10 of the best young players who will make a breakthrough in 2018

#7 Matthijs de Ligt

With a pass accuracy of 90.2%, de Ligt has impressed this season

Team: Ajax

Position: Centre-back

Age: 18

Another Ajax academy graduate is receiving a whole host of attention, especially from Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

Matthis De Ligt is the latest Ajax defender who has been promoted through the youth ranks and impressed massively while playing for the first team. The young Dutch centre-back has already made three national team appearances for the senior side when he was just 17 years old.

One of De Ligt’s major asset is his unbelievable composure and calmness when on the ball, looking to either keep possession tight or to find that pass that is going to split the opposition’s defence in two. He is more than capable of either.

So far this season, De Ligt has a sensational 90.2% pass completion rate which has set him apart from other central defenders his age in Europe. The Dutch international also stands at 1.88m and has the agility and strength to bully strikers who do not have those qualities in abundance. It is the reason why many clubs think he would be a good fit for the Premier League.