Player Focus: Five Youngsters Enjoying Breakout Seasons in Brazil’s Série A

With six games of the season remaining, there remains plenty to play for in the 2014 Brasileirão – even if those dastardly Cruzeiro schemers have already all but wrapped up their second consecutive title. The race for the Libertadores places is hotter than the surface of the sun (just the four teams on 54 points as things stand), while plenty of sides are still battling manfully against the drop.

For many, though, the real battle begins after the season’s end, when European clubs will once more come sniffing round in search of talent to tempt to the Velho Continente. Many of the names likely to be in the mix will be broadly familiar by this stage – think Éverton Ribeiro, Lucas Silva, Gabriel – but the gold rush is usually such that it’s not just the established stars who attract attention.

Without wishing to tempt fate (heaven knows Brazilian football could do with keeping its talented kids for longer), here are five youngsters who could be on the radar having enjoyed breakout seasons in 2014.

Natanael (Atlético Paranaense)

One of a number of youngsters to have come through the ranks at Atlético-PR of late (see also: Marcelo, Douglas Coutinho), Natanael is straight from the Brazilian attacking full-back mould. Blessed with blistering pace and determination, he has been one of the standout players in what has been a mixed season for the Furacão.

His 6 assists thus far are matched only by right-back Sueliton, which highlights Atlético's reliance on their full-backs for creativity. All but one of those have come from crosses – no surprise as he averages 1.5 per game. But while his attacking raids catch the eye, he is no slouch on the back foot either: only Deivid beats both his 56 tackles and 66 interceptions. It would be no surprise to see him switch to Europe in the near future.

Alisson (Cruzeiro)

In a squad that hardly lacks for attacking players, 21-year-old Alisson has nonetheless managed to mark some territory out for himself this term. A direct, vibrant attacking midfielder, he has most often been used on the left by Marcelo Oliveira, who appears to favour him over the more experienced Dagoberto.

From that role, he has the freedom to cut inside and score goals – as he has 3 times this term, including an acrobatic effort in September’s derby against Atlético-MG. His other attacking stats are also impressive: no Cruzeiro regular can better his record of a successful dribble every 42 minutes, nor his passing accuracy of 88.2%. Injuries have started to hamper him of late, but his talent is there for all to see.

Carlos (Atlético Mineiro)

Belo Horizonte’s other Série A team also have an attacking talent worthy of attention. With more storied forwards like Jô and André hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons, Carlos – a teenager capable of playing wide but perhaps more comfortable through the middle – has come to the fore at the Independência in recent months.

An instinctive finisher with his right foot and good in the air, Carlos is in the Galo’s top three for shots per game (2.2), while 0.9 offsides per game highlights his preference for playing on the shoulder of the last man. It would be a surprise if he did not add to his tally of 5 goals before the end of the campaign.

Erik (Goiás)

Leading scorer for midtable Goiás with 8 thus far, 20-year-old forward Erik has done well to fill the sizeable boots of Walter at the Serra Dourada. At 170cm tall and lean as a whippet, he does not look the most imposing figure, but his lightning pace has proved to be a huge weapon this term.

No teammate has managed more shots than his 50 or more on target than his 23, while he also leads the Goiás squad for successful dribbles (25). With no other attacker having managed more than 3 goals for the Emeralds, his importance to their cause cannot be overstated.

Malcom (Corinthians)

Perhaps more likely to truly make a name for himself in 2015, Malcom nonetheless deserves his place on any list of Brazilian youngsters to watch. The star of the Corinthians side that finished second in the Copinha youth tournament in the early part of the year, he was fast-tracked into the first-team set-up and scored his first senior goal against Chapecoense in September.

He has yet to follow that up with much of note (0.9 shots per game, 7 key passes), but he looks to have plenty of confidence and technical ability. Plus he’s named after Malcolm X, so he’s already won the moniker lottery.

Which Brasileirão players do you think could make the move to Europe after this season's exploits? Let us know in the comments below