The best starting XI of players aged 23 or under.
There are a plethora of good young players out there, some of whom are too old to be considered as starlets, but still fall under the young player category. And with that in mind we have cooked up a starting XI of the best out there using a mix of the two.
GK: Thibaut Courtois – Chelsea
Age: 22
The Belgian international will finally get the chance to show the Premier League exactly what he’s made of now that he’s returned from a highly successful three-year stint with Atletico Madrid.
LB: Luke Shaw – Manchester United
Age: 19
Having just singed for Manchester United, he is in line for a long and successful career. Already making waves on the international stage, he has the potential to be the greatest English left-back ever.
CB: Marquinhos – Paris Saint Germain
Age: 20
Having already been the subject of one huge transfer, the Brazilian stopper is now being targeted in a big money move to Barcelona. Mature and assured, he’ll likely take over from Thiago Silva when he retires.
CB: Raphael Varane – Real Madrid
Age: 21
Varane has gone from strength to strength since linking up with Los Galacticos, so much so that Jose Mourinho is keen to bring him to west London at the soonest opportunity.
RB: Calum Chambers – Arsenal
Age: 19
Another graduate of the famed Southampton youth academy, he will be expected to make a name for himself at Arsenal following his £16m move to the north London outfit.
CM: Paul Pogba – Juventus
Age: 21
The midfielder is a man causing ManchesterUnited to wonder ‘what if…” after his all action displays brought two league titles to Turin.
CM: Marco Verratti – Paris Saint Germain
Age: 21
The Italian completes a PSG trio that makes the spine of this team. Tipped for great things but has struggled to make an impact in the French capital.
LW: Adnan Januzaj – Manchester United
Age: 19
The young Belgian has the potential to become one of the most exciting players in the world as long as he stays away from Nando’s!
RW: Raheem Sterling – Liverpool
Age: 19
England’s great home at the moment. Terrifically exciting and has everything in his locker that you’d want from an attacker. The sky is the limit for this boy.
AM: Neymar – Barcelona
Age: 23
Brazil’s undisputed best player, so much so that the Selecao fell apart when he went missing and has the greatest chance of fulfilling the ‘next Pele’ prophecy than anyone else before him.
ST: Romelu Lukaku – Everton
Age: 21
Now that he has somewhere to settle it’s likely that he will step up his game to a level most probably feared didn’t exist at Chelsea. A proven goalscorer – he’ll thrive under Roberto Martinez.
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