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#7 Christopher Nkunku | RB Leipzig | 15
RB Leipzig have picked up a reputation of being able to lure some of the world's most exciting young talents. This is why it came as no surprise when they parted with a fee of €13m for PSG starlet Christopher Nkunku in the summer of 2019 after interest from Arsenal. What did come as a surprise, though, is the immediate impact he had in Germany.
Nkunku, primarily operating as an attacking midfielder, racked up just under 2,000 minutes of Bundesliga football and produced 15 assists for the Red Bull-powered giants — the most of any player at the club. He also recorded five goals to his name to round off an immensely successful debut campaign in German football. His ability to pick perfectly weighted and timed passes into the final third has aided Leipzig on several occasions.
The 22-year-old Frenchman would hope to continue in this vein of form as his side are set to face Atletico Madrid in a one-off UEFA Champions League quarter-final shortly. Regardless of the outcome, it has been a superb season from Nkunku.
#6 Alejandro Gomez | Atalanta | 16
Atalanta's inspirational leader and legend, Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez has been one of the standout players in Serie A this year. The Argentine is regarded as one of the most exciting players in the league, but his 2019/20 campaign has undoubtedly exceeded all expectations.
Gomez, who has predominantly played in behind the likes of Josep Ilicic, Luis Muriel, and Duvan Zapata, has been the catalyst behind most of Atalanta's breathtaking attacks. The diminutive playmaker has amassed 16 assists in his 36 Serie A games, along with seven goals, en route a coming of age season for Gian Piero Gasperini's men where they finished third. They scored a whopping 98 league goals this year, 22 more than champions Juventus.
Gomez is set to lead his side into battle as Atalanta prepare to face French champions PSG in the UCL quarter-finals. A successful run in the UCL could add on to what has been been a superb season for Gomez and Atalanta.
#5 Luis Alberto | Lazio | 16
Another Serie A player who has had a remarkable 2019/20 campaign, Luis Alberto has been the centrepiece of Lazio's creative prowess. The former Liverpool playmaker endured a lacklustre 2018/19 Serie A season where he scored and assisted four and five goals over 27 games, after having scored 11 and set up 14 the year before.
However, this season, Lazio had a stunning season in terms of the football they played, the results they got, and were even tipped to pip Juventus for the top spot at one point. Alberto amassed 16 assists in Serie A, along with five goals, in 36 appearances for the capital club. Although his teammate Ciro Immobile stole the show with a historic, record-shattering season of football, the Spaniard has played a vital role in his side's successful campaign.
Alberto will be set to help Lazio leave a good account of themselves in the UEFA Champions League next season after qualifying for the competition with a fourth-place finish in the league.
#4 Jadon Sancho | Borussia Dortmund | 17
The man who's made headlines practically throughout the entirety of the 2019/20 campaign, Jadon Sancho has had a blinder of a season in Germany. The Englishman has already had superb 2018/19 season which made clubs all over Europe stand up and take notice, but this year, he's taken his game to a new level.
The Borussia Dortmund winger had a record-breaking season in the Bundesliga, managing to both score as well as assist 17 goals in just 25 starts. Sancho has profoundly impressed in numerous aspects of his game, from his acceleration to beat his man, vision to pick the perfect pass, and maturity to hold on to the ball and make composed decisions in the final third.
The reported Manchester United target was widely expected to join his new club by now, but an impasse in negotiations meant that he travelled with BVB for their pre-season tour. Should he join the Red Devils for €120m, he would become the most expensive English player of all time, surpassing the £80m paid for Harry Maguire.
Also read: UEFA Champions League best XI according to ratings
