Tielemans among five new faces in latest U21 player form rankings
There may not have been any movement in the top four of this week’s form rankings of players aged 21 and under in Europe’s top five leagues, but there are five new faces in the top ten this time around. We run through the leaderboard after Kylian Mbappe scored yet another goal and Jadon Sancho registered yet another assist…
10. Marcus Thuram (Guingamp) - Weighted rating 7.18*
Having narrowly missed out on a spot in the top ten last week Thuram climbs onto the leaderboard by virtue of a number of those ahead of him dropping out due to sub-par performances. The winger played the entirety of Guingamp’s penalty shootout defeat in the Coupe de la Ligue to Strasbourg so his rating remains unchanged.
9. Youri Tielemans (Leicester) - Weighted rating 7.19*
Since arriving on loan from Monaco Tielemans has made a strong impression at the King Power Stadium and registered his third assist in the last five matches for the Foxes in victory over Bournemouth. The Belgian has scored in that time too, so it’s no surprise Brendan Rodgers is keen to make the deal permanent.
8. Richarlison (Everton) - Weighted rating 7.30*
After a mid-season lull, having begun life at Everton in fine form, Richarlison is back in form and while he didn’t score at the weekend - doing so in back-to-back matches before the international break - the Brazilian played in important role in the win at West Ham. The 21-year-old fired off three shots, completed three dribbles and won four tackles to climb onto the leaderboard.
7. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace) - Weighted rating 7.33*
Up one place from last time around, the win over Huddersfield was only the second time all season that Wan-Bissaka didn’t make a single tackle. He did, however, make two interceptions and complete three dribbles as the Eagles kept a rare clean sheet.
6. Christopher Nkunku (Paris Saint-Germain) - Weighted rating 7.33*
Qualifying for the first time this season having now started six of PSG’s last eight league matches, Nkunku was far from his best at Toulouse but has been in decent form of late. The 21-year-old did complete all but one of his passes at the weekend and has two goals and an assist to his name since breaking into the side.
5. Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig) - Weighted rating 7.39*
Following in the footsteps of young compatriots Weston McKennie and Josh Sargent by moving to the Bundesliga, Adams has made an instant impression at RB Leipzig. The 20-year-old is yet to taste defeat since his arrival in January and registered his second assist for the club in a 5-0 hammering of Hertha Berlin, whilst weighing in with three tackles.
4. Ibrahima Konate (RB Leipzig) - Weighted rating 7.43*
In an unchanged top four this time out, Konate does at least close the gap substantially to a place on the podium having helped Leipzig to a fourth consecutive clean sheet. The teenager won five aerial duels - a tally he has matched or bettered in each of said four matches - and posed a threat in the opposition box with two shots.
3. Leon Bailey (Bayer Leverkusen) - Weighted rating 7.45*
Bailey’s rating drops substantially this week following Leverkusen’s 4-1 defeat at Hoffenheim but clings onto his spot in third for the time being and will hope his form continues a pattern next time out. The Jamaican has scored in every other league game stretching back to the start of February and will be aiming to return to the scoresheet against Leipzig next weekend.
2. Jason Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) - Weighted rating 7.82*
While the teenager’s weighted rating has dropped slightly from the previous leaderboard Sancho has extended his gap back to third and closed the one at the top in the process after another important contribution. Dortmund left it late to retake the lead in the Bundesliga title race up against Wolfsburg but their wing wizard chipped in with his 13th league assist to move clear of Lionel Messi as the top creator in Europe’s top five leagues.
1. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - Weighted rating 8.11*
While it was far from Mbappe’s finest performance in a PSG shirt against Toulouse the 20-year-old continues to be the team’s match winner in the absence of Neymar and Edinson Cavani. The Frenchman - having scored in both of his international appearances over the break - scored the only goal of the game at the weekend to stretch his league scoring streak to seven games.
QUALIFYING RULES
Only ratings taken from each player’s last six league matches are considered, weighted chronologically, with the most recent match carrying greater importance and so on. To qualify each player must have featured in their side’s last league game and started at least six of the last eight available.
