Well we are 7 days away from the kick-off of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt and the full preview coming later this week. This however, is a list I've compiled of 3 stars to watch. So without much more delay let's jump into it.
Well, hopefully this first lad isn't forging some birth certificates like his Nigerian teammates but central midfielder, Lukman Haruna is the first point of our star. The AS Monaco midfielder chose the small principality as his home over places like Madrid and Lisbon. With a contract running until 2012 he may not be moving anywhere for another year or two. With only 4 rather boring but well played appearances for his club he's been putting in good performances for Nigerian youth sides. He captained the African & World Champion Nigerian U-17 teams and was called into the provisional squad for the 2008 African Cup of Nations at 16 years old. Though he was cut it's very impressive that he was even consideration. He did however play a warm-up for the tournament against Sudan. Berti Vogts was quoted as saying that he wanted Haruna ni the squad because he felt he needed the experience. I could see him going to Manchester United to fill the gap that Paul Scholes will leave in a few years.
Someone more people may know comes up next. Matthew Briggs is a defender at Fulham. The reason some may know him more than anyone else that will appear on this list is because he is the youngest player to ever appear an English Premier League match when he was brought on against Fulham at the end of the 2006-07 season. He's got a contract that extends to 2011 but I think he may make move this coming summer. That does depend on how well he plays in this tournament. Having not appeared for the first team since that game not helping his case either but be watching for the young Englishman.
Our final player also broke the record the youngest debutant in the league he plays in, namely, the A-League. I'm talking about Ben Kantarovski of the Newcastle Jets. He broke the debutant record in the season opener for his club this past season. With a contract stretching to January 2012, you wouldn't think he'd be going anywhere but I've heard things along the lines of him going to Bayern Munich this coming summer and possibly even at the end of the January window. I think he'd make something of a super sub for the time being as he plays in the center of the midfield. Who knows? I don't.
Anyway, that looks like that's just about it for the stars to watch join me again for a look at the tournament as a whole.
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