'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Every year, clubs across the big leagues in Europe are looking to unearth gems playing in the lesser-known leagues in the continent. While some of these players eventually fall by the wayside, there are some who go on to flourish at some of the continent's traditional powerhouses.
Last January, Erling Haaland made the switch to Borussia Dortmund from Austrian club RB Salzburg, where he made the world sit up and take notice of his scoring prowess.
For many clubs in the so-called second-tier leagues in Europe, scouting for such talents is an integral part of their business model. The prospect of earning a sizeable transfer fee for such players is enticing for these clubs.
For clubs like Salzburg in Austria or Genk in Belgium, there is an explicitly stated philosophy that making transfer fees off young players is an integral part of the business model.
The most recent such move happened earlier this month when Hungarian starlet Dominik Szoboszlai made his move from Salzburg to RB Leipzig in Germany. On that note, here is our selection of five of the best young talents from outside the big European leagues.
#5 Charles De Ketelaere (Club Brugges)
For the defending Belgian champions Club Brugges, Charles De Ketelaere is the young jewel in their impressive roster.
Amidst more experienced players in the side, such as Brandon Mechele, Hans Vanaken and Simon Mignolet, De Ketelaere has stood out this season. He is an attacking player capable of playing multiple positions across the front but hasn't quite figured out what his best position is yet.
De Ketelaere broke into the first-team setup at Club Brugge in the 2019-20 season and has rather quickly emerged as one of the most important players in their side.
This season, De Ketelaere was particularly impressive in the UEFA Champions League, scoring two goals and providing as many assists in six group-stage games.
Brugge narrowly missed out on qualification for the Round of 16, as they only managed a 2-2 draw in Rome against Lazio on the final matchday when they needed a win.
Despite being down to ten men for a large part of that game, Brugge were a whisker away from qualification. De Ketelaere smashed the crossbar with a sensational shot in injury time that left Pepe Reina beaten,
Those were the fine margins that could've seen De Ketelaere already become a cult hero at Club Brugge. Nevertheless, he is one of their most impressive young talents and is definitely set for a move to one of the big leagues in the next few years.
#4 Darwin Nunez
Benfica's young Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez already has set eyes rolling across Europe, with even Manchester City being touted as one of the clubs interested in signing him in the near future.
The Uruguayan signed for Benfica in the summer of 2020 from Spanish Segunda Division side Almeria. He has already netted eight times for the Portuguese giants this season.
Nunez scored 16 goals for Almeria last season, which prompted Benfica to part with €24m to sign him in the summer. He has already set a transfer record in his nascent career, as he is the record transfer for Benfica and also the most expensive outgoing from Almeria and the Segunda Division.
This season, Darwin Nunez was excellent in the Europa League group-stage for Benfica, particularly in the home game against Scottish giants Rangers.
He came on as a second-half substitute and helped his side recover from a two-goal deficit while they were down to ten men. Nunez eventually scored the equaliser in the 91st minute to gain a point for his side.
#3 Manor Solomon (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Shakhtar Donetsk's Israeli winger Manor Solomon was already a target for Manchester City a few years ago. However, according to the Daily Mail, his first club in Israel doubled their asking price citing City's prestige, which forced them to pull out of the deal.
Manchester City's loss turned out to be Shakhtar's gain though, as they signed him midway through the 2018-19 season.
Solomon has been a hit already in Ukraine, even scoring against Manchester City in last season's UEFA Champions League.
He scored 11 goals in all last season. However, Solomon's real big break has come in the 2020-21 season. The Israeli scored in both of Shakhtar's group stage games against Real Madrid.
His direct running and dribbling ability from the wide areas has made Solomon a name to definitely watch out for.
#2 Donyell Malen (PSV Eindhoven)
Donyell Malen is a Dutch striker who plays for PSV Eindhoven. After previously playing youth football for both Arsenal and Ajax, Malen is making a name for himself in the Eredevisie with Eindhoven now.
Malen is the quintessential forward who can play in different positions across the forward line. He is capable of both leading the line and playing from the wider positions, thanks to his excellent dribbling ability.
This season, Malen has already scored 17 goals in 25 games for PSV in all competitions.
He has predictably been linked with moves to big clubs across the continent, with Arsenal said to be interested in bringing him him back to North London.
Malen has also on the fringes of the Dutch national team but hasn't quite been able to nail down a spot for himself yet, with the likes of Steven Bergwijn and Calvin Stengs currently ahead of him.
#1 Ryan Gravenberch (Ajax)
Of course, such a list wasn't going to end without a mention of the Ajax production line.
From the academy that has given the world the likes of Frenkie de Jong and Donny van de Beek, Ryan Gravenberch is the latest midfielder that looks destined for greatness. With his lanky build and languid running style in midfield, Gravenberch has already drawn comparisons with Paul Pogba.
This season, he was superb in Ajax's Champions League campaign even though that eventually ended in disappointment. His performances against Liverpool really caught the eye, as he looked superb in possession of the ball and strong enough off it as well.
Gravenberch has also had interest shown in him already from some of the biggest clubs in the world, with the likes of Juventus reportedly said to be interested.
