Elif Elmas
(Napoli)B
ought from Fenerbahce this summer
for €19million including bonuses,
the 19-year-old North Macedonian
schemer of Turkish descent knows
what it means to be coveted, being heavily linked
in the close season with Manchester City,
Manchester United, Tottenham, Atletico Madrid
and Borussia Dortmund.
It always has been thus for the native of the
Butel district of the North Macedonian capital,
Skopje. At the tender age of 11, while impressing
at the Rabotnicki academy, he reportedly had
scouts from Barcelona and Espanyol in close
attendance – as were Dutch club Heerenveen,
who for a long time thought he would join them,
only to be gazumped at the last minute by
Fenerbahce in 2017 for a paltry €180,000.
The youngest-ever debutant for the senior
Macedonia side – just 17 years and eight months
old when brought on as a second-half sub in
a World Cup qualifier against Spain – he can fit
in anywhere in midfield or across the front line
and plays with a pronounced work ethic allied
to natural flair and imagination.
Former Macedonian striker Goran Pandev,
who played for Napoli and was a Champions
League winner with Internazionale in 2010,
is convinced
Elmas has
what it takes to
be a success.
“He’s a very
technical player
with a strong
personality,”
says Pandev. “He’s young but already has
considerable international experience.”
No doubt Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti will have
much advice to impart – and the youngster is
sure to listen closely as his decision to plump
for the Serie A side was triggered by a phone
call that he received from “Carletto”.Adil Aouchiche
(Paris Saint-Germain)
The 17-year-old midfielder is widely tipped
to be on the cusp of his Ligue 1 debut. Started
out as a number eight or in the holding role, but
excelled last season as an advanced playmaker
in the youth ranks. He was top scorer at this
summer’s Euro Under-17s with nine goals.
Manor Solomon
(Shakhtar Donetsk)Turning defence into attack has long been page
one of the Shakhtar manual in Europe and their
diminutive Israeli winger has more than enough
pace and skill to spring the trap. Happy on either
flank, the 20-year-old joined the Ukrainian side
at the turn of the year from Maccabi Petak Tikva.Nicolo Barella
(Internazionale)Little wonder Inter were so pleased to have won
the auction for the Cagliari box-to-box midfielder.
Wanted by a host of leading Serie A and Premier
League sides, the 22-year-old is a fine engine-
room all-rounder, someone who can win the ball,
make the play and dynamically drive forward.BREAKOUT STARS
“He’s a very technical player with a strong
personality. He’s young but already has
considerable international experience”
Goran Pendev