Revealed: The best rookies to Europe’s top 5 leagues this season - part I

Whenever a new season begins there is always interest in new faces to the top-flight hoping to make a name for themselves and the 2018/19 campaign has had its fair share of rookie stars to celebrate.

We take a two-part look at the top ten from Europe’s top five leagues based on our WhoScored.com ratings, with no age restrictions in place. Instead we're only considering those that had played fewer than 1000 minutes of top-flight action in any of said divisions prior to this season, and made 20 or more appearances in the current campaign.

10. Achraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund) - WhoScored.com rating 7.11

Though he broke into the team at Real Madrid last season, Hakimi made just eight starts in La Liga before the club decided to spend big on Alvaro Odriozola and allow the Moroccan to go out on loan. That decision was one that has certainly benefitted Borussia Dortmund this season, sustaining a title challenge all season with the youngster filling in at both right and left back.

It’s fair to say the 20-year-old’s form had dipped prior to suffered a broken foot at the end of March - ruling him out for the remainder of the season - but before the New Year in particular he was in sensational form. Hakimi has two goals and four assists to his name in the Bundesliga and tasted defeat just once in 21 appearances, while BVB have now dropped points in six of the ten matches he has missed.

9. Krzysztof Piatek (Genoa and AC Milan) - WhoScored.com rating 7.11

An instant hit with two sets of fans in Serie A this season, it was Genoa that took a chance on the Poland international from Cracovia before making a profit in the region of €30m within six months. Piatek is in the running to end his first campaign in Italy as the Capocannoniere - top scorer - having struck 21 times thus far, with 13 coming for Genoa and a further eight since signing for AC Milan.

A clinical finisher in the opposition box, capable of finding the net with both feet or his head, the 23-year-old has bags of confidence for good reason. The fact that a current record of three league games without a goal is his joint-second longest drought of the season speaks to the consistency of a player very few outside of Poland would have been aware of prior to this season.

8. Wout Weghorst (Wolfsburg) - WhoScored.com rating 7.19

Wolfsburg and target men have gone hand-in-hand in recent times, with Weghorst following in the footsteps of the likes of Edin Dzeko and, latterly, compatriot Bas Dost to make an impact at the club. The Dutchman has been a near ever-present since arriving from AZ in the summer and became the latest Bundesliga player to have had a direct hand in 20 goals this season with a decisive contribution at Hoffenheim.

An excellent 4-1 win away to a side that had previously dropped just two of the last 18 points available to them kept the Wolves' hopes of a European finish alive, with Weghorst scoring twice and assisting another. His efforts took his respective tallies to 14 goals and 6 assists, boasting an impressive 20.9 per cent conversion rate, with the 26-year-old holding up play well all season, winning 3.8 aerial duels per 90 minutes.

7. Kevin Stoger (Fortuna Dusseldorf) - WhoScored.com rating 7.20

The star performer for a side that have steered clear of any relegation worries upon their return to the Bundesliga, Fortuna Dusseldorf had seen enough of Stoger in the second division - first with Paderborn and then Bochum - to sign the Austrian on a free in the summer. At 25 he hadn’t played a minute of top-flight football before the current campaign but his ability to create from both set pieces and open play has stood out.

The midfielder has six assists to his name from 2.3 key passes per 90 minutes, while making an impressive 2.6 tackles per 90 to boot, and has had a big impact on results. Stoger has missed ten league matches from the off this season, with Fortuna Dusseldorf winning just twice and scoring just seven goals. By contrast the team have won ten of the 21 matches he has started, netting 37 times.

6. James Maddison (Leicester) - WhoScored.com rating 7.24

While there was no shortage of confidence in Maddison’s ability to make the grade in his first Premier League season following a fine campaign at Norwich, the ease with which he has done so has been impressive. Another player capable of getting his delivery right from dead ball situations and open play, the 22-year-old has been a key player for the Foxes from the off.

His versatility has been put to use by both Brendan Rodgers and Claude Puel this season, playing in his favoured number ten role, deeper at times under the manager and on the left on occasion under the Frenchman. Wherever he has played the youngster has looked at home registering seven goals and seven assists this season having created the most chances in the division (97), ranking third across Europe’s top five leagues.