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#1 Krzysztof Piątek (AC Milan)
The Polish hitman was always going to be the headline act for this list of breakout stars. His impact in his first season at top-level European football has been brilliant. This had led to people forgetting that until July last year, Piatek was still plying his trade in the Polish Ekstraklasa with Cracovia Kraków.
Signed by Serie A side, Genoa for just €4.5m in July 2018, his adaptation to the nature of Italian football was as quick as it was impressive. Displaying the sort of deadly finishing one would normally associate with the world's truly elite strikers, the 23-year-old grabbed an amazing 19 goals in just 21 matches for I Rossoblù (The Red and Blues).
The decision by Gonzalo Higuain to cut his unhappy loan spell at AC Milan short and head to Chelsea left the Rossoneri with a huge hole in attack. Piatek was identified as the right man to fill this hole and a €35m deal was agreed.
Again, the Pole has taken to his second club in one season like a fish to water. Showing all the qualities he previously displayed at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Piatek has been a God-sent for the Milan side with 6 goals from 8 shots in 5 games.
Inevitably, he has been compared to Milan legend, Andriy Shevchenko and countryman, Robert Lewandowski. Based on what he has done this season, Piatek looks the real deal.
