Ruben Vargas is a 22-year-old left/attacking midfielder who currently plays for Bundesliga side Augsburg. Having joined Augsburg last season at the age of 20 from Swiss Super League side Luzern, he has quickly settled into his new life in Germany and is rapidly becoming a fan favourite at the Augsburg Arena.    Born in Adligenswil,…

Reading FC made an electric start to the 2020/21 Championship season, winning seven of their first eight games. The Royals did eventually begin to tail off, as expected, but they are still in sixth place, just three points behind second-placed Swansea, and have established themselves as promotion contenders.   Veljko Paunovic’s young side is littered…

 More and more young players are beginning to forge their way in England’s top flight, with the days of starting XI’s with an average age of 30+ becoming a thing of the past. This season has seen the trend of youthfulness continue, with managers forced to use the full depth of their squads as the…

Throughout his coaching career, Cesare Prandelli has had an uncanny ability to get the best out of his strikers. Romanian forward Adrian Mutu starred for him at Hellas Verona, Parma, and Fiorentina, Alberto Gilardino was a prolific striker at the Ducali and the Viola, whilst Brazilian striker Adriano made his career breakthrough under the Orzinuovi…

Leeds United are judged as a team of great hyperbole. In one instance lauded for their high pressing attacking football and in the same breath remonstrated for their naivety. The reality is something closer to the latter. They are not a team blessed with the individual quirks of Jack Grealish but instead take confidence from…

Since joining from Barcelona at the age of 22, Thiago Alcântara proved to be an oasis of serenity and precision in the heart of Bayern Munich’s midfield, playing an integral role in the Bavarian side’s domestic hegemony and leading them to a historic treble last season. However, after seven years in Germany, he departed for…

It all started with a Merseyside derby curler.    It wasn’t Curtis Jones’ first appearance in a red shirt, nor was it particularly the moment where he truly broke into the first team. But it was the moment, if you ask any Reds’ supporter, that etched the local lad into the hearts and minds of…

At 23 years of age, Mikel Oyarzabal is quickly establishing himself as one of the biggest talents in La Liga. Born in Eibar, Gipuzkoa, Oyarzabal joined Real Sociedad’s academy in 2011, where he would spend the next few years apart from a brief loan spell at Eibar in 2013/14, before making his first-team debut under…

When Federico Bonazzoli emerged from the Inter youth academy, he was considered to be another Italian forward with a bright future.   The former Italy youth international has not established himself as a prolific striker but he has produced moments of quality that can convince coaches and football fans that he is a complete forward…

Modern football fans have been able to see some of the stars of recent play well into their ’30s. Players that launched themselves into stardom in the 2000’s are still playing a prominent part in Europe’s major leagues. Serie A in particular has a few veterans who are making an impact well into their 30s…