Some of these names will no doubt already be familiar to you, but here’s a list of ten exciting youngsters who could really have a big year in 2020.
Read on to see who made our list – in no particular order – and let us know which one you think is the biggest prospect…
Mason Greenwood
An increasingly key part of this Manchester United side, 18-year-old forward Mason Greenwood had a very strong end to 2019 and is sure to go on to even bigger things this year.
The teenager is an immense talent with pace, skill, and a hammer of a left foot, who already arguably looks a bigger prospect than Marcus Rashford looked when he became a United regular at a similar age.
If Greenwood carries on like this, it’ll be hard for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to keep him out of the Man Utd first XI, while it could even earn him a place in Gareth Southgate’s thoughts as England prepare for the European Championships in the summer.
Erling Haaland
A recent signing for Borussia Dortmund, it’s easy to imagine Erling Haaland having an even better 2020 than his breakthrough with Red Bull Salzburg in 2019.
The Norway international looks like one of the biggest prospects in the game right now, with his exceptional scoring record suggesting he’s heading for a hugely successful career.
In recent years, Dortmund have developed some of the finest players in the world, and it seems likely the pair will prove a very good fit for each other in the near future.
Ansu Fati
A player who only recently turned 17, Ansu Fati has already made his impact in the Barcelona first-team this season and will surely get more opportunities in 2020.
It may well be that the teenager will have to settle for some time out on loan this year, but either way he’s sure to be one to continue to look out for.
He’s already become the youngest player and scorer in Champions League history and the youngest player to both score and assist in a La Liga match, so what next for Fati in 2020?
Rodrygo Goes
An 18-year-old with a big future, Rodrygo has made an impressive start to life at Real Madrid.
The Brazilian teenager already has six goals to his name for Madrid’s first-team, and that includes a Champions League hat-trick, making him the second youngest player to hit a treble in the competition.
There is surely more to come from Rodrygo in 2020 and it’ll be exciting to see what he can contribute to Real’s team next.
Dejan Kulusevski
Another big talent who’s just got himself a big move, Dejan Kulusevski will be heading to Juventus in the summer, having just agreed a deal this January.
The 19-year-old Swede will now remain back on loan at Atalanta for the remainder of this season, and it’s his form with the club this season that has seen him attract so much attention.
It will be interesting to see how Kulusevski adapts when he eventually links up with Juve, but he certainly seems to have everything needed in his locker to become a star for a big club.
Gabriel Martinelli
Still only 18 years of age, Gabriel Martinelli has hit the ground running since his summer transfer to Arsenal.
The Brazilian forward was not the biggest name when he joined the Gunners at the start of the season, but he’s quickly got himself up to eight goals in just 16 first-team appearances.
Although he faces plenty of competition from the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, Martinelli is surely going to push both players hard for their starting spot in the months to come.
Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho is obviously already a very big name, but 2020 promises to be the year he takes his game to another level.
It could also be the year we finally see the Borussia Dortmund winger back in the Premier League as transfer speculation over his future hots up.
The Sun have linked Sancho with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, and if he ends up at any one of those teams, it will be tremendously exciting to see what he can do back in England as he approaches his peak years.
Phil Foden
Phil Foden is another youngster we’ve known about for some time, but the 19-year-old looks like becoming an increasingly important player for Manchester City.
In fact, with David Silva confirming to the Daily Mirror at the start of the season that he’d be leaving City in the summer, he named Foden as his successor.
Foden seems to be being eased into Pep Guardiola’s starting XI for the time being, but later in 2020 he could become more of an automatic starter and really start to show what he can do.
Eduardo Camavinga
2019 was a big year for Eduardo Camavinga as he enjoyed a memorable performance against Paris Saint-Germain when he was still just 16. Now aged 17, he’s continuing to impress.
Speculation from the likes of the Sun suggests 2020 could also be the year Camavinga makes the move to a big club, with Manchester United and Barcelona rumoured to be among his suitors.
Whether he stays at Rennes or moves on, there’s no doubt this teenage sensation will be one to watch in 2020 and beyond.
William Saliba
18-year-old William Saliba joined Arsenal in the summer but has been loaned back to Saint-Etienne for this season.
Still, later in 2020 Gunners fans can finally get a closer look at this elite defensive talent who’s become so highly regarded after a fine start to his career in Ligue 1.
As well as being a quality defender, Saliba looks a potential future captain having shown great leadership and mental strength for a player of his age.
