Exclusive: Best Under-21 Players in the World on Football Manager 2015 Game
It's Football Manager week at Bleacher Report, and day three takes in the top under-21 prospects in the world on the newest instalment of the game—Football Manager 2015.
FM Week, see also: Top Transfer Bargains on , FM Then and Now
Our Football Manager week continues on Bleacher Report with a round-up of one of the most interesting and important aspects of the game for any coach who likes to plan ahead and build for now and the future: the top young players on the planet.
Here we look at the 10 best players aged 21 or younger, plenty already at big clubs, of course, but still worth watching, nurturing if you happen to be in charge of them—and signing for elsewhere if the opportunity presents itself.
Raheem Sterling
1 of 10
We kick off with one of the current stars of the Premier League, Raheem Sterling.
The Liverpool attacker is noted for his great speed and dribbling skills, while his end product in the final third improved dramatically over the past eight months or so.
Sterling is 19, plays anywhere across the front line and is already a key figure at international level.
Primary position: Attacking midfielder
Club: Liverpool
Best in-game attribute: Acceleration
Julian Draxler
2 of 10
German talent Julian Draxler impressed in last season's Champions League and has been a part of the national-team scene for two years already, playing a small role in the 2014 World Cup win for Germany with his semi-final appearance.
Technically proficient, versatile and with a good work rate, the 21-year-old is a coveted player who will have no shortage of takers should he eventually opt to end his association with Schalke, the only side he has played for so far.
Primary position: Left-winger
Club: Schalke
Best in-game attribute: First touch, long shots
Aymeric Laporte
3 of 10
It's always good to know the best defensive players around, since the offensive ones get so much of the attention, and Athletic Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte certainly comes into that category.
The French defender already has a couple of seasons' worth of experience under his belt, reads the game very well and is hugely composed in possession. At age 20 he has a lot of growth left in him yet, and playing in this season's Champions League will only aid that process.
Primary position: Centre-back
Club: Athletic Bilbao
Best in-game attribute: Tackling
Mateo Kovacic
4 of 10
Mateo Kovacic was scouted, known by and interesting all manner of top European sides before Inter Milan eventually moved to sign him from Dinamo Zagreb in early 2013. It's no wonder he made his international debut at 18 and had already been playing at club level for two years by that time.
With Inter he often plays from a withdrawn midfield position, dictating play from deep and looking to instigate attacks, though he is perfectly capable of playing in a far more advanced role.
Now aged 20, he's in his third campaign with Inter and continues to draw praise and plaudits for his creative displays.
Primary position: Central midfielder
Club: Inter Milan
Best in-game attribute: Dribbling, determination, agility
Adnan Januzaj
5 of 10
Back to England now and Adnan Januzaj, the multi-national attacking midfielder who opted to represent Belgium shortly before the 2014 World Cup finals.
Januzaj has shown great aptitude in the final third, combining delicate footwork with an aggressive intent to attack space and create scoring chances. Playing with some of the top forwards in the game as he is at Manchester United, the 19-year-old certainly has a good platform to provide ammunition for his team.
Primary position: Attacking midfielder
Club: Manchester United
Best in-game attribute: Flair
Adama Traore
6 of 10
Barcelona are famed for producing technical, quality players, especially in the final third, and the hope is for Adama Traore to replicate those who have come before him. The 18-year-old wide forward has already debuted in the first team in La Liga and the Champions League, though he is yet to really make the breakthrough.
A real sight in full flight as he attacks defences down the flanks, Traore is joined in this list by another Barcelona youngster.
Primary position: Right winger
Club: Barcelona
Best in-game attribute: Dribbling, pace
Hakan Calhanoglu
7 of 10
Hakan Calhanoglu earned plenty of praise and admiration for his displays with Hamburg last season, just about helping them to avoid relegation from the Bundesliga in Germany.
Those performances didn't go unnoticed by the teams he shone against, with Bayer Leverkusen signing the 20-year-old this past summer for around €15 million. His set pieces are excellent, his through balls exciting and his ability to impact on matches special. He's a full Turkish international and certainly no stranger to the scoresheet.
Primary position: Attacking midfielder
Club: Bayer Leverkusen
Best in-game attribute: Free-kick taking
Munir
8 of 10
Barcelona's second talent on our radar is Munir El Haddadi, another forward who has begun to force his way into the first-team scene this season under new boss Luis Enrique.
Munir netted on his La Liga debut this season and has been frequently used since, either starting or from the bench, and he even earned a first Spanish cap in a Euro 2016 qualifier in September, thus tying him to the nation for the future, having also been eligible for Morocco.
He usually plays from the right or left of Barcelona's front three and is just 18 years of age.
Primary position: Striker
Club: Barcelona
Best in-game attribute: Flair
Kenedy
9 of 10
Another 18-year-old striker now and the only name on our list from outside Europe, Kenedy is a Brazilian forward with Fluminense.
Already off the mark for his team in scoring goals, he has featured in the Copa Sudamericana as well as the national league, often playing from the flanks. Kenedy played at the under-17 World Cup for Brazil and has also played at under-20 level.
Primary position: Striker
Club: Fluminense
Best in-game attribute: Flair
Kurt Zouma
10 of 10
We finish up with another defensive player, Chelsea's Kurt Zouma.
The powerful defender is 20 years old and already has three full seasons of first-team action to his name, with former club St. Etienne. A French youth player through all age groups up to under-21, he is still waiting for a real chance with his new club but has made the odd appearance this term.
Regarded as a good organiser of the defence as much as a good player himself, Zouma is tipped for a long career at the top—and already has one trophy under his belt from his time with St. Etienne.
Primary position: Centre-back
Club: Chelsea
Best in-game attribute: Balance, strength
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