Three favourites to win the 2017 Golden Boy award

SWANSEA, WALES - SEPTEMBER 10: Renato Sanches of Swansea City arrives prior to the Premier League match between Swansea City and Newcastle United at Liberty Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Swansea, Wales. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
SWANSEA, WALES - SEPTEMBER 10: Renato Sanches of Swansea City arrives prior to the Premier League match between Swansea City and Newcastle United at Liberty Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Swansea, Wales. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images.

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.