A regular feature on our website is the Talent Radar Team of the Week with the best young players compiled into an XI from across Europe’s top seven leagues. You can read this for all details on Talent Radar, who is eligible under it and what else we publish within this feature.
[Eligibility: As of 1st June 2016 – 21 years old and below for outfield players // 22 years old and below for goalkeepers]
With five of the six leagues considered for this feature up and running, Outside of the Boot is glad to announce the return of the Talent Radar Team of the Week for the fourth year running. La Liga returned with a host of goals, Serie A had some enthralling fixtures, Premier League had plenty of late drama, Ligue 1 had some exquisite goals and Eredivisie had some surprising results. It’s back!
Defence: In goal is the 2015-16 Talent Radar Debutant of the Season, Gianluigi Donnarumma who helped Vincenzo Montella to a victory in his first game in charge. The teenager was kept busy throughout the game but was most called up in stoppage time, when he saved Andrea Belotti’s penalty to seal a 3-2 victory.
Marco Luzzani / Getty Images
The two man central defensive pairing has Arsenal new signing, Rob Holding, who was subject of some praise and more controversy from his manager Arsene Wenger. The youngster helped his side to a 0-0 stalemate away to defending champions Leicester City; a fair result in the narrative but not in the larger scheme of things. Rennes’ Ramy Bensebaini partners Holding, after an impressive display that helped his side to a 2-0 win over Nancy.
At right-back, Monaco’s Abdou Diallo impressed in the side’s 1-0 away victory of Nantes. While the side got their goal early on, Diallo was required to put in a defensive shift with the six foot two inch defender being called upon on multiple occasions aerially as the hosts looked to claw their way back. Manchester United’s now fully fit Luke Shaw continued to impress after his return from injury. Though he faced criticism for the manner in which he earned United’s penalty against former club Southampton, his physical strength and natural stamina were on show as he worked tirelessly in the 2-0 victory.
Midfield: Providing support to the defence is Atalanta’s Franck Kessie. The Ivorian is more than capable of getting forward too as shown this past weekend against Lazio. The home side were 3-0 down after the opening half hour before Kessie’s quickfire brace saw them make Lazio sweat for all 3 points. The remaining 2 spots in a 3 man central midfield are occupied by Roma’s Leandro Paredes and PSV’s Jorrit Hendrix. Paredes had a solid game as Roma defeated Udinese 4-0 and the midfielder’s contribution included creating 2 chances with an impressive passing rate of 93%. Hendrix too saw his side win 4-0 and had a more direct contribution to the scoreline as he found the back of the net in the first half. The 21-year-old was influential from the middle of the park and was involved in most things good from a PSV perspective.
Loic Venance / AFP / Getty Images
Completing the midfield is Bastia’s on loan midfielder Allan Saint-Maximin. The youngster featured in our list of 10 Ligue 1 Players to Watch this season and he showed why this past weekend. The 19-year-old got the ball rolling in Bastia’s 3-0 win against Lorient and was bright throughout the game.
Attack: The two man strike partnership involved Enes Unal and Enzo Crivelli. The former, on loan from Manchester City, helped Twente to an exciting 4-3 away victory over Gronigen with an exceptional first-half hat-trick. Though Gronigen pulled level, a stoppage time strike ensured Unal’s efforts didn’t go in vain.
Crivelli was as impressive in his exploits, helping Bastia to a 3-0 victory against Lorient. A header in the first half was followed by a neat curling finish in the second. His two goals from three shots displayed the clinical finishing he is capable of.
Talent Radar Team of the Week // Performance Rankings
