Despite what some would have you believe, English football isn’t the only football. And so to complement out little look at Premier League prospects, we might as well take a look at some European ones as well. We’ll try to shy away from Barcelona and PSG and Bayern – nobody needs another puff piece about Pedri’s potential. Some have made themselves known already, but this might just be their breakout season where the world takes notice.
Etienne Green – Saint-Etienne
It’s difficult to pick out a goalkeeper to make a breakthrough, especially a third-choice goalkeeper, but Etienne Green might just build on last season. The English-born 21 year old, named after the club, was drafted in for the final eight games of Les Verts season when first choice Jessy Moulin, and then reserve goalkeeper Stefan Bajic, got injured. And, to everybody’s surprise, he looked right at home. The 6’2” stopper conceded 7 in 8, which isn’t disastrous for a mid-table side, but three of those were against a rejuvenated PSG, and he kept a clean sheet in his first game (the first Saint-Etienne goalkeeper to keep a debut clean sheet in 2006) and against eventual champions Lille.
He has an imposing frame, is comfortable coming for crosses and has decent reflexes, but needs to work on parrying the ball away from the box. But after his showing at the end of last season, he will surely get another crack at some point.
Benjamin Sesko – Red Bull Salzburg
Red Bull Salzburg have brilliant habit. That habit is centre forwards. A couple of seasons in the Austrian Alps, and off they trot to terrorise defences across Europe. Patson Daka has just left for Leicester, Hwang Hee-chan made the move across the franchise to RB Leipzig, Karim Adeyemi looks like he’s on his way, and of course Erling Haaland. And Benjamin Sesko is the next on that list.
Described as a “mini-Haaland”, Salburg beat much of Europe’s elite to his signature. The Slovenian stands at 6’4”, can bully his way through defences, and has lightning speed. He scored 21 goals in 29 appearances for Salzburg’s feeder club Liefering last season, which is good. But 18 of those goals came in the second half of the season, in just 15 games, showing what he can do when he settles. And he has already got a brace in the Austian Cup this season. Salzburg haven’t replaced Daka, so it’s probable they are betting on Sesko to deliver this season.
Andreas Schjelderup – FC Nordsjaelland
FCN have a hell of a production line going on. Owned by the Right to Dream Academy, they develop players perhaps like nobody else in Europe, and those players are going places. In recent seasons they have sold Mikkel Damsgaard to Sampdoria, Kamaldeen Sulemana has just joined Rennes, and Victor Jensen and Mohammed Kudus have moved to Ajax. You could probably throw a blanket over their training ground and walk away with a couple of gems. Which makes it difficult to pick just one, but that’s what we’re here for.
Schjelderup moved to FCN from Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt, turning down the likes of Liverpool, Juventus and Bayern as he did. Playing mostly on the left, he can use both feet (preferring his right), can pick a pass, draw a foul, beat a man with trickery or with a burst of pace, and has good balance. He’ll also track back when he has to and put in a challenge. Oh, and he’s only just 17. He played his way into the senior side at the end of last season, and played in all but one of FCN’s games in the Championship Round. Expect him to be even more involved this season, and possibly to have been snapped up by 22/23.
Kacper Kozlowski – Pogon Szczecin
We hesitated with Kozlowski. The only reason he is under the rader is because he plays in Poland. He had as near as makes no difference a full senior season in 20/21, and played in two of Poland’s three games at the Euros, becoming the youngest ever player in that competition in the process (poor Jude Bellingham, who held the record for all of 48 hours). But after being called the ‘Polish Pogba’ and linked to Man Utd and Barcelona, maybe it’d be worth another look.
Pogon Szczecin aren’t one of the traditional powerhouses of Polish football, but with the 17 year old at the heart of midfield they managed to finish third last season, ahead of Lech Poznan, Legia Warsaw and Piast Gilwice. Kozlowski looks the be the whole package – he can pass, he can shoot, he can make a challenge, and he is surprisingly powerful bringing the ball forward for a teenager at only 5’9”. Pogon might not be able to hold on to him for long, but properly nurtured he could be the next great Polish export.
Luca Oyen – KRC Genk
Luca Oyen is another inverted left winger, and another English-born player, this time plying his trade in Belgium. He had made appearances for Genk’s senior side and made his way up the Belgian national production line, impressing his coaches along the way with his composure and ability to read the game, as well as putting the opposition on the back foot with his driving runs.
A tricky winger, with great vision and quick off the mark, he has a maturity beyond his years. Despite his size – he’s 5’6” and looks like he could do with a good meal – he was involved 17 times as Genk made it into the Champions Playoff, and will want to build on that going forward. Perhaps Belgium’s Golden Generation isn’t the last chance to win a trophy after all.
