The 15 most valuable young players in football from Erling Haaland to Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka

In a world where Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated for so long, football is looking for their next big star.

But out of all of the talent around, which players make it into the top 15 on the planet?

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Of course there are numerous ways to quantify talent, with different players breaking into senior football at different times, but the best of the best have wasted little time in making an impact.

That means that for players like Rasmus Hojlund at Manchester United, there is still work to do if he's to rub shoulders with the best.

The same can be said for Lamine Yamal at Barcelona or Real Madrid-bound Endrick with the two teenagers facing the prospect of a formative couple of years ahead as they look to really make an impact on the global stage.

For those on our list, adapting to life at the top of the tree has been a breeze.

Each of our 15 players are shining week in, week out in one of Europe's top five leagues - England's Premier League, Italy's Serie A, Spain's La Liga or the German Bundesliga.

While France's Ligue 1 isn't represented, they need not feel bad with global superstar Kylian Mbappe just missing out as a result of being 24 years of age, making him too old for our list of stars aged under 23.

Here talkSPORT.com looks at the best 15 players, ranked in order of their estimated transfer value.

15. Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal | £70million)

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The Brazil star's quality performances have been a key part of Arsenal's meteoric rise in recent years.

After signing as a relative unknown from Ituano for £6million, few would have predicted how the forward would kick on to become one of the Premier League's top forwards.

Pace and trickery was always his thing, but now the 22-year-old has added crucial end-product to his game after scoring 15 and contributing five assists for the Gunners last term as they narrowly missed out on the title.

While a troublesome hamstring injury has disrupted the early part of Martinelli's 2023/24 campaign, Mikel Arteta knows that he'll be crucial to challenging for the Premier League in the years to come.

14. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli | £74.5million)

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Kvaratskhelia is a player with the footballing hopes of Georgia firmly on his shoulders.

After making his name in his homeland, the winger's big break came with Rubin Kazan in 2019, only for his three-year stay in Russia to come to an end due to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine leading him to join Dinamo Batumi in Georgia.

After just a few months, the talented star joined Napoli and enjoyed a wonderful first season with the club as he scored 12 and provided 13 on the way to the Serie A title.

His form in 2023/24, along with his Ballon d'Or nomination, shows that the 22-year-old is only just getting started.

13. Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen | £74.5million)

German football has a new challenger in town with Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen looking to push Bayern Munich to become top dogs.

Among their many talents is Wirtz, a player who boasts vast experience in spite of his tender years.

The 20-year-old was electric in 2021/22, before a cruciate ligament injury ended his season early and meant that he missed the first half of 2022/23 as well.

However Wirtz has overcome that huge injury blow in emphatic fashion and is now the beating heart of a Bayer Leverkusen side who are challenging for Bundesliga and Europa League glory.

12. Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid | £78.8million)

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Tchouameni has the potential to be the beating heart of Real Madrid's side for years to come.

The French midfielder arrived at the club in 2022 after a successful two years with Monaco and immediately made his mark with 50 appearances for Los Blancos in his debut season.

While the 23-year-old started 2023/24 in typically dominant style, a stress fracture in his foot during El Classico meant his momentum was halted somewhat.

However with Real Madrid building a team that could dominate football for years to come, Tchouameni will be desperate to get back in on the action.

11. Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid | £78.8million)

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Since joining the club from Rennes in 2021, Camavinga has proven himself as one of the best young midfielders in the world.

The France international is one of the best deep-lying midfielder players in world football, an impressive achievement given that he's only 20 years of age.

With a La Liga title, a Champions League winners' medal and a Copa Del Rey already under his belt, Camavinga has picked up that winning feeling early in his career.

Given that expectations are relentlessly high at the Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder could have a big role to play in the years to come.

10. Gavi (Barcelona | £78.8million)

The youngest player on our list, which just goes to show the supreme levels of talent that we're talking about.

The Barcelona starlet graduated from the famous La Masia academy setup and wasted little time in making a big impact.

Despite being just 19, Gavi has already racked up way over 100 appearances for Barcelona, as well as claiming a La Liga and Copa Del Rey trophy.

However after picking up a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury, the Spaniard will be desperate to get himself back to full fitness at the earliest possible opportunity.

9. Moises Caicedo (Chelsea | £78.8million)

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The central midfielder was the subject of a hugely intense transfer battle in the summer of 2023 and it's not hard to see why.

Having made 53 appearances for an impressive Brighton side, Caicedo was involved in a transfer tug of war between Chelsea and Liverpool, with the Blues eventually signing him for £115million.

Since then, the 22-year-old has already proven himself as a key player in west London, forming an exciting partnership with Enzo Fernandez in midfield.

Caicedo has a huge price tag to live up to, but given his performances for both Brighton and Chelsea so far, it's clear that he has the ability to become one of the world's best.

8. Rodrygo (Real Madrid | £96.3million)

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The Brazil international made the move from Brazil to Madrid after joining from Santos in 2019 for a fee worth £39.4million.

Since then, the winger has become a key performer for Los Blancos, showing that he's much more than just a fresh-faced talent.

Rodrygo looked up to Cristiano Ronaldo as a young fan of Real Madrid, a perfect role model for someone who is looking to reach the top of the game.

But while Ronaldo's career would be a tough ask for anyone to emulate, Rodrygo is already showing himself capable.

7. Pedri (Barcelona | £96.3million)

Pedri has the makings of a true Barcelona legend.

The Spaniard is one of La Liga's most exciting players to watch after proving himself as a natural successor to Andres Iniesta in the Barca midfield.

While he actually started his career with Las Palmas, the 20-year-old looks every inch the La Masia graduate and got his first taste of silverware by winning the Copa Del Rey at the age of just 18.

Barcelona are going through a tricky time, but with young talent aplenty, they'll never be too far away from the top of the game.

6. Phil Foden (Manchester City | £96.3million)

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When Pep Guardiola tips you for stardom, you know that the football world is going to be watching your development very closely.

While some might suggest that Foden is yet to reach his peak, his role in Manchester City's recent success is clear to see.

The Man City academy graduate has already racked up almost 250 appearances for the club, while also picking up just about every trophy available at club level, including five Premier League titles.

Given that Foden first emerged in 2017/18, it's easy to forget that he's just 23 years of age, meaning that on his current trajectory, the midfielder's record could be out of this world by the time he reaches his 30s.

5. Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich | £96.3million)

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The German international is well known in England, having spent a large chunk of his football upbringing with Southampton and Chelsea.

However since joining Bayern Munich at the age of 16, Musiala has not wasted any time.

The central midfielder, who can also play on the left flank, made his mark on the first team between 2020 and 2022, before enjoying a sublime year in 2022/23 with 15 goals and 15 assists to his name.

Now playing alongside Harry Kane at Bayern, the 20-year-old has the chance to challenge for major honours on the European stage, not just in Germany.

4. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal | £105.1million)

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Just when Arsenal fans think that Saka can't get any better, he finds another gear to slip into.

The winger is arguably the Gunners' most important attacking player, something that's shown by Mikel Arteta's desire to play him in every game possible.

Saka will surpass 200 appearances for Arsenal before the end of 2023 and given his status as a regular for England, he rightly deserves his place among the world's best young players.

The one thing eluding him so far is major trophies, something that he'll be keen to add in the coming years.

3. Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid | £131.4million)

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The Brazilian star is arguably Real Madrid's stand out player, but more than that, he has been for several years.

While only 23, Vini Jr has been part of the furniture in Real Madrid's first team since the 2018/19 campaign when he made an immediate impact after joining from Flamengo.

Two La Liga titles, a Copa Del Rey and a Champions League later and the winger has the sort of trophy haul that any young player can only dream of.

With Los Blancos in the process of building for a bright future, there's little doubt that he'll be one of the club's main men in attacking areas for years to come.

2. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid | £131.4million)

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If you haven't fallen in love with Jude Bellingham yet, where have you been?

The midfielder's story is a real tale of 'hometown here done good' after leaving boyhood club Birmingham City for Borussia Dortmund and making a success of himself.

In truth, that barely does him justice after joining Real Madrid in the summer and becoming one of elite football's most in-form players.

Florentino Perez has already suggested that Bellingham is well on his way to becoming a Real Madrid legend - a massive compliment for a 20-year-old who has only been there for a matter of months.

But after winning the Kopa Trophy and the Golden Boy award, there's a real feeling that it's only a matter of time until Bellingham can add his list to a glittering list of Ballon d'Or winners.

1. Erling Haaland (Manchester City | £157.7m)

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Another player who looks set to scoop the Ballon d'Or - and lots of them.

It feels like Haaland has been around for years and years after hopping from Molde to Red Bull Salzburg to Borussia Dortmund and most recently, to Manchester City.

Each step that Haaland takes in his career falls perfectly into his lengthy stride, with his first season under Pep Guardiola seeing him score 51 goals in all competitions as City won the treble.

With Messi and Ronaldo now out of the way, it seems that Haaland will be a leading contender for all of football's top prizes - a deserved status given his role as one of football's greatest ever goalscorers.

All data has been sourced from transfermarkt.