CIES Football Observatory names the 50 most promising teenage players in Europe with Gigio Donnarumma leading the way in front of Mbappe.
CIES analysed two years of domestic league experience in 22 competitions to reveal AC Milan’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma as the most promising prospect aged under 20 in European football. Only third place for Paris St-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe who joined his new team for a fee of 180 million euros.
While the Rossoneri’s midfielder Manuel Locatelli is in 13th place but still second in Italy only behind Gigio. Patrick Cutrone failed to make the top 50 but the young striker is penalized by his lack of play time with the first team in the last two years. Only in the last six months the young Italian has become part of the first team.
The CIES says their system looks at the “minutes played by each footballer were weighted according to the sporting level of leagues and the results achieved by employer clubs”.
