sport news Revealed: Football's most valuable teenage XI, with THREE Premier League stars ... trends now
The CIES Football Observatory have revealed their list of the most valuable young stars in the world - with Barcelona's 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal topping the standings.
CIES's list includes the top 100 players yet to turn 23, including stars like Chelsea's Cole Palmer after his outstanding first season at Stamford Bridge that has seen him score 19 goals in all competitions. He has been rated at £100million by the observatory.
Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz - who has been dazzling under boss Xabi Alonso amid their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga - and Man City's Jeremy Doku also feature high up the list, being rated at £110m and £91.5m respectively.
Elsewhere from the Premier League, Man United striker Rasmus Hojlund is rated as the fifth most valuable player at £92.4m, while Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson is valued at £83m.
But just based on the teenage stars in the list, who would make the best starting XI? Mail Sport has crafted a team judging on the CIES rankings.
Lamine Yamal of Barcelona leads the best teenage XI from CIES's Football Observatory of most valuable players
GOALKEEPER
Guillaume Restes (Toulouse)
Age: 19
Value: £24m
Restes joined Toulouse's academy as a six-year-old and after rising up the ranks and signing his first professional contract aged 16, he has finally become the club's first choice shot-stopper this season at the age of 19.
He has already earned comparisons to the club's former keeper Alban Lafont - the last keeper who emerged through Toulouse's youth system.
This season, he's played a total of 35 games, starting all 28 games in Ligue 1. His displays have helped the team concede just 36 times, keeping them in mid-table.
Restes is CIES's highest valued goalkeeper on the list at £24m after superb year with Toulouse
RIGHT-BACK
Leny Yoro (Lille)
Age: 18
Value: £37m
Yoro is seen as one of the best defensive talents in Europe - with Real Madrid among the teams reportedly in the hunt for him.
The 18-year-old has started 26 games French top flight this season, scoring twice, and is the latest talent to come out of an academy that has already produced the likes of Eden Hazrd, Franck Ribery and Yohan Cabaye.
He made his breakthrough in the first team last season and is now a permanent fixture in the team, with 37 total appearances this term.
Leny Yoro is one of Europe's most talented defenders and he is a key member of Lille's team
CENTRE-BACK
Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona)
Age: 17
Value: £21m
When you're 17 years old and you're already a regular starter for a club like Barcelona, you know you're doing something right.
Centre-back Pau Cubarsi has seemingly come out of nowhere and has now been given huge trust by manager Xavi in a time when they are chasing honours on multiple fronts.
He's made 15 appearances in total, with ten starts in LaLiga and two in the Champions League after slotting in alongside Ronald Araujo against PSG, becoming the youngest player to start a quarter-final in the competition.
Pau Cubarsi has been starting in the heart of Barcelona's defence at the age of just 17
CENTRE-BACK
Jorrel Hato (Ajax)
Age: 18
Value: £68m
It's been a tough season for Ajax but one of the standouts - and shining lights for the future - has undoubtedly been rising centre-back Jorrel Hato.
Ajax have fought back from fears of relegation to move up into the top six, but after some humiliating results and 55 goals conceded, it's been a punishing baptism of fire for the 18-year-old defender.
Hato made 15 appearances for the Dutch outfit last season but it has only been this campaign that has seen him push on as a sure-fire starter following the departure of Jurrien Timber to Arsenal. This term, he's played 42 times in total, starting all 29 of the club's Eredivisie games and wearing the captain's armband on a few occasions.
Jorrel Hato is the latest talent to emerge from Ajax's famed academy and he has bravely attempted to steer the club through a rocky season
LEFT BACK
Rico Lewis (Manchester City)
Age: 19
Value: £70m
England international Lewis is well established at the Etihad under Pep Guardiola, with his breakthrough coming last season - making 23 appearances in total and becoming part of the famous treble-winning side.
He has made a further 24 outings in this campaign, starting seven times in the Premier League, scoring twice, and starting six times in the Champions League - assisting three times.
While he is yet to solidify his place as a first team regular, the future still looks bright for Lewis and he has time on his side to progress.
