5 most in-form U-23 players in Europe so far this season

The 2022-23 campaign across all top European leagues has been fascinating and full of action so far. Several teams like Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli have already established themselves as title contenders. However, teams like Liverpool, Juventus and Lyon have struggled to remain consistent in their respective leagues.

Top players across clubs have understandably stolen the limelight for their exploits this season. They have been justifying their top dollar salaries and have been amongst the goals. However, along with the usual names, several U-23 players have also been in the limelight this season. They have announced themselves by showing maturity and quality way beyond their years in this campaign.

In this article, we will look at five of the most in-form U-23 players in Europe this season. Without further ado, let's look at them.

#5 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

Leeds United v Arsenal FC - Premier League- Europe 2022-23 campaign

The 21-year-old has been outstanding in attack for the Gunners and he's arguably one of the players behind Arsenal's resurgence this season.

Saka has netted four goals and has registered five assists in 11 Premier League appearances for Arsenal so far. Furthermore, he has netted one goal in five UEFA Europa League games this season.

The Englishman is the youngest Arsenal player ever to score 20 goals and register 20 assists in the Premier League.

Saka's consistency is vital for Mikel Arteta in the Premier League title challenge. His decent performances so far have put him in strong contention to feature for England in the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in November. It will be fascinating to see if he will maintain his fine form at the World Cup.

#4 Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)

TSG Hoffenheim v FC Bayern München - Bundesliga 2022-23 - Europe

The 19-year-old is arguably one of the best performing youngsters in Europe this season and his presence in attack has been vital for Bayern Munich.

Musiala has netted seven goals and has registered five assists in 11 Bundesliga appearances this season. Furthermore, he has registered two assists in four UEFA Champions League appearances so far.

The Germany international's goal in Bayern Munich's 6-2 win against Mainz on the 29 October implies that he has now exceeded his best ever scoring tally in a Bundesliga season.

Musiala remains a key player in attack for Julian Nagelsmann and it will be fascinating to see what his goal tally is at the end of the 2022-23 season.

His decent form has put him in a strong position to feature for Germany in the forthcoming FIFA World Cup. Musiala is most likely to feature for Germany in midfield and his presence is crucial for Hansi Flick.

#3 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)

Napoli v Monza - Serie A - 2022-23 - Europe

The 21-year old is arguably one of the best performing youngsters across Europe's top five leagues this season and his presence has been extremely fruitful for Napoli.

Kvaratskhelia has netted six goals and has registered seven assists in 12 Serie A appearances so far. Furthermore, he has netted two goals and has registered three assists in four Champions League appearances this season.

Kvaratskhelia is Napoli's top scorer and has registered the most assists for his team this season.

If he maintains his consistency, the Partenopei stand a great chance of winning the Serie A title at the end of the 2022-23 season. They are currently atop the table with a five-point lead over second-placed Atalanta.

Kvaratskhelia will however miss the upcoming World Cup competition due to Georgia's failure to book a spot in the competition. There's no doubt that he would have set the stage alight at football's grandest stage.

#2 Jonathan David (Lille)

Lille OSC v VfL Wolfsburg: Group G - UEFA Champions League 2022-23

The 22-year-old has been one of the best performing players in Europe this season and his composure in front of goal has been outstanding.

David has netted nine goals and has registered three assists in 13 Ligue 1 appearances for Lille this season.

The Canada international has the most shots deemed unsavable in Ligue 1 this season.

David is a crucial attacker for Canada in the upcoming FIFA World Cup and is sure to make a difference for them in the competition. It will be fascinating to see if he can extend his fine form in the world Cup.

#1 Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

Borussia Dortmund v Manchester City: Group G - UEFA Champions League 2022-23

The 22-year-old has arguably been the best attacker in Europe this season and his contributions have been pivotal for Manchester City.

Haaland has netted 17 goals and has registered three assists in 11 Premier League appearances so far. Furthermore, he has netted five goals in four Champions League appearances this season.

The Norwegian has netted a goal in his last seven home games for Manchester City and has been lethal in front of goal against all oppositions.

It will be interesting to see if he emerges as the Premier League Golden Boot winner at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

Haaland will miss the World Cup due to Norway's failure to qualify for the tournament. His presence in the competition will be greatly missed as he's highly regarded as one of the most prolific strikers in the world.

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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Edited by Shardul Sant