Top 5 Most Valuable U21 Premier League Players

Youth are our future, which is true in “real word” just as much as that holds true in sports. Every once and again a new youngster appears on the radar of the football world with his incredible skill and potential, and while some fail to live up to the expectations, others become football stars. When it comes to figuring out how football will look like in 5 or even 10 years from now, our best guess can come from simply looking at young prodigies who have established themselves as the new “big thing”. With a lot of potential and unique playstyles, it is hard to pinpoint which of the youngsters will one day reach the level of a superstar. While we can only guess who of them has the best chance of achieving that, we can at least help ourselves by comparing their values on the football market, which more times than not shows a real picture of player’s quality and potential.

Who are the most valuable U21 Premier League players?

In this article, we will check out 5 most valuable U21 players who currently play in Premier League, some of which have reached incredible high values which put them among the most valuable players in the world.

5. Mattéo Guendouzi (€35.00 million)

The self-proclaimed player with the best hair in the Premier League, the 20-year old French midfielder has made a name for himself as one of the most promising young players in the EPL. Sitting at 48 appearances for Arsenal in his first season with the Gunners, the young star has proven his worth time and time again, cementing his spot as a future star of Arsenal. The fact that he joined one of the strongest teams who play in one of the strongest leagues in the world from Ligue 2 side Lorient and was capable of performing on an EPL level with relative ease speaks volumes. With that in mind, it should not surprise anyone his market value went from barely €2 million up to €35 million in one season alone. While he did not impress with a large number of goals (1 goal), we have to keep in mind, Mattéo Guendouzi did play almost half of his games as a defensive midfielder, where he did his job excellently.

4. Callum Hudson-Odoi (€35.00 million)

Sharing the €35.00 million market value with Mattéo Guendouzi, we have got Callum Hudson-Odoi, the 18-year old left winger from London who is a product of Chelsea youth academy. Climbing the ranks with relative ease, Callum Hudson-Odoi found himself in the senior club only 3 years after arriving at the Blues. As a left-winger, who is more than capable of playing on the right wing as well, Chelsea did not hesitate to give him some proper play time in 2018/19 season. He joined the senior team in January and managed to accumulate 28 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions. In addition, Callum Hudson-Odoi also contributed 5 goals and 5 assists, proving he is a true football gem.

3. Declan Rice (€45.00 million)

The 3rd spot is occupied by Declan Rice, the 20-year old English defensive midfielder and an English international. His football career started off in Chelsea’s youth academy from where he moved to West Ham youth academy in 2013. Throughout the years, he climbed the ranks and got his first chance to play in the senior team in 2017/18 season. Since his first appearance for West Ham, he accumulated 70 appearances across all competitions and even scored 2 goals. During that time, Declan Rice showcased incredible talent and vision, which made him an irreplaceable player for West Ham who only missed Declan Rice in 3 of their 38 league matches in 2018/19 season. It was reported Declan Rice was approached by Manchester United and other big clubs who wanted to bring the youngster into their squad, however, Declan Rice decided against the move, as his heart belongs to West Ham. Are we looking at yet another West Ham legend in making is yet to be seen, however, there is no denying Declan Rice is one of the best young defenders in the world right now.

2. Christian Pulisic (€60.00 million)

By far the most valuable player from the United States, Christian Pulisic has joined Borussia Dortmund in 2015, where he developed as a player while climbing the ranks until he was spotted by Chelsea in January of 2019. The Blues approached Borussia Dortmund who decided to sell the young winger to England giants for a €64.00 million. While Christian Pulisic did move clubs in January, he remained in Germany on a loan until the end of the season, meaning the upcoming 2019/20 season will be his first opportunity to prove his worth in the EPL. In 2018/19 season, Christian Pulisic accumulated 30 appearances for Borussia, scored 7 goals and added 6 assists. While those numbers are by no means eye-catching, we have to take into the account Christian Pulisic was injured several times this season, which hindered his performances. As he returns to Chelsea, Christian Pulisic is expected to perform up to par and possibly fill the gap which was left behind by Hazard, who left for Real Madrid. Will this 20-year-old winger be able to step in Hazard’s shoes is yet to be seen, however with the talent, he has shown in previous years, great things are expected from Christian Pulisic, which can be seen in his market value.

1. Trent Alexander-Arnold (€80.00 million)

Trent Alexander-Arnold is a player who does not need an introduction. With only 20 years of age, this English right back already won the Champions League with Liverpool and has made a name for himself as one of, if not THE best right-back in the world. Proving his worth time and time again, Trent Alexander-Arnold has seen a huge increase in his market value throughout the years. He needed only 3 seasons in the EPL to showcase his talents which made him an irreplaceable part of Liverpool and one of the most valuable players in the world. As of now, Trent Alexander-Arnold is also the 2nd most valuable defender in the world, sitting between his teammate van Dijk and de Ligt.