1) Julian Draxler (Schalke)
A name already well known to many due to his being linked with big clubs such as Arsenal in recent months, Schalke starlet Julian Draxler is widely regarded as being up there with the very best young players in the world at the moment. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder already has 12 caps for Germany and was part of their squad for the 2014 World Cup, though he remains behind the likes of Mesut Ozil and Mario Goetze in the pecking order for the moment. Still, this superb playmaker enjoyed another productive season for his club, notching up five goals and seven assists in all competitions, with some of his long range shooting particularly impressive. Draxler may not have contributed a great deal to this year’s World Cup win, but he’s almost certain to be essential if his country are to lift trophies again in the near future.
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