The 25 nominees for the 2017 Golden Boy have been announced and this article looks at the three players most likely to win it.
A full list of the nominees can be seen in the tweet below. A panel of 30 journalists from various newspapers in Europe picked the list.
The only requirements are that the players are under the age of 21, and that they play in a European nation’s top league. It is based on the player’s performance over the calendar year rather than just the 2016/17 season.
Previous winners include Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Isco and Paul Pogba so it certainly has notable alumni. The winner of the award will be hoping to have a career similar to the players mentioned above. Although, last year’s winner provides a stark warning because Renato Sanches is already trying to rejuvenate his career on loan at Swansea after struggling at Bavarian giants Bayern Munich.