Nico MELAMED

Espanyol

Melamed fits the mould of the finest Spanish midfielders: diminutive, nimble and accomplished technically. The 19year-old grew up just outside Barcelona, and joined Espanyol’s academy at 11. Last season he was a B team regular, scoring seven goals in the Spanish third tier and earning a first-team debut in June. He was powerless to prevent them being relegated, yet has caught the eye of some big clubs.