2. William Carvalho – Sporting Lisbon
Not only has the Portugal international’s quality been admired over the past season, but at the age of 23, Carvalho is perhaps the most exciting defensive midfielder in Europe at present.
The 23-year-old has been a long-term target for Arsene Wenger, and this summer could be the transfer window that the French manager makes a serious move for the player’s signature.
He made his Champions League debut in the 2014-15 campaign, and handled the pressure of playing on Europe’s elite stage expertly – averaging 2.2 tackles per-game with a pass success rate of 85.2%.
Despite Francis Coquelin’s excellent breakthrough campaign at the Emirates, the youngster is far from being the finished article, and while Carvalho also still has much to learn at the highest level, the pair could be the ideal partnership. With all the plaudits that Coquelin is receiving, Carvalho would help ease the pressure on the French midfielder’s shoulders.
