Costly kids – the best European youth footballing talents

Forget English Sterling, these top Euro wonderkids would cost loads of dosh the way they're playing

Paco Alcacer, 21, Valencia

With the faltering Fernando Torres now dropped from Spain's squad, the former World Champions have replaced him with in-form Valencia hitman Paco Alcacer. The Spanish pocket rocket has not only banged in four goals in 8 matches in La Liga this season, but has also scored three times for the national team too. Si, senor!

Mateo Kovacic, 20, Inter

This young Croatian midfield schemer is an integral part of the Inter Milan engine room. He's smashed in two goals so far this season, while his 2.3 key passes per game puts him in the top 10 players in Italy, and his 3.7 dribbles per game is bettered by only two other players in Serie A!

Abdul Rahman Baba, 20, Augsburg

The marauding left-back already has three assists in Germany's top division to his name – despite playing at the back for mid-table Augsburg. He's also captain of the Ghana Under 20s, with his average of five tackles per game the best in the Bundesliga! No wonder several Premier League clubs have been reported as watching him… 

Memphis Depay, 20, PSV Eindhoven

The Dutch winger with a shot like a cannon has carried on from where he left off at the World Cup, when he scored two goals for Holland. He's already walloped in five strikes in five league appearances this season. His average of 4.8 shots per game is the highest in the Dutch Eredivisie, and he also has one cheeky assist.

Aymeric Laporte, 20, Athletic Club

Zut alors! French centre-back Aymeric Laporte is said to be interesting Barcelona after impressing in Spain's top division this year. He leads the league in interceptions, despite only being 20, while his 2.9 average tackles per game put him among the top defenders in La Liga too. A France Under 21 player, he's destined for big things!

[Of players under 21; stats from WhoScored.com on 23/10/14]

Hull City v Tottenham Hotspur betting: Kane to carry on

Back the in-form Spurs striker to grab one in Sunday's game, and the returning Nikica Jelavic

With neither side showing good form in the Premier League, both Hull and Tottenham will be looking for a positive result at the KC Stadium on Sunday to rejuvenate their stuttering league campaigns. 

The Tigers head into the game with just one win in six, while the visitors have two victories over the same period, albeit three defeats in their last four league matches.

Don't get sentimental and think that former Spurs club captain Michael Dawson could pop up with a goal here – he scored just seven in 11 seasons for the Lilywhites, while former Tottenham midfielders Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore might be keen to impress against their former club, too, but a record of just three goals in 47 league appearances doesn't bode well for either.

A better bet could be the 9/1 (Boylesports) odds for the returning Nikica Jelavic who is tipped to return from a knee injury (according to @physioroom.com) and has a good record of finding the net against the men from White Hart Lane (two goals in five league matches against them).

Tottenham have conceded more than 2.5 goals in their last four Premier League games, and while Hull have not scored in their last three, that could well change with this fixture and the kick up the behind that Steve Bruce has likely given his team following their defeat to Burnley last time out.

Harry Kane at 6/1 (Bwin) looks a good bet for the final goal of the match after his brace in midweek for the England U21s continued his goalscoring run of 15 goals in 14 starts (all competitions) this season, while a 1-1 draw at 13/2 (Bet Victor) also looks good value given the poor form of the other attackers at the North London outfit, Nacer Chadli apart.

Hot teen: Timo Werner

The young German goal machine is already notching in the Bundesliga on a regular basis. Plying his trade at Stuttgart, the 18-year-old is set to light up Germany's top flight for years to come, and to further his international scoring pedigree that so far stretches across every Nationalmannschaft age group.