Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has been named the top performing Under 21 player in Europe, according to a new CIES football observatory survey.
The 20-year-old, who is having a fantastic season for Arsenal, has played a key role in the club’s attempt to qualify for the Champions League next season.
Saka has scored nine of his ten goals in the Premier League, making him the club’s highest scorer in all competitions.
Saka is ranked first on the CIES Football Observatory’s list of the 100 best performing U21 outfield players from 32 European leagues this season.
For his air and ground defense, ball retrieval, distribution, take-ons, opportunity generation, air assault, and shooting, he was able to acquire the feet.
Patrick Wimmer of Arminia Bielefeld, RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, and Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Michael Olise round out the top five.
Other Premier League players in the top 50 include Southampton’s Armando Broja (13th), Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli (14th), Wolves’ Rayan Ait Nouri (22nd), Watford’s Joao Pedro (23rd), Southampton’s Valentino Livramento (33rd), Leicester’s Luke Thomas (40th), and Norwich’s Billy Gilmour (on loan from Chelsea) (49th).
Rede Khadra of Blackburn (76th) and Levi Colwill of Huddersfield are the only other English players on the list (88th).
Best performing outfield U21 players in Europe.
1. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
2. Mason Greenwood (Manchester United)
3. Patrick Wimmer (Arminia Bielefeld)
4. Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig)
5. Michael Olise (Crystal Palace)
6. Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen)
7. Castello Lubaka (Lyon)
8. Goncalo Ramos (Benfica)
9. Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao)
10. Georginio Rutter (Hoffenheim)
Other notable inclusions
13. Armando Broja (Southampton)
14. Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal)
18. Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain)
22. Rayan Ait Nouri (Wolves)
23. Joao Pedro (Watford)
24. Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)
33. Valentino Livramento (Southampton
40. Luke Thomas (Leicester)
41. Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
49. Billy Gilmour (Norwich)
76. Rede Khadra (Blackburn)
77. Liel Abada (Celtic)
83. Calvin Ramsay (Aberdeen)
88. Levi Colwill (Huddersfield)