Five young stars to watch in the epl
From Ryan Giggs to Raheem Sterling, via Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Cesc Fabregas, the English Premier League has long been a fertile breeding ground for up-and-coming talent. Here, AFP profiles five young players for whom the 2014-15 campaign could provide a launch pad to stardom.
Luke Shaw (Manchester United): After a fine season with Southampton that saw him dislodge Ashley Cole from the England squad, Shaw became the fourth most expensive defender in history when United paid an initial fee of 27 million pounds ($45.6 million) to take him to Old Trafford. New United manager Louis van Gaal's decision to introduce a 3-4-1-2 formation should suit the buccaneering 19-year-old, who will have sole responsibility for providing width on the left flank. "Luke is a very talented young leftback with great potential," said United assistant manager Ryan Giggs, the club's last great left-sided player. "He has developed immensely during his time at Southampton and has all the attributes to become a top player."
Kurt Zouma (Chelsea): Zouma, 19, signed for Chelsea from Saint-Etienne in January for a fee of about 12 million pounds before being loaned back to his formative club until the end of the 2013-14 season. The tall, powerful centerback has been given Chelsea's No 5 shirt by manager Jose Mourinho and scored his first goal for the club in a friendly against Slovenian side Olimpija Ljubljana last month. Although John Terry and Gary Cahill will start the campaign as first-choice centerbacks, Chelsea's commitments on four fronts mean the France Under-21 international should get opportunities to impress. "Mourinho said to me, 'Are you ready?'" Zouma told Chelsea TV shortly after arriving in July. "I told him, 'Yeah, I'm ready.'"
