With the rest of the continent's 'Big Five' leagues set to get under way this weekend, Goal lists 15 players aged 21 or under to follow this season
Getty ImagesMusa Barrow (Atalanta)
In recent years, no club has proven itself more adept at producing and nurturing young talent than Atalanta, and the Bergamo-based outfit look to have unearthed another gem in Musa Barrow.
The Gambian striker only made his Serie A debut in January but impressed so much during the second half of the season – in which he scored three goals in 14 appearances – that Juventus began to monitor the 19-year-old closely.
They may well come to regret not making a bid for Barrow, who looks poised to make an even bigger splash this season, having already kicked off his campaign by racking up four goals (including a hat-trick against FK Sarajevo) and two assists in three Europa League qualifiers.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesJosip Brekalo (Wolfsburg)
Big things have been expected of Josip Brekalo ever since he joined Wolfsburg from Dinamo Zagreb as an 18-year-old in 2016 for €6 million.
The Croatia Under-21 international has taken his time to settle in Germany, spending some time with the Wolves' second team before being sent out on loan to Stuttgart.
However, Brekalo is now back at the Volkswagen Arena and, with his natural pace (he used to be an 800-metre runner) and scintillating dribbling skills, looks poised to finally make his mark on the Wolfsburg first team.
Andrea Favilli (Genoa)
Andrea Favilli made the most of the fact that Juventus had to do without a number of star players for their pre-season programme, scoring three times in just four outings for the Old Lady.
Bianconeri boss Massimiliano Allegri was hugely impressed by the performances of the 21-year-old striker, who bagged a brace against Bayern Munich, describing the former Ascoli attacker as "a young player of great potential".
However, he will spend the upcoming campaign at Genoa, who have paid Juve €5m to take Favilli on loan for the 2018-19 season, with the option to make the deal permanent next summer for an additional €7m.
The Luigi Ferraris has proved an excellent place for young strikers to hone their skills in the past and it's now expected that Favilli will do likewise this term.
Getty ImagesPhil Foden (Manchester City)
On May 13, the then 17-year-old Phil Foden became the youngest ever recipient of a Premier League winners' medal, after making five appearances during Manchester City's title procession.
The classy and versatile midfielder is now set to play an even bigger role in his club's bid to hold on to their crown. As coach Pep Guardiola enthused, "He was ready [for the first team] last year but now he is one year more mature."
His composed performance in the season-opening Community Shield win over Chelsea certainly belied his tender age, with Foden creating the game's opening goal, for Sergio Aguero.
The teenager may not have started against Arsenal last weekend but there is so much more to come from one of the most gifted players England has produced in years.