Three Englishmen among top U21 player form rankings in Europe
There’s a new leader at the top of our form rankings of player’s aged 21 and under in Europe’s top five leagues, though it’s a very familiar face that has claimed top spot this week. The full top ten is as follows…
10. Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen) - 7.19 weighted rating*
Back on the leaderboard this week having dropped out in recent weeks, Havertz scored a late winner as Leverkusen maintained their charge for a Champions League finish. In doing so the 19-year-old became the only teenager right now to have reached double figures for the season.
9. Declan Rice (West Ham) - 7.20 weighted rating*
Keeping his place on the leaderboard despite a shock defeat to Cardiff, Rice was one of very few West Ham players to come away with any credit. The 20-year-old hit the post with a good effort from distance and his recent form has just been rewarded with a first England call-up.
8. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace) - 7.21 weighted rating*
Unlike Rice, Wan-Bissaka was left out of the latest England squad despite calls for his inclusion, and the right-back jumps into the top ten this week after another strong defensive display. The youngster produced six tackles against Brighton and has now made the most this season (109) of any player in Europe’s top five leagues.
7. Boubacar Kamara (Marseille) - 7.22 weighted rating*
Down two places this week despite helping Marseille to a victory and clean sheet against Nice, Kamara falls due to the inclusion of three new qualifiers above him. The 19-year-old centre-back has, nevertheless, been key to OM conceding just two goals in his last six appearances.
6. Leon Bailey (Bayer Leverkusen) - 7.23 weighted rating*
After a bitterly frustrating first half of the season Bailey is not the only Leverkusen player to have been revitalised by the arrival of new coach Peter Bosz. The winger may not have scored at the weekend but has done in three of his last six league outings and is the first new qualifier in this week’s top 10 having now started six of the last eight league games available.
5. Ibrahima Konate (RB Leipzig) - 7.29 weighted rating*
Also down two places this time around Konate - like Kamara - started as Leipzig kept a fourth league clean sheet in his last six appearances. The teenager was booked for a second successive game, however, but did win five aerial duels and complete 89.9 per cent off his passes against Augsburg - a season-high from the youngster.
4. Ismaila Sarr (Rennes) - 7.32 weighted rating*
Having scored as Rennes shocked Arsenal in the Europa League, Sarr continued his fine form against Caen at the weekend with a man of the match rating (8.85). The 21-year-old registered two assists, taking his league tally to six for the season, and completed a further four dribbles.
3. Youssef En-Nesyri (Leganes) - 7.55 weighted rating*
Back in the picture having dropped out last week due to not featuring against Levante, En-Nesyri is clinging on despite being up in third. The Moroccan failed to so much as muster a shot at the weekend and has failed to score in his last three matches but did net six times in his three appearances beforehand.
2. Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) - 7.62 weighted rating*
Surrendering top spot this week, Sancho certainly still played his part in victory over Stuttgart, with two key passes and three dribbles. However, two goals and one assist in his last six appearances is not enough to hold off a familiar face in familiarly fantastic form.
1. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - 8.15 weighted rating*
Now streaks ahead of the competition here, Mbappe has been forced to carry the attacking threat in the absence of Neymar and Cavani but has now scored in each of his last five league appearances. The Frenchman has scored seven goals in total in that time and completed five dribbles to win a second successive man of the match rating in Ligue 1 (9.33) at the weekend.
*QUALIFYING RULES
Only ratings taken from each player’s last six league matches are considered, weighted chronologically, with the most recent match carrying greater importance and so on. To qualify each player must have featured in their side’s last league game and started at least six of the last eight available.
