The 2023-24 season has been monumental for young superstars. Real Madrid ace Jude Bellingham has firmly established himself as one of the best attack-minded midfielders in Europe. Manchester City pair Erling Haaland and Phil Foden have built on the devastating form they exhibited in the 2022-23 season. Arsenal poster boy Bukayo Saka has also kept himself in the loop, chipping in with invaluable goals and assists in the Premier League.
Today, we will sing praises of these young and gifted players who have kept us on the edge of our seats since the start of the season. Here are the top 10 players, under the age of 25, with the most goal involvements in the top five European leagues in 2023-24:
#10 Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen): 15 Goal Contributions
Florian Wirtz, 20, has replaced Bayern Munich ace Jamal Musiala as the most dynamic attacking midfielder in the Bundesliga this season. The Bayer Leverkusen virtuoso has showcased impeccable vision to find his teammates and also popped up with decisive goals to help his team maintain their unbeaten run in the 2023-24 campaign. The Real Madrid-linked midfielder has taken part in 24 Bundesliga matches thus far, scoring five times and claiming 10 assists.
Wirtz has proven to be equally competent in cup competitions, with him scoring twice and claiming four assists in the UEFA Europa League and recording a goal and three assists in DFB-Pokal.
#9 Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen): 15 Goal Contributions
The only defender to feature on this star-studded list, Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong has been directly involved in 15 Bundesliga goals in 23 matches this season. The high-flying Dutchman has scored eight times and provided seven assists in the German top flight.
The 23-year-old has shone brightly in the DFB-Pokal as well. Playing four games in the German Cup, he has bagged one goal and three assists.
#8 Xavi Simons (Bundesliga): 16 Goal Contributions
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) loanee Xavi Simons has found his wings at RB Leipzig this season. The highly rated 20-year-old has showcased his flair and creativity down the right flank, pitching in with an impressive six goals and 10 assists in 23 Bundesliga games so far.
Following such an impressive campaign, Simons is almost guaranteed to return to PSG next season. Also, with Kylian Mbappe gone, he will get plenty of opportunities to establish himself as a first-team player under Luis Enrique.
#7 Cole Palmer (Chelsea): 17 Goal Contributions
Chelsea have not been at their best in the Premier League this season. Collecting a mere 36 points from 26 games, they are toiling in 11th place in the Premier League rankings, with little hope of securing European soccer for the 2024-25 season. There has been very little to celebrate about Mauricio Pochettino’s debut season in west London, but Cole Palmer is definitely one of them.
The former Manchester City attacking midfielder has played 23 Premier League games this season, scoring 10 times and providing seven assists. He also chipped in with a pair of goals and assists in the Carabao Cup, helping Chelsea to the final.
#6 Maximilian Beier (TSG Hoffenheim): 17 Goal Contributions
It is quite difficult to make a name for oneself in the Bundesliga, especially for a player not representing one of the top teams in the division. TSG Hoffenheim man Maximilian Beier has accomplished the feat without breaking a sweat, scoring 12 times and providing five assists in 23 Bundesliga appearances. His goal contributions have been integral in helping Hoffenheim move to seventh place in the Bundesliga rankings.
Beier, 21, returned to the club following a fruitful loan spell at Hannover 96. The versatile center-forward played 68 games for them in all competitions, scoring 15 times and also providing seven assists.
#5 Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen): 17 Goal Contributions
The third Bayer Leverkusen player to make the cut, Victor Boniface has by far been the most prolific U-25 player in the Bundesliga this season. Despite suffering from a few injuries, the Nigerian center-forward has scored an impressive 10 times and claimed seven assists in 17 Bundesliga games for Xabi Alonso’s league leaders.
Boniface’s ability to penetrate defenses has also been evident in the UEFA Europa League. He has played five matches in the second-most prestigious cup competition in Europe, scoring four times and providing an assist.
#4 Phil Foden (Manchester City): 18 Goal Contributions
Manchester City academy graduate Phil Foden has taken his game to a whole new level this season. Not only has he bossed the middle with his sumptuous passes and award-worthy movement, but he has also been a lot more active in front of goal, netting 11 times and claiming seven assists in 27 matches.
The five-time Premier League winner, who has scored four times and provided three assists in six Champions League games in 2023-24, was City’s hero in Sunday’s (March 3) Manchester derby. His timely brace in the second half propelled Pep Guardiola’s team to a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Manchester United.
#3 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid): 19 Goal Contributions
La Liga’s only representative on this 10-man list, Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has been in a league of his own in the 2023-24 season. The 20-year-old, who joined the Santiago Bernabeu outfit from Borussia Dortmund in July 2023, has been scoring and creating for fun, recording 19 goal involvements in 22 Spanish top-flight appearances. With 16 goals to his name, Bellingham has emerged as the leading scorer in La Liga this season.
Bellingham has also been in excellent form in the UEFA Champions League, recording four goals and three assists in just five outings.
#2 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal): 21 Goal Contributions
In second place, we have in-form Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka. The 22-year-old England international has taken part in 26 Premier League games for the Gunners this season, scoring 13 times and claiming eight assists. Saka is currently both his team’s top scorer and assist provider.
The Arsenal academy graduate recorded his eighth assist of the season in a 6-0 routing of Sheffield United on Monday night (March 4). His inch-perfect cutback reached Declan Rice, who made no mistake in steering it home with a first-time effort.
#1 Erling Haaland (Manchester City): 23 Goal Contributions
Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland has been in blistering form this season, scoring 18 times and providing five assists in 22 Premier League games. The Norwegian could have been miles clear of his contemporaries had he not missed five English top-flight matches due to injuries and fitness issues this season.
The 23-year-old, who won the Premier League Golden Boot following a record-setting 36-goal season in 2022-23, is once again leading the race for the top scorer award. Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah is currently his only realistic rival, with the Egyptian sitting in second place with 15 goals to his name.
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