Leroy Sané
It is frightening to think Manchester City are yet to reap the rewards of the winger in his prime. He is an increasingly valuable commodity in the best and most expensive team in the country. His devilish left foot and chicane sprints gives the meanest defenders a hopeless conundrum and his manager the same, for these days it is almost impossible to leave Sané out of the starting lineup. At times he has struggled for consistency but he has added more goals and established himself as another go-to star. If the German can produce his best this summer, he will light up the World Cup.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
For Liverpool, the road to Kiev began in earnest on an August evening on the outskirts of Sinsheim. It was there the then 18-year-old scored his first goal for the club he joined aged six, a low, fizzing free-kick against Hoffenheim in the Champions League play-off first leg. That set the bar high for what has been a brilliant season for a player who has relished the responsibility of assuming and then retaining Nathaniel Clyne’s right-back berth. He is not without flaws; badly exposed by Marcus Rashford and Wilfried Zaha and more recently targeted by Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. But Jürgen Klopp has continued to trust him – especially in the biggest matches – and Alexander-Arnold continues to rise to the challenge.
Lewis Cook
After lifting the World Cup with England Under-20s last summer, the midfielder had only one minor gripe: he wanted to play more. Now the 21-year-old should be heralded as part of a new-look Bournemouth core, along with the classy Nathan Aké in defence and Asmir Begovic in goal. For Cook, a savvy operator, primarily a passer but also a fearless tackler, this season has been his breakthrough. Watching Jack Wilshere at close quarters last season was beneficial, as his manager Eddie Howe said recently. Cook made history in March after becoming the first Bournemouth player to represent England and clearly has a huge future.
Dele Alli
It feels as though he has been around forever but Alli turned 22 only last month. He has struggled to attain last season’s dizzying heights but in any other industry he would still be regarded as a young man. By his own admission, Alli has not been at his best but has still proved a serial influencer alongside Harry Kane at Tottenham. He has been clattered and man-marked but it is what he offers that still leaves the most lasting mark. His manager’s faith in him has been unwavering and it was only a couple of months ago that Mauricio Pochettino reiterated his belief that Alli is the world’s best, at his age. The noise around Alli in 2016-17 was not hyperbole and his ability to still produce the utterly divine means he remains in a glowing minority.
Marcus Rashford
José Mourinho’s tough love, if you will, does not seem to have struck a chord with the 20-year-old and really it is no surprise he has struggled to produce his best. Glimpses of grace have been enough to whet the appetite for the long-term view, though, while the arrival of Alexis Sánchez has undoubtedly been detrimental to the immediate development of a player who has shown he is still raw in areas. His double in the win over Liverpool offered his manager a timely reminder of his quality at club level but arguably his best displays have been for England. Like Alli, the England forward will feel he has much to show in Russia.
Gabriel Jesus
The cardboard sign with the words “Jesus, new Pelé” in permanent marker may still seem a bit excessive but it is difficult to look beyond the extraordinary success the Manchester City striker has enjoyed. Injuries were expected to inhibit his involvement but he has twice recovered rapidly to spearhead the attack, at times relegating Sergio Agüero to a bit-part role. The 21-year-old has tasted defeat in the Premier League only once since joining from Palmeiras in August 2016 – against Manchester United last month – and this season he has scored a goal every 130 minutes. When Pep Guardiola described Sané, Jesus and Raheem Sterling as “the future”, surely even he cannot have predicted it would look this good.
The Guardian Sport
