Football is cyclical, and staying at the top is tough for anyone—especially for those who, just five years ago, were hailed as rising stars. So what happened to the U21 players who topped the market value rankings in 2021? Let’s take a closer look.
“A summit reached is the border between the finite and the infinite.” That feeling, captured by Erri De Luca’s words, is what many young footballers experience when they suddenly find themselves in the spotlight, often without the right support system. Those who stumble risk falling hard. Using market value as a measure of success, history is filled with soaring peaks and burnt wings. Take Ansu Fati, for instance—the player expected to follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi, only for that path to be later taken by Lamine Yamal, who was just a kid in Barcelona’s U14 squad back then.
**Performance – Season 20/21 – All Competitions**
Appearances: 10 | Goals: 5 | Assists: 4
So where are these talents from five years ago now? Two have become puzzles for Juventus. Goals at a young age often define greatness. Erling Haaland maintained his pace and remained among the elite, while others hit a roadblock and entered a dreaded limbo, where salaries and transfer rumors speak louder than match reports. Perfect examples of this middle ground are Juventus duo Dušan Vlahović and Jonathan David. In 2021, they represented the prototype of the modern striker—Vlahović valued at €70 million and David at €50 million, the same as Mason Greenwood and Ferran Torres, who both took a long detour through Manchester to regain credibility.
**Comparison**
Dušan Vlahović – Juventus FC – Market Value: €35.00m – Age: 26 – Role: Center Forward – Contract until 30/06/2026
Jonathan David – Juventus FC – Market Value: €35.00m – Age: 26 – Role: Center Forward – Contract until 30/06/2030
While Vlahović hadn’t yet arrived in Turin and David was shining in Ligue 1, Juventus actually had Dejan Kulusevski on their books—the second most valuable U21 in Italy in 2021. His career took a peculiar turn, growing then dipping below his former standards (now worth €35 million, €5 million less than five years ago). Outside Serie A—which now attracts fewer top prospects—there’s Moise Kean, and possibly Curtis Jones, courted by Inter and once valued at €30 million, but then fading. The exception is Sandro Tonali, ranked 20th back then at AC Milan, now the top Italian talent playing in the Premier League.
**The Most Improved U21 from Serie A in 2021**
Newcastle’s midfielder is among those who rose from Serie A to reach absolute top levels. Over five years, Tonali increased his market value by €45 million, from €35 million to €80 million today. Yet someone in Italy did even better: Riccardo Calafiori, now a rival in England, was just a hope from Roma’s academy in 2021. His career has been a rollercoaster—a forgettable loan at Genoa, persistent fragility, moves to Basel and Bologna, and a rebirth under Thiago Motta.
The term “rebirth” also fits Kaio Jorge, who went from Santos prodigy to Juventus flop before returning to his comfort zone in Brazil. He’s the bright side of a coin that hasn’t made many prospects rich—players many once bet heavily on. The same goes for Giovanni Reyna.
