Last week we counted down the planet's 100 top teenagers – and for scouting inspiration in FM 2018, we're splitting each confederation's most promising youngsters. Here are the top-rated youngsters from the Asian region...
9. Aiden O’Neill (Australia)
Need to know: Brisbane-born O’Neill signed for Burnley in July 2016, and made his debut a month later as a late substitute in the Clarets’ 2-0 win over Liverpool at Turf Moor.
After only six months and five appearances at the club, the midfielder was sent out on loan in the January transfer window to struggling League One side Oldham Athletic. By the end of the season O'Neill had clocked in 15 games for the Latics, and helped them avoid relegation from the third tier of English football.
Highlight so far: Upon his return to Burnley in the summer, O'Neill was again sent out on loan to another League One side in Fleetwood Town. He has since appeared for the Cod Army 16 times and scored once.
8. Anthony Kalik (Australia)
Need to know: Kalik was handed a professional contract by A-League side Central Coast Mariners when he was just 15, and became the league's youngest ever professional.
Last February, after 13 games for the Mariners, Croatian outfit Hajduk Split first signed Kalik on loan and then bought him for €32,000 – the first time Hadjuk had paid a transfer fee since 2012. But he failed to get any first-team action and instead played for their reserves, scoring five goals in 21 games for Hajduk II last season.
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Highlight so far: The Australia U20 international has since made the move back Down Under, sent out on loan to Sydney FC as the Sky Blues look to add depth to their squad in time for the Asian Champions League.
7. Kim Geon-woong (South Korea)
Need to know: The towering defensive midfielder plies his trade at Ulsan Hyundai in the K League, having signed for them last year.
Highlight so far: While he has only made 14 appearances for Horang-i so far, Kim has been a regular for the South Korea U20s, playing for them in the 2016 Asian Championships in Bahrain.
6. Lee Seung-woo (South Korea)
Need to know: The 19-year-old ‘South Korean Messi’ signed for Barcelona’s youth academy in 2011 when he was just 13, after winning the Golden Boot in the 2010 Danone Nations Cup – the equivalent of the World Cup for U12s.
In his first season with Barcelona’s U13s he broke a record set by Messi himself, scoring 39 goals in 29 games that season.
In 2014, playing for South Korea in the U16 Asian Championship, Lee was awarded the Player of the Tournament and Golden Boot awards, scoring five goals and assisting four in five matches as the Taegeuk Warriors finished runners-up to North Korea.
But that year, his Barcelona career took a turn for the worse when the Catalan giants was found to have breached regulations around the transfers of international youth players. Lee was banned from playing competitively for the club until January 2016.
Once his suspension was lifted, Lee featured in 30 games for Gabri Garcia’s U19 side, scoring 10 goals for them along the way.
Highlight so far: While Lee was due to graduate from La Masia, Italian side Hellas Verona swooped in to secure his services for €1.5 million on a four-year contract. After finishing second in Serie B last season, Hellas will be hoping Lee adds firepower to their attack as they return to the top tier of Italian football.
Need to know: The midfield anchor signed a five-year contract with Al-Nassr in November last year, and made 12 appearances before being sent out on loan to Al-Taawon this season to get more playing time.
He has since started four times for his new club, and was a substitute on two other occasions this season.
Highlight so far: In 2016, Al-Dawsari won three runners-up medals – the King’s Cup and now-defunct Crown Prince Cup from his time in Riyadh, and the AFC U19 Championship in Bahrain, where Saudi Arabia lost to Japan on penalties in the final.
4. Hamza Mahnaya (Syria)
Need to know: Currently playing in Dubai for Al-Ain’s reserves, Mahnaya has yet to receive a first-team call-up from head coach Zoran Mamic.
The forward has just been called up by Syria U23 coach Hussein Afash to join the team for training camps in Qatar and Indonesia
The forward will be hoping to make his mark at UAE’s most successful club and earn his first team call-up soon: Mamic will have to cope without former Panathinaikos forward and Swedish international Marcus Berg when he answers the call for his country, and Mahnaya could be a worthy replacement.
Highlight so far: The forward has just been called up by Syria U23 coach Hussein Afash to join the team for training camps in Qatar and Indonesia, in preparation for the 2018 AFC U23 Championship in China. Syria have been grouped with South Korea, Australia and Vietnam in the first round.
3. Kim Jin-ya (South Korea)
Need to know: Also part of the 2015 U17 World Cup team, the 19-year-old midfielder plies his trade at Incheon and graduated from their youth academy in 2016.
Kim missed out on the U20 World Cup in June but has since bounced back and mustered 11 appearances this season for the Durumi. He has featured in the last four games of the K League relegation play-offs for Incheon, one of which was his first full game for the club from South Korea's north.
Highlight so far: Of the three 19-year-olds at Incheon, Kim has enjoyed the most playing time.
OUR LIST
2. You Ju-an (South Korea)
Need to know: The 19-year-old Suwon youth academy product was promoted to the senior team this year, but his name has been on the lips of South Koreans ever since the U17 World Cup in 2015.
After a stellar start to the tournament – South Korea had beaten traditional powerhouse Brazil 1-0 in their first group game – they went on to beat Guinea and draw with England to top their group. But they were knocked out in the last 16 by eventual bronze medallists Belgium.
Still, You has scored 10 goals in 26 appearances for the U17s. He's just opened his account at Suwon too, having made 15 appearances and netted twice to date for the Blue Wings.
Highlight so far: You might be the youngest player in the Blue Wings’ squad, but he is a regular substitute for the K League Classic side.
1. Han Kwang-song (North Korea)
Need to know: The forward signed for Cagliari in 2015 and was promoted to their senior team in March this year. He made his Serie A debut just a month later – becoming the first North Korean to play in Italy’s top tier – after being substituted on late in I Rossoblu’s 3-1 win over Palermo in April.
Having signed a contract extension with the Sardinian club just a week after his debut, Han was loaned out to Serie B team Perugia in August to get more playing time.
He has since scored six goals in 12 appearances for the Grifoni, and it is understood that Juventus are keeping eyes on the 19-year-old.
Highlight so far: On his debut for Perugia, the forward scored a hat-trick as his team went on to win 5-1 at Virtus Entella.
FourFourTwo's 100 Best Teenagers in the World 2017
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