Top five leagues this season
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Watching a young player develop at your club before becoming a first-team regular is one of the most gratifying experiences for any football fan. It’s also massively important for clubs to nurture young talents with the notion of selling them on for substantial profits in the future. Some clubs across Europe prioritise developing academy players with this idea in mind, while other clubs target signing younger talents before developing them.
Top 30 U21 players with most minutes in top five leagues
Across the top five leagues this league, U21 players have received the most minutes in Ligue 1 this season with 165 players accumulating 85,447 minutes in the French top-flight between them. The English Premier League ranks second with 127 players receiving 69,815 minutes combined with the Bundesliga ranking last for minutes to U21 players with 91 players racking up 53,297 between them. Four French clubs and three English clubs form the top ten for handing minutes to U21 players but which U21 players have received the most league minutes across the top five leagues? We’ve analysed the numbers and some famous faces feature in the top 30 list, including Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Florian Wirtz.
The top 30 U21 players with the most minutes across the top five leagues
Three Premier League players feature in the top ten with Bournemouth’s Ilya Zabarnyi leading the way with more league minutes than any U21 player in the top five leagues. Zabarnyi has amassed 2,790 minutes in the Premier League as he’s not missed a minute for the Cherries this season. The Ukrainian has already been capped 34 times by his country at just 21 and his market value has increased by €8 million across the season to become Bournemouth’s second most valuable player.
Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite are the other two Premier League players in the top ten. Both players were called up to the England senior squad during the international break with the latter attracting transfer interest from Manchester United and Real Madrid. Unsurprisingly, five goalkeepers feature in the top ten, while Girona’s Sávio ranking ninth and the Brazilian winger will complete his move to Manchester City in the summer.
Some of the most highly rated youngsters on the planet feature just outside the top ten in Leny Yoro (12th), Florian Wirtz (13th) and Xavi Simons (15th). Lille defender Yoro is viewed as a generational talent and he will depart for a major club this summer, while Wirtz and Simons have enjoyed stunning seasons in the Bundesliga with Wirtz on the verge of clinching the title win Bayer Leverkusen. Cole Palmer has been one of the best players in the Premier League after moving from Manchester City to Chelsea. Palmer has eclipsed 30 goal contributions already and he ranks 22nd – one place ahead of Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho. Jude Bellingham is 28th but he would be significantly higher if it wasn’t for injury as he’s been involved in the fewest games of any player in the top 30.
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