The 10 Series is our annual special on Just Football in which we assess the best young players to watch in six of the top divisions around Europe (England, Spain, France, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands).

“But what about other countries?!” we hear you cry. “What about Portugal?!” Well, you have a point. So, let’s widen the net now and look at the 10 best young players to watch in Portugal in 2015. All players are 22 or under as of the 1st January 2015…



By Vasco Mota Pereira

Top 10 best young players to watch in Portugal in 2015



Óliver Torres

(FC Porto, on loan from Atlético Madrid, 20 years old)

Probably the most prominent star in Portuguese football at the moment, Óliver Torres was loaned out by Atlético Madrid to FC Porto at the beginning of the current season so that Miniesta – as he is often dubbed – could get more playing time.

Recognised as one of the most promising players to come through Atlético’s ranks over the past years, coach Diego Simeone had no qualms about calling the player to the senior team back in 2012 – at a time when he hadn’t even been summoned to play for Atlético’s B team.

Torres first caugh Just Football’s eye at the Under-20 World Cup in Turkey in 2013, and the midfielder’s impressive technique and ability with both feet usually are what usually get the most attention. But it’s what precedes all of that that is the most striking: Torres’ speed of thought allows him to apparently interpret the game’s situations before his opponents – and sometimes his own team-mates.

Supported by coach Julen Lopetegui, Torres has found in Porto an encouraging, comforting environment in which to hone his skills.

Anderson Talisca

(Benfica, 21 years old)

With just a year and a half of senior football under his belt at Brazilian club Bahia, Benfica found it wise to spend €4 million to lure Anderson Talisca away from South America and he hit the ground running. His graceful left foot often gets him comparisons to Rivaldo, even though his technique is not as exquisite.

As so often is the case with South American players, Talisca’s biggest vulnerability is the defensive side of the game, something that renders him unsuitable for a place in central midfield for now. However, Talisca has a great shot on him and good vision.

He is deadly if allowed space in front of the defence, but can sometimes struggle to make an impact if that area is well patrolled by opposing midfielders. Still, he remains a top talent and one who’s been scouted by many European giants already.

Carlos Mané

(Sporting Lisbon, 20 years old)

A typical product of Sporting Lisbon‘s Academy, Carlos Mané is a fast, tricky (usually right) winger that can pry open opposing defences. After being given a few chances by last season’s coach Leonardo Jardim (now at Monaco), Mané was expected to really make his mark this time around, and even André Carrillo’s good season and, most importantly, the return of the prodigal son Nani from Mancunian shores have not stifled his evolution.

Mané still has room to improve but this season he has taken important steps towards gain confidence in his own trickery and speed. If he is able to combine those traits with some progress in his decision-making process, who knows if England might be seeing another Sporting export soon enough?

Danilo

(Sporting Braga, 19 years old)

Portuguese football’s standing as a hotbed of young foreign players brimming with potential might be coming to an end as UEFA cracks down on third-party funds – one of which (led by the ubiquitous Jorge Mendes) managed to bring Danilo to Braga.

The holding midfielder, dubbed “Vasco’s Busquets” in a reflection of his playing style and football roots, was a regular presence in Brazil’s youth teams and was being followed by bigger European clubs.

At 18, he is still quite young and, should he be able to work with the right people along the way, will certainly find himself playing for bigger sides than Braga, thanks to his extraordinarily acute positional sense and ability to strike accurate short and long passes from the holding midfielder position. Oh, and his dead-ball abilities are not too shabby either.

Saleh Gomaa

(Nacional da Madeira, 21 years old)

Saleh Gomaa was considered the best player in the 2013 African Under-20 Championships and was rumoured to have entertained offers from Manchester United and Anderlecht as the central midfielder – who can also play as a no.10 – quickly escalated the heights of the Egyptian national sides from Under-20 to Under-23 to the senior national team in under a year.

As so often is the case with young potential stars, Gomaa can sometimes drift in and out of matches. But overall, we’re still in the presence of a young right-footed player who can expertly hold on to the ball and pick almost any pass to a team-mate, while diligently performing his defensive tasks, in large parts following his willingness to develop his game.

Ahmed Hassan

(Rio Ave, 21 years old)

Despite his height (191 cm, 6’2″), young striker Ahmed Hassan is fairly mobile and, boasting very good decision making, he makes himself available to receive the ball remaining aware of when to turn or when to wait so that his team-mates have the necessary time to push up the pitch. The intelligence with which he can pick his runs’ timing and the ability to hide in plain sight (taking up pockets of space between defenders) should not be overlooked.

The ability to score with either foot or his head and to score both from inside or outside the box makes him quite the commodity these days, where a static goal poacher does not seem to cut it anymore. The fact that he can be calm and collected most times he’s presented with an opportunity is just the icing on the cake.

Bryan Cristante

(Benfica, 19 years old)

Benfica’s signing of Italian youngster Bryan Cristante from AC Milan in the early season seemed like quite the coup, given the central midfielder’s huge potential. The fact that he arrived in Portugal for €6 million only added to that notion.

Still only 19, Cristante is Milan’s youngest player to feature in the Champions League (when he had yet to turn 17), which should give some indication of just how the player was rated in Italy. In fact, the move had many scratching their heads trying to find a good reason for Milan to get rid of such a promising talent, particularly for such low figures.

Able to play as a deep-lying midfielder or in a more advanced role in a three-man midfield, Cristante has become known for his ability to pick out a pass. He also has some goalscoring skills in his repertoire as well. Cristante has had mixed results so far in the times he’s been asked to prove his mettle, but Benfica trust in the kid’s potential and he is expected to climb high.

Rúben Neves

(FC Porto, 17 years old)

At 17, Ruben Neves stands out in many ways. He never actually played for FC Porto’s Under-19 or B team – instead he went straight into the senior squad. Up until June 2014, his matches only lasted 80 minutes, since the duration of matches in Portuguese football gradually increases with age. He became the youngest player to score a goal for FC Porto in the Portuguese league. And he became the youngest Portuguese ever to play in the Champions League.

But despite his youth he always looks composed, calm and collected. After the sale of Fernando to Manchester City, the Dragons found themselves without a proper holding midfielder for some time. The solution was Rúben Neves.

Neves completed his dream debut at the start of the season by scoring 11 minutes into the match. Neves has the necessary range to play either as holding midfielder or further up the pitch. His vision and passing skills certainly impress, but it’s his positioning and excellent game reading shows that we’re in the presence of a tremendous player in the making.

Ryan Gauld

(Sporting Lisbon, 19 years old)

Everyone took notice when Sporting Lisbon signed Ryan Gauld from Dundee United for £3million. Both club and coach had high hopes for the player and, in fact, coach Marco Silva was so impressed with what he saw in training that, even though Gauld was to be farmed out to the club’s B team, the Scottish wizard ended up making the Champions League squad.

In order not to harm the player’s evolution in any way, Gauld started out showing his skills in the Portuguese second tier, so that he could enjoy playing time week in, week out. However, he was consistently summoned to the senior squad for the Portuguese League Cup (where he scored his two first goals for the senior side) and over the past month has been called upon twice from the bench to play the last 25 minutes – a clear signal that the player may just have outgrown the Portuguese second division.

SEE ALSO: Generation Next: Ryan Gauld – Scotland’s brightest young star

Gauld still has work to do as far as stamina and his physical build are concerned, but the 19-year-old has looked sure of himself and comfortable whenever Marco Silva has called upon him. While it is still too early to say if he will end up as a central midfielder or as a proper no.10, the undeniable fact is that his left foot treats the ball with enormous respect and fondness, which sends very promising signs to coach and supporters alike.

Bernard Mensah

(Vitoria Guimarães, 20 years old)

Despite being rejected by Braga in his teens, Vitoria Guimarães ended up seeing some potential in Ghanaian Bernard Mensah. Shy, Mensah did not impress immediately, but his particularly strong shot and good decision making drew the attention of the club’s higher echelons. Slender and slight, the attacking midfielder (who can also play on both flanks) is still trying to incorporate a more physical dimension in his game. But the evolution has been clear for all to see.

It is rumoured that Mensah is already in Benfica’s plans, possibly as a substitute for Enzo Pérez – which should serve as an indicator of the player’s abilities and inclination, since Jorge Jesus has a distinct tactical blueprint for his teams and each position involves a specific skill set. Inter Milan are also rumoured to have watched the youngster.

In other words, in Mensah one can find a player that displays quick thought and feet, as well as the ability to shine in matches even when the going gets tough.

Who do you think are the best young players to watch in Portugal in 2015? Which of these 10 should we most keep our eye on? Let us know below or on Twitter @JustFootball.

(main image credit: PascU MendeZ via Flickr)