Matija Nastasic, 19, Manchester City
A virtual unknown when Roberto Mancini paid €15 million Euro’s to Fiorentina for his services last summer, the Serbian defender has won himself a number of fans across the country this season.
Hailed as ‘City’s rock,’ he’s kept the likes of Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott out of the starting line up. Already a candidate for City’s player of the season, expect to see much more of the Serb international next term as he fully comes to grip with football in the Northeast.
James McCarthy, 22, Wigan Athletic
Now with over 100 appearance for Wigan, the rest of the league are only just waking up to the potential that the Scottish born, Ireland international possesses.
Should Wigan do down, expect a glut of clubs to scramble for his signature. One of the best passers of the ball in the league, he holds that awareness to create something from nothing and has been key in Wigan’s past great escapes. A must have for a team looking for a man to distribute the ball and fire in the belly for a scrap.