You have to be decent to break Luis Figo's 38-year record for being Sporting's youngest-ever player. Dario Essugo is powerful, disciplined and good at breaking up play: with Manuel Ugarte departing Portugal for Paris Saint-Germain, the pathway has opened up for the youngster to impose himself in Ruben Amorim's first-team thinking, as much as he imposes himself on opposition midfielders.
39. Ayman Kari
Ayman Kari of Lorient against Paris Saint-Germain (Image credit: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Club: Lorient (on loan from Paris Saint-Germain)
Nation: France
Age: 18
Ayman Kari's physical traits are good… but you just can't develop footballing IQ like his. The Frenchman is ultra-modern and minimal: he possesses the passing, the positioning and the press but his maturity is unbelievable. He only does what needs doing in any given scenario, refusing to overcomplicate things, like he's playing the game from a bird's eye view. Do you know how rare that is for someone his age? That's what really separates him from the rest of his age mates.
38. Olivier Aertssen
Olivier Aertssen of Ajax in action against Borussia Dortmund in preseason (Image credit: ANP via Getty Images)
Club: Ajax
Nation: Netherlands
Age: 19
If you to watch Olivier Aertssen, the immediate comparison you would make is to Frenkie De Jong. The demeanour, the dribble; yet Aertssen isn't a midfielder but a centre-back. There are shades of Nesta but the knack for being able to carry the ball of out of pressure from the backline is quintessentially Ajax.
A ball-carrying centre-back certainly feels like the natural tactical progression from ball-playing. Will it be Aertssen who realises the trend?
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37. Ernest Nuamah
Ernest Nuamah of Lyon battles with Kylian Mbappe of PSG (Image credit: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
Club: Lyon (on loan from RWD Molenbeek)
Nation: Ghana
Age: 18
Those who claim football isn't as fun as it used to be have never watched Ernest Nuamah twisting a full-back's blood. The Ghanaian is an absolute beast of a winger, able to beat a man on the inside or out. His left foot is ferocious – and you just can't allow him a metre of space.
36. Joao Veloso
Joao Veloso of Benfica celebrates after scoring against Red Bull Salzburg (Image credit: Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Confidence is hardly in short supply from teenage midfielders these days: but frankly, few are able to back up the bluster like Joao Veloso. He has the gall to literally stand still and wait to make the right pass – even if it's a rabona. He's quick, his control looks like a video game player and his decision-making is like someone 10 years older. Given his considerable frame, too, it's possible that he ends up as a holding midfielder. There's probably nothing he'll specialise in: he's so good at so much.
35. Archie Gray
Archie Gray of Leeds United in action against Hull City (Image credit: George Wood/Getty Images)
Archie Gray's father, grandfather and great-uncle all represented Leeds. This is in his blood and watching him in full flow, he knows he belongs on the Elland Road pitch. He's incredibly well-rounded for his age and unlike so many youngsters who get thrown into action at a young age, Gray plays at his own speed. He simply won't be rushed – and he's brilliant to watch for it.
34. Facundo Buonanotte
Facundo Buonanotte of Argentina in action against Indonesia (Image credit: Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)
Brighton are decent at this scouting thing, aren't they? Buonanotte is particularly compelling, able to make the pitch his canvas when he slides into the halfspace and gets his head up. The Argentine has plenty of running power and a great final ball. Once he masters how to stretch play before cutting inside, there could be no ceiling to his potential.
33. Charlie Patino
Charlie Patino of Swansea City in action against Coventry City (Image credit: Athena Pictures/Getty Images)
Club: Swansea City (on loan from Arsenal)
Nation: England
Age: 19
Literally described as the best thing since sliced bread by the scout who discovered Jack Wilshere, it's easy to fall for the hyperbole. It's easy to take one look at a midfielder with Spanish and English heritage, with height and tekkers (how you doing, fellow kids?) and get sucked in. But Charlie Patino is so easy to like.
Tidy on the ball, secure in possession and not afraid to take charge of a situation, Patino also has the box-crashing gene – not to mention that he's 6ft tall. He could become the complete midfielder in no time at all: Arsenal are desperate not to lose him and it's clear to see why.
32. Joao Neves
Joao Neve in action for Benfica against Estrela da Amadora (Image credit: Getty Images)
Club: Benfica
Nation: Portugal
Age: 18
Enzo Fernandes' stint in Lisbon lasted mere months, as Chelsea plucked him from Benfica after falling in love over a World Cup. The nine-figure transfer fee was some consolation: as was the kid coming through to replace him.
Joao Neves is similarly diminutive to Enzo, yet packs a punch. He's physical, carries the ball with purpose and he's able to affect all phases of play, while his line-breaking passes and ability to ghost past players is impressive, too. Will he be Benfica's next mega-money sale? Don't be surprised…
31. Lewis Hall
Lewis Hall of Newcastle United looks on before the Champions League clash away to AC Milan (Image credit: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Lewis Hall is a statement signing – far more so than Sandro Tonali. No, really. If the Toon are to evolve, they're going to have to improve in their buildup, find new ways to progress through the pitch – and Lewis Hall is a huge solution to do so. This is their Zinchenko, their Cancelo. This guy could usher in Newcastle 2.0.
With the technical ability to match more senior midfielders in the Premier League, the Cobham graduate sparkles in tight spaces and can control games from deep. Eddie Howe could end up building his team around this teen if all goes to plan: it's a manifesto to have signed Hall and it shows exactly where this ambitious side is heading.
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Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
