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Teenage football prodigies aren't anything new in football. We've seen plenty of youngsters break onto the senior circuit at a very young age and match the levels of seasoned professionals. Some succeed in sustaining that momentum and form for a very long time while others tend to wither away before long.
The likes of Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas and even Lionel Messi were all early bloomers who have gone on to have spectacular careers. Fortunately for them, they fell into the right hands at the right time and were given the attention and training they deserved and were worthy of.
Of late, we're starting to see more and more youngsters showcasing incredible talent at a very young age. Take for example the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, who were already being considered elite when they were still teenagers.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the most valuable players under the age of 18 right now.
(Values courtesy: Transfermarket.com)
#5 Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) - €55 million
18-year-old Eduardo Camavinga had already caught the attention of several European giants by the time he was 17 while playing for Stade Rennais. The teenager made his international debut for the French senior side when he was just 17 years, nine months, and 29 days old.
Camavinga is a holding midfielder with dancing feet. His spatial awareness is already top notch and he possesses great game intelligence as well. He was signed by Real Madrid this summer for a sum of €31 million.
The teenager is viewed as a long-term replacement for Casemiro. Camavinga offers a more dynamic presence in the center of the park for Real Madrid and is expected to be at the club for the foreseeable future.
#4 Ansu Fati (Barcelona) - €60 million
Despite all their problems both on and off the pitch, Barcelona can be proud of one thing. They have a crop of extremely talented youngsters coming through. 18-year-old Ansu Fati is chief among them.
The La Masia product was sensational for the Catalans in the opening stages of the 2020-21 season before being sidelined with a knee injury. It sidelined him for more than half a season but Fati is back now.
Barcelona are reportedly looking to protect their prized asset by inserting a €1 billion release clause in his new contract. In the 2020-21 season, Fati scored five goals and provided four assists in 10 appearances across all competitions for Ronald Koeman's side.
#3 Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) - €65 million
The youngest player to reach 10 goals in the history of the Bundesliga, Florian Wirtz looks destined to become one of the best in the business. He joined Bayer Leverkusen from FC Cologne in 2020 and dropped plenty of glimpses of his genuine talent over the course of the 2020-21 season.
Wirtz has taken it up a couple of notches this term. Though he is primarily an attacking midfielder, the 18-year-old can play on either wing as well. He has been absolutely unstoppable so far this term and has scored six goals and provided five assists in just eight appearances across all competitions so far.
Wirtz is one of the main reasons why Bayer Leverkusen are tied on points with Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich right now. He has already made four senior appearances for the German national side. The way things are going, there's no doubt that several European giants are going to line up for his signature at the end of the season.
#2 Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund) - €70 million
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is yet another player whose talents belie his age. It was hard to believe he was all of 17-years-old as he bossed midfield battles in the UEFA Champions League last term. He did that against the likes of Sevilla and Manchester City.
Bellingham turned 18 in June earlier this year and represented England at Euro 2020. The teenage sensation who first turned heads with his performances for Birmingham City in the EFL Championship is a brilliant box-to-box midfielder.
He is effective on either side of the pitch and is currently one of Borussia Dortmund's most prized assets. Bellingham has received plenty of attention from other European giants as well and it can't be long before the rich clubs of his home country come knocking for him.
#1 Pedri (Barcelona) - €80 million
Pedri was one of the biggest revelations of the 2020-21 season. The diminutive midfielder, who joined from Las Palmas in the summer of 2020 is a player in the ilk of the great Xavis and Andres Iniestas.
The Spanish international is renowned for his vision, creativity and passing range and has been making waves ever since he first turned out for Barcelona. Pedri was named the Best Young Player of the Tournament at Euro 2020 for his heroics with the Spanish national team.
Barcelona announced on Thursday that they had agreed a new 5-year contract with Pedri. The teenager is now tied to the club until 2026 and has a club-record release clause of €1 billion.
