SPORTS SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2016

5 young talents to watch out for

LONDON: AFP Sports picks five young talents that could shine in the English Premier League this season:

Marcus Rashford ( United) Everything so far has gone swimmingly well for the 18-year-old, one genuine success Louis van Gaal could point to in terms of bringing him into the side when pretty much all else didn’t go right for the Dutchman. However, now the England forward-who showed more spark and invention in a cameo appearance at the end of the Iceland Euro 2016 debacle than anyone else had done that evening — faces two challenges. One is to maintain his progress, having lost that element of sur- prise, and another is to convince new manager Jose Mourinho that youth, not experience, can be more effective. ‘The Special One’ was at pains at his unveiling press conference to dismiss suggestions he didn’t favor youth. How Rashford fares under him may well reflect the truth of that statement.

Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City) At £5 million (6m euros, $6.5m), Sobhi could prove to be one of the signings of the close season. The 19- year-old winger has been compared to one of Egypt’s greatest players, Mohamed Aboutrika. He already has six full caps to his name and made his league debut for Egyptian giants Al Ahly aged 16. Played a huge role in Al Ahly winning the title last season under former MANCHESTER: This file photo taken on September 15, 2015 shows Juventus’ midfielder from France Paul Pogba cele- Tottenham Hotspur boss Martin Jol. Another Egyptian brating a goal during a UEFA Champions League group stage football match between Manchester City and Juventus at great, , has no concerns about him stepping up a the Etihad stadium. — AFP few levels in the Premier League, although he preached patience. “The most important thing for me is he has the character, he has a big personality and is not scared Top 10 Premier League of big occasions,” Mido told the Stoke City website. Lewis Cook (Bournemouth) transfers for 2016-17 For a 19-year-old, Cook arrives with a lot of playing experience having shone for fallen giants Leeds United over the past two seasons. The midfielder was named LONDON: Ahead of the new Premier late substitute appearance in their semi- A cunning and unorthodox striker, 22- Football League Young Player of the Year last season- League season, AFP Sport runs down the final defeat by hosts France. year-old Belgium international Batshuayi previous winners include Dele Alli and Gareth Bale-and 10 biggest incoming transfers of the close moved to Chelsea following a prolific sea- knows what it is to win trophies having been a member season (all fees as reported by British ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC son at Marseille in which he scored 23 of the England Under-17 side that won the European media): Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) to goals. With incoming Chelsea coach Championship in 2014. He is likely to get a fair bit of Manchester United, free expected to deploy a two- playing time and should come along nicely under the PAUL POGBA Ibrahimovic did not cost United a pen- man strike-force, he could start the season tutelage of Eddie Howe. Despite Bournemouth defying Juventus to Manchester United, 89 mil- ny in terms of a transfer fee, but the charis- up front alongside . the odds and staying up last season, Cook may find a lion pounds matic 34-year-old Sweden star could lot of responsibility falling on his young shoulders in The close season’s most long-running prove to have the biggest impact of all the N’GOLO KANTE what looks sure to a battle for survival this term. He did transfer saga concluded with France mid- division’s new recruits. After four breath- Leicester City to Chelsea, 30 million that admirably at Leeds but in a higher echelon it is fielder Pogba returning to former club taking years in France, where he won four pounds asking a lot of such a young talent. United in a world-record move. Allowed titles and became PSG’s record The indefatigable driving force behind to leave Old Trafford in 2012 after failing scorer, Ibrahimovic has rejoined forces Leicester City’s fairytale title triumph, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Southampton) to win over legendary United manager with Mourinho, with whom he previously France international Kante became the Southampton may have once again lost several Alex Ferguson, the rangy 23-year-old mid- worked at Inter Milan. first of Claudio Ranieri’s stars to jump ship established stars but in the 21-year-old Danish interna- fielder with the dazzling haircuts and blis- when he left for Chelsea. In the words of tional midfielder they could have acquired a real gem tering shot returns as one of the biggest GRANIT XHAKA former Leicester coach : “No — certainly Saints think so in paying a reported £12.8 names in the sport. Borussia Moenchengladbach (GER) to matter who we’re playing, we play three in million ($16.6m, 15m euros) to Bayern Munich. Despite Arsenal, 35 million pounds midfield-Danny Drinkwater in the middle getting off to a good start with Pep Guardiola at Bayern JOHN STONES Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Kante either side.” they eventually fell out and he was loaned to firstly Everton to Manchester City, 47.5 mil- moved to address longstanding concerns Augsburg-where he flourished-and then Schalke. lion pounds about the lack of bite in his team’s mid- ERIC BAILLY Ostensibly a defensive midfielder, has also been used Elegant centre-back Stones, 22, field by sanctioning a big-money move for Villarreal (ESP) to Manchester United, out wide. Faces a big task in replacing midfield enforcer became the biggest signing of the Pep Switzerland international Xhaka. The 23- 30 million pounds Tottenham-bound Victor Wanyama but he will be Guardiola era at City after joining from year-old was an ever-present for his coun- Centre-back Bailly, 22, became Jose Everton in a deal that made him the sec- try at Euro 2016. Mourinho’s first signing as United manag- determined to prove to Guardiola, now at Manchester ond most expensive defender in history er when he arrived from Villarreal in June City, that he made an error in banishing him when he behind David Luiz of Paris Saint-Germain. SADIO MANE on an initial four-year contract. An Ivory was at Bayern. The former Barnsley player had a difficult Southampton to Liverpool, 34 million Coast international, he made six appear- final season at Everton and did not play a pounds ances as his country won the 2015 Africa Ben Chilwell (Leicester City) single minute of England’s doomed Euro After two fine seasons with Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea. Claudio Ranieri has made superhuman efforts to 2016 campaign, but his ball-playing abili- Southampton, during which he scored 25 persuade established stars such as to sign ties make him very much a Guardiola goals in all competitions, 24-year-old GABRIEL JESUS new contracts with mixed success. However, Chilwell’s player. Senegal flier Mane left St Mary’s to join Palmeiras (BRA) to Manchester City, 31 decision to sign a five-year deal could be equally as Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool revolution. Mane million pounds significant for the 19-year-old is a very highly regard- LEROY SANE holds the record for the fastest Premier Dubbed ‘The New Neymar’, 19-year-old ed left-back. He has played for England up to Under- Schalke to Manchester City, 37 million League hat-trick, having scored three starlet Jesus reportedly turned down an 21 level and Ranieri ensured he got some regular first- pounds times in two minutes and 56 seconds dur- opportunity to play alongside the Brazil team play by shrewdly loaning him out to Winger Sane, 20, arrives in England ing Southampton’s 6-1 win over Aston megastar at Barcelona in order to link up Huddersfield Town last season before recalling him. with a burgeoning reputation. After scor- Villa in May 2015. with Guardiola in Manchester. He will be Yet to make his Premier League debut but is an option ing eight goals in 33 appear- loaned back to Palmeiras until the end of to replace the 30-year-old Austrian Christian Fuchs in ances last season, he was named in MICHY BATSHUAYI the year before joining up with his new the first team. —AFP Germany’s Euro 2016 squad and made a Marseille to Chelsea, 33.2 million pounds team-mates in January. — AFP