Players you need to watch at the U21s European Championships
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The U21 European Championships kicked off on Friday afternoon when England met Sweden in the opening game.
The tournament is always a great event and an ideal way to see who is coming through the ranks.
It also gives players the platform to shine on the big stage, handing the senior team coaches and managers something to think about with the World Cup on the horizon.
With the tournament now in full swing, we look at who you should be keeping a watchful eye on.
Marco Asensio - Real Madrid
In terms of pedigree, you won’t find much bigger than Marco Asensio at this U21s tournament.
The Spaniard is seen as the next big thing at Real Madrid and has featured frequently off the bench for Zinedine Zidane’s side this season, he even scored in the 4-1 win over Juventus in the Champions League final.
He scored a brilliant hat-trick in Spain’s 5-0 win over Macedonia on Saturday night. He will undoubtedly be on the plane to Russia next summer.
Serge Gnabry - Bayern Munich
Remember him Arsenal fans? The German winger who could not get a game on loan at West Brom.
Well, he’s just signed a three-year deal with Bayern Munich this summer and will be desperate to showcase what he can do.
After one year at Werder Bremen, Gnabry activated a clause in his contract that allowed him to move on and Bayern pounced.
Germany have had to be careful in their selection with the senior team also competing in the Confederations Cup currently, so they’re youth side is not as strong as it could be, with some of those who would have been in the squad making the jump up.
This has handed Gnabry the chance to be one of the bigger names in the U21s and lead by example.
Jordan Pickford - Everton
The aforementioned Asensio arrived with some pedigree, as does new Everton signing Jordan Pickford.
On the eve of the tournament kicking off, Pickford became the third most expensive goalkeeper in the world, no pressure then?
Pickford will be hoping to show Everton fans that the future is bright at Goodison Park after joining for a deal worth around £30 million.
It was a brilliant penalty save from Pickford that kept things level for England in their opening game against Sweden.
Patrik Schick - Sampdoria
The Czech Republic striker is one of Serie A’s hottest properties at the moment.
After a breakthrough season with Sampdoria, it’s being reported that Juventus are very keen to secure the player’s long-term future.
The 21-year-old scored 13 goals in competitions for Sampdoria this season and has attracted a lot of attention from clubs around Europe.
He’ll be hoping to spearhead the Czech side to a successful campaign and cement his growing reputation in European football.
Jorge Mere - Sporting Gijon
Mere is one-half of a promising young central defensive partnership for the Spanish side.
He partnered Jesus Vallejo at the back for Spain during their 5-0 win over Macedonia on Saturday night.
Mere is comfortable on the ball but also strong in the tackle, making him the ideal fit for Spain’s system.
Despite being just 20 years of age, he was a mainstay in the Gijon side that finished 18th in La Liga, featuring 31 times in the Spanish top flight last season.
Mere is widely expected to move on and find a new club this summer following their relegation and he has attracted plenty of interest from around Europe.
Domenico Berardi - Sassuolo
Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi has a point to prove at this summer’s Euros as he looks to cement a place in the Italian squad for next summer’s World Cup.
The Italians have a brilliant young squad that boasts a wealth of potential, but there have always been question marks surrounding Berardi at international level.
The championships in Poland are seen as the perfect stage for him to prove himself.
The winger has already turned down moves to Inter Milan and Juventus in the past and has recently been linked to Chelsea, so his potential is clear to see.