He attempts 3 per 90 at a success rate of 61.9%, also ranking in the top 10 of our midfield search for ball recoveries per 90.
Your link for ball-retention
Born in 2004, he has started all-but-one Serie A game for Hellas Verona and received his first senior call-up this month. He appears to be an able deputy for either Sofyan Amrabat or Azzedine Ounahi in Morocco’s pivot.
In attacking midfield, I have a volume pick and a goal-threat pick.
Of the 270 players in our search, only three average 2.5 shots, 2.5 key passes and 2.5 successful take-ons per 90 minutes: Michael Olise, Florian Wirtz and our first attacking midfield pick, Nico Paz.
Your link for both attacking midfield profiles. For these links and for the wingers, I will be including all outfield positions as these roles can be fluid in how they are documented.
The Argentine is also one of just five players generating 6+ Shot-Creating Actions per 90 - Bukayo Saka, Wirtz, Sávio and Álex Baena complete that list.
Only five players within our criteria average 1+ Non-Penalty Expected Goal & Expected Assisted Goals combined: Hugo Ekitiké, Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Folarin Balogun and, our second attacking midfield inclusion, Enzo Millot.
The Frenchman is also completing 2.7 take-ons per 90 while maintaining a 81.3% success rate, the highest of any 01+ player averaging more than 2 successful take-ons per 90.
Wingers
My first of four wingers heralds another mention of Morocco.
I highlighted Eliesse Ben Seghir earlier but I want to double down on just how excellently he has started the season. He ranks first for carries into the final third per 90, averaging 1.3 more per 90 than Jérémy Doku in second place. He is also the only player to average 4+ fouls won per 90. A true ball-carrying marvel.
Your link for ball-carriers
The next pick is Patrick Dorgu. In 2023/24, the Dane featured almost exclusively as a left-wing back for Lecce. This season, he has been deployed as a right-winger for all-but one Serie A appearance. Does that sound like a famous career trajectory you might know?
Tyler Dibling has made an appearances in MNS and SCOUT NOTES already this season but he deserves even more time in the spotlight. The 18-year-old has been a standout performer for struggling Southampton, making both Diogo Dalot and Riccardo Calafiori sweat.
He is one of 14 players in our search to average 5+ Shot-Creating Actions per 90 and one of 12 to average 3+ fouls won. The symmetry between his shots, key passes and passes into the opposition box output also scratches a nice itch: he has seven of each (another Jackpot, kind of).
Finally, forgive another mention of Strasbourg, but Sebastian Nanasi is worth a closer look. His 0.9 NPxG + xAG is level with Saka and 0.1 better than Olise, ranking him eighth for this metric within our search. His 1.1 goals + assists per 90 is the same as Lamine Yamal.
Your link for cold, hard G/A
What’s more striking is that the volume behind these staggering numbers is not substantial. The fact both Expected and Actual outputs are high suggests an incredible level of efficiency and intelligent decision-making in the final third. His 0.47 NPxG per shot is at least 0.12 better than any other player on our list. Which brings us onto the final position.
Strikers
Considering a treated you to a Power Forward shortlist last week, I left just two centre-forward spots for the inaugural SCOUTED Squad.
It would have been easy to wax lyrical about Hugo Ekitike once again but instead I wanted to discuss Liam Delap. He is a ball-striking, physical phenom. With barely any touches, he has scored four of Ipswich Town’s six Premier League goals.
Your link for xG-busters
He is outperforming his npXG by 0.5 per 90, level with Bradley Barcola at the top of our search. He is also hitting the target with 63.6% of his efforts. We need to see whether he is a freak or this is a freak streak, but I am leaning towards the first option.
Jake Entwistle
If Delap is ripping up the rulebook, Oumar Diakité is following it to the letter. Of the 74 01+ players to attempt 10+ shots in Europe’s Big Five Leagues so far this season, the Reims centre-forward has the shortest average distance per shot. This is premium poacher material.
Your link for poachers
If you enjoyed the SCOUTED Squad format, please let us know.
We need to grow. To grow, we need to nail down what our subscribers want to read more of. If that’s Team of the Month-style content, tell us. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Next week will see the return of a more familiar Monday Night SCOUTED. In the meantime, keep an eye out for SCOUTED50. You might just see a few of these names again.
Have a great week,
Jake.
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