A breakthrough season can either mean a young player reaching the first team or a senior player making a significant step up in his game. Read the top 10 in European football this season here.
Adnan Januzaj (Manchester United)
Adnan Januzaj was considered a huge prospect for the future by the Manchester United hierarchy, but was not expected to make such an impact this season.
The 19 year-old has managed four goals in the Premier League, making him the Red Devils’ fourth top goalscorer behind Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie and Danny Welbeck, while only Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata have provided more than Januzaj’s three assists in the English top flight.
Gervinho (AS Roma)
Gervinho was considered something of a figure of fun at Arsenal due to a tendency to get his legs tangled up, make the wrong decisions and finish poorly in promising positions. He was also particularly culpable in the Gunners’ Capital One Cup loss to Bradford City.
Upon transferring to AS Roma to play under Rudi Garcia, his old manager at Lille OSC, Gervinho appears to have regained his confidence, and consequently his form.
His ten assists are more than any other player in Serie A, while his seven goals have helped the Giallorossi to second in the Serie A table.
John Stones (Everton)
John Stones was David Moyes’ last ever signing at Everton – and it looks like one of his best.
Moyes’ replacement Roberto Martinez is reaping the rewards and plaudits after giving the 19 year-old defender his chance in the first team, and Stones is improving with every match.
Stones has been a first team regular for much of 2014 due to injury suffered by England man Phil Jagielka, and already looks the Toffees’ captain’s heir apparent for both club and country.
With Jagielka, Stones and the ageless Sylvain Distin all fit, it will interesting to see whether the teenager can keep his place. Based on current form, he certainly deserves it.
While Ross Barkley has also had something of a breakthrough season, he has been on the radar for longer, and we only wanted to include one player from each club.
Ricardo Rodriguez (VfL Wolfsburg)
Ricardo Rodriguez has probably been the very best attacking left back in Europe this season.
The Switzerland international has scored five goals and provided seven assists in 29 Bundesliga fixtures this season, and hasn’t failed to perform his defensive duties either.
Rodriguez makes 2.9 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2.8 clearances per German league game, and the 21 year-old has rightfully been hailed as one of the best young talents in the game.
Jon Flanagan (Liverpool)
Jon Flanagan didn’t play in the Premier League between April 2012 and November 2013, but upon regaining his place in the Liverpool side this season it is fair to say that he has grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
The 21 year-old averages 3.6 tackles per game, which is the fourth highest total in the top flight – though he has been dribbled past more times than any other Premier League defender this season.
Flanagan has even earned praise from Brazil legend Cafu, who was pleased to hear that the Liverpool youngster had been nicknamed after him.
Incidentally, Raheem Sterling does not feature on this list because strictly speaking his breakthrough came last season.
Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid)
Having scored only 10 goals in La Liga last season, Diego Costa’s incredible goalscoring form has been a revelation for Atletico Madrid.
The Brazil Spain international striker has scored 25 goals in 30 Primera Division matches in the current campaign, as well as becoming the first ever player to score seven goals in his opening five UEFA Champions League appearances.
With a reported £32 million minimum fee release clause, Costa is likely to have plenty of suitors this summer.
Jese (Real Madrid)
The highest praise one can offer Jese is that Cristiano Ronaldo’s injury might not affect Real Madrid so adversely if the young Spaniard wasn’t sidelined too.
Jese has shown great promise this season, particularly when deployed on the left side of the attacking three.
In his four starts and 14 substitute appearances in La Liga this season, he scored five goals and provided four assists before his campaign and World Cup hopes were cut short by an anterior cruciate ligament rupture.
Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad)
Antoine Griezmann has always been a goal threat, but this season has really set La Liga alight, with 15 goals in 27 matches.
The newly capped France international is immensely dangerous cutting inside from the left wing, whether through his powerful shooting from distance or ice cool finishing within the confines of the penalty area.
With top class strikers either unavailable or likely to cost a premium this summer, many sides will look to other areas of the team to boost their goalscoring potential – and Griezmann fulfils that criterion.
Simone Scuffet (Udinese)
Goalkeepers aren’t supposed to make it at 17 years of age, but as the cliché goes: if you’re good enough, you’re old enough to play.
Udinese were forced to hand teenage shot stopper Simone Scuffet a first team debut when senior man Zeljko Brkic was injured, and hasn’t looked back.
Scuffet has kept six clean sheets in his 11 appearances for Udinese, and is even being talked about as a possible third choice goalkeeper for the Italy squad at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Callum Chambers (Southampton)
Southampton already had a pretty good right back in Nathaniel Clyne, but 19 year-old Callum Chambers has forced his way into the team ahead of him to make the position his own.
Like Luke Shaw on the opposite flank, Chambers is tall for a full back, and wins his fair share of aerial duels as well as getting forward superbly.
The Southampton academy once again seems to have produced a player of immense promise, and Chambers looks set for a very big future both with his club and at international level.