5 English youngsters rated in top-10; Foden & Bellingham in elite category

England commands respect after heavy influence in Project 2000 findings

The Telegraph have released their latest updated edition of their running series Project 2000 focusing on the top-30 young players across Europe, with England being strongly represented while Manchester City starlet Phil Foden leads the English pack.

Youngsters the likes of Gavi, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Dusan Vlahović, Ferran Torres, Bukayo Saka, and Jude Bellingham all feature in the top-30 findings, while five England youngsters were deemed good enough to feature in the top-ten.

Manchester United forward pair Jadon Sancho (10) and Mason Greenwood (9) were included, as was Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (7). But Borussia Dortmund’s highly coveted midfielder Jude Bellingham (5) and Manchester City wonderkid Phil Foden (3) were both deemed as two of the top-five youngsters across the continent in the project’s latest findings.

Erling Haaland coming in at number one is hardly a shock to anyone, as the Norwegian goal machine continues to run down his destiny to become one of the games greatest-ever goal scorers after.

Top-three for Foden as Man City starlet continues to grow

Still just 21-years-old and having already won eight major honors with Manchester City since breaking into the first-team set up under Pep Guardiola back in the 2017-18 season, Phil Foden is arguably the brightest young talent in England.

City have recently offered Foden a long-term contract extension at the Etihad with clear intent to build their future around the full international in a deal that would see him tied to the club until 2027 while his wages would quadruple should he except the new terms.

His meteoric rise under Guardiola is in no small part to his dedicated work ethic in remaining at the club despite the constant influx of players coming to the blue half of Manchester.

While Jadon Sancho – rightly or wrongly – left for Borussia Dortmund and perpetrated his own rapid progression at the Westfalenstadion, Foden fought for his place amongst names like Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Raheem Sterling, and Riyah Mahrez.

Despite the competition for places that now includes summer signing Jack Grealish, Foden is an undisputed key for both club and country for now and in the future.

Not only is he unquestionably one of the best young players in Europe, but he is cementing his reputation as being the best young player England have had since Wayne Rooney burst onto the scene nearly two-decades ago.