Juventus' Moise Kean makes Serie A and Champions League history
Wednesday 23 November 2016 17:26, UK
Juventus' Moise Kean made history when he became the first player born in the year 2000 to feature in the Champions League on Tuesday night. Here, we profile the teenager and take a look at young talent on the rise in England...
Kean, who is just 16 years and 267 days old, appeared as a substitute in his side's 3-1 victory over La Liga giants Sevilla, coming off the bench in the 84th minute just moments before Juventus regained the lead as they went on to seal their place in the last 16 of the competition.
The achievement was his second landmark in three days after becoming the first player born in the new millennium to play in Serie A, playing the final six minutes of Juventus' 3-0 win over Pescara on Saturday.
Kean, who was born in February 2000, had been named on the bench five times in the league and twice in the Champions League by coach Massimiliano Allegri, but had not featured before the weekend.
Born to Ivorian parents in the Italian province of Vercelli, Kean was introduced to Asti's youth side by Renato Biasi before joining Torino. He signed for Juventus in 2010 and, six years on, has made his big breakthrough.
Here are the youngest players named on a Premier League bench this season...
Kane Wilson, West Brom
Born on March 11, 2000, West Brom wonder boy Kane Wilson was included in the Baggies' squad for their pre-season tour to Austria and he got his first taste of senior action as a substitute in their friendly defeat to Paris Saint-Germain before recording his first senior start against Torquay United.
Wilson, who joined West Brom at the age of seven, can play at right-back and in midfield, but has been favoured so far in a left-back role at Albion.
He attracted interest from Liverpool and Arsenal at the age of 14, when he was producing some impressive displays for West Brom's U16 side.
The 16-year-old has represented England at U16 and U17 level, making six appearances combined.
Wilson spent the majority of the 2015/16 season with West Brom's U18s, also making three substitute appearances for the U21s.
His competitive debut came in the EFL Cup on August 24, appearing as a 70th-minute substitute in West Brom's first-round penalty defeat to Northampton Town.
Just five days later, Wilson was named in Tony Pulis' squad for their Premier League game at home to Middlesbrough. Had he come on, Wilson would have taken the title of the league's first player born in the 2000s but his wait for a first league start continues.
Jonathan Leko, West Brom
Another product of West Brom's youth system - this time a little older at 17 years of age - Jonathan Leko joined the Baggies in 2010 and has gone on to make 10 appearances for his side.
Leko, who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo in April 1999, moved with his family to England when he was eight years old.
Like Wilson, the youngster was included in West Brom's 2015 pre-season tour, making an appearance against Red Bull Salzburg when he came off the bench in his side's 3-1 defeat.
Leko made his first professional debut in September of last year when he featured as a substitute in West Brom's League Cup defeat to Norwich.
His Premier League debut came in April 2016 when he was named in Pulis' squad against Sunderland, coming on for Saido Berahino as a late substitute at just 16 years and 344 days old. The appearance made Leko the first 1999-born player to feature in England's top flight.
However, he isn't the youngest player to play in the Premier League - that title is held by Matthew Briggs, now at Colchester, who played in Fulham's 3-1 defeat at Middlesbrough in May 2007 at the age of 16 years, two months and seven days.
Leko was awarded West Brom's Young Player of the Season Award for the 2015/16 campaign before going on to put pen to paper on his first professional contract with the club; a three-year deal running through to the summer of 2019.
Josh Tymon - Hull City
Highly-rated youngster Josh Tymon made his Premier League debut for Hull in their 3-0 loss to Sunderland at the weekend, featuring in the starting XI and playing 68 minutes before making way for Jarrod Bowen.
At 17 years old the defender, who was born in May 1999, has one league appearance for the Tigers and three England U17 appearances under his belt.
He made his domestic first-team debut in an FA Cup tie at Bury in January and in doing so became the youngest Tiger since Lee Ellington to get the nod.
The Hull-born left-back was impressive in City's 3-1 win at Gigg Lane and is said to be keen to commit his long-term future to Mike Phelan's side as he continues talks over a first professional contract.
Hull will no doubt be keen to tie him down, with Arsenal and Tottenham thought to be monitoring his progress.
Joel Asoro - Sunderland
Sweden's Joel Asoro has played nine minutes of league football for the Black Cats so far this season, making his professional debut when he replaced Duncan Watmore in the 81st-minute in his club's 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough in August to become the team's youngest ever Premier League player.
The 17-year-old midfielder, who can also play in a forward role, signed for Sunderland in 2015 from Swedish club IF Brommapojkarna.
Born in April 1999, Asoro started his career with his local club IFK Haninge before going on to make 21 appearances for Sweden U17s and three at U21 level, scoring 24 goals combined.
Thibaud Verlinden - Stoke
Stoke City rising star and the son of former Club Brugge goalkeeper Dany Verlinden, Thibaud Verlinden's progress in Premier League Two certainly hasn't gone unnoticed by first-team boss Mark Hughes.
Verlinden, who turned 17 in the summer, was shortlisted for the Premier League Two player of the month for October after impressing with his performances within the Stoke City academy.
The Belgian midfielder is yet to gain first-team action this season, however, Hughes opted to include the teenager in the squad for their EFL Cup game against Hull in September, which they went on to lose 2-1.
He was recently selected ahead of his age group for Belgium U19s and set up two goals in a 5-0 win over Kazakhstan, proving it may not be long before he gets a look-in for the Potters.
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