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Whilst the halfway mark in Europe's 2018/19 season is still a couple of weeks away, the top five leagues in the continent are through with at least 12 rounds of fixtures. It's dicy to draw out conclusions at this stage as its still nascent and precarious. However, a few young talents are taking the new campaign by storm already.
Some have impressed with their blistering goal-scoring exploits, while some have turned in impressive all-round performances. Also, a few of them are realizing their potential after relocating to a new club, and not even midway through the season, are proving to be a good value for money.
England unsurprisingly boast several young and emerging crop like this, but Germany and France are no short of prodigies either. Here are the top 10 youngsters who're going great guns this season:
#10 James Maddison (Leicester City)
Still only 21, Maddison's resume already reads spells at Coventry City, Norwich City and Aberdeen, before making a hefty £20 million move to Leicester City this summer. By far, he was seen as a raw and untested talent, but the English youngster has truly burst to life this season.
Maddison has been going from strength to strength all the while the Foxes are struggling for consistency. He has contributed close to 30% of Leicester's goals with three of his own and assisting another two. His attacking versatility has seen him play and excel both on the left flank as well as behind the striker.
With Riyadh Mahrez long gone and Jamie Vardy stuck in a rut at the moment, Maddison has stepped up to the plate to take the attacking mantle of the side as he has also been the most creative player with 26 chances created - at least four more than any Leicester player.
#9 Anthony Martial (Manchester United)
We've seen the Jekyll and Hyde of Manchester United this season. But the Frenchman has been at the heart of everything positive that Jose Mourinho is witnessing in his third season at the helm. He's scored seven times in all competitions, six of which have come in the league. With Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez failing to fire, Martial has taken over the talismanic mantle and carried this bunch through thick and thin.
#8 Achraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund)
Frustrated by the lack of game time at Real Madrid, Hakimi arrived at Dortmund for a loan spell and in an attempt to nurture his talent. On current evidence, it's going great as the Moroccan left-back has already pulled trees with his new side despite being played out of position.
Hakimi has proved to be a real attacking outlet down that wing, bursting forward at will without ever compromising with his defensive duties. He was on target on his debut in the 7-0 hammering of Nurnberg and has assisted six times so far in all competitions, including a hattrick of assists in the 4-0 laugher over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
#7 Reiss Nelson (Hoffenheim)
The 18-year old became the latest promising teen from Arsenal to be loaned out, and so far has made quite an impression in the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim. Despite starting only four games, Nelson has accrued six goals in the league. And manager Julian Nagelsmann has started him in the midfield as well as a forward, a testament to the youngster's versatility. Besides his attacking threat, he also possesses great passing range and has completed an impressive 88% of his passes.
#6 Richarlison (Everton)
Few could see what the Toffees did while expending £35 million in Richarlison's acquisition from Watford in summer. But three months later, we can comprehend why exactly the club took a gamble. The Brazilian star has hit the ground running with Everton, striking six times in 10 appearances, including a brace on his debut. His pace and directness have injected an element of flair in Everton's attack and with this form, can help Marco Silva's side attain a finish within the Europa League places.
#5 Andre Silva (Sevilla)
His high-profile move to AC Milan last summer might have turned out to be a damp squib, but Silva has recaptured his touch with Sevilla where he's already struck seven times in the league - just three short of what he managed for the Rossoneri in the whole of last season in all competitions.
The 23-year old looks confident again; bustling with life, espying eyes with his blistering speed and catapulting the Sevillistas into top three with his sublime attacking play. He scored an amazing hattrick on his debut on matchday one and hasn't looked back since
#4 Krzysztof Piatek (Genoa)
Several unusual names are leading the goalscoring charts in Europe's major leagues. In Italy, it's the 23-year old Piatek who's set the stage alight with his hot streak. He struck in each of the first seven league games - netting nine times in all - and helped Genoa teeter around the midtable. An outlay of €4 million that the Rossoblu made in his acquisition from polish side Cracovia looked like a daylight robbery, and he's now a serious contender for the Capocannoniere prize.
#3 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Manchester City's sensational title-winning campaign last season was down to several first teamers in the form of their life. Raheem Sterling hit the throttle too, netting 18 times and assisting another 15 goals. Now three months into the new campaign, it's safe to say he's started in the same vein, with six goals and five assists in 10 appearances already. The 23-year old has finally realized his full potential under Guardiola and can help the Cityzens to successfully defend the Premier League crown.
#2 Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
Der BVB have rolled the back the years with a fine start to the campaign as several players in the team are in a good run at the moment. However, Sancho is one particular name that has caught attention. The English teen has become a revelation in Dortmund's attack, wreaking havoc down that left flank with his mazy runs and incredible energy.
Plus, he's scored four goals and assisted another six times in 11 appearances to grow into an important player in Lucien Favre's teamsheet. However, an interesting point to note is, he started only five of those games, which further accentuate his precocious talent.
#1 Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
What new can be said about the French prodigy that hasn't been said already, especially after the World Cup? Mbappe has been in a rich vein of form for club and country, raking up preposterous numbers throughout the year and shattering records to smithereens. He is currently the joint top-scorer in Ligue 1 with 11 goals, having also made another four assists, and more importantly, is touted to make it to the top three nominations for the Ballon d'Or this year.
