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Young Talents to Watch in 2022 Champions League

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Gualter Fatia / Contributor

The 2022 UEFA Champions League returns this week with 32 of Europe's best teams competing for continental supremacy.

Last season's winners Real Madrid aim to add onto their impressive trophy cabinet, while big sides like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain seek their first title.

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While veteran stars like Lionel Messi and Neymar compete in the competition, a new generation of talents are on the rise.

Clubs like Ajax, Benfica and Red Bull Salzburg continue to produce immense talent and that could shine through in Champions League.

Today, we're taking a look at 10 young talents you should be watching ahead of this season's UEFA Champions League.

Benjamin Sesko

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Red Bull Salzburg

Salzburg has become a hub for youth talent over recent years, and Sesko is now entering his name into the club's list of promising attackers.

The 19 year old is heading to Leipzig next season, but before he does he'll look to leave a lasting impact in Austria.

Sesko will feature in Group E alongside giants Chelsea and AC Milan, so his exposure will be soaring this tournament.

Rafael Leao

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AC Milan

Leao and Milan are coming off of a title-winning season in Serie A and now his stock has risen significantly.

The Portuguese attacker won Serie A Player of the Year a season ago and he's drawing interest from many top sides.

That includes Chelsea, who expressed great interest in the player this summer.

Jurien Timber

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Ajax

Ajax lost many top-tier talents this summer, including Antony and Lisandro Martinez.

Timber has become one of the better prospects in the Eredivisie and it won't be long until other sides come calling.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

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Napoli

Napoli's newest attacking sensation comes by way of Georgia and he's already making a massive impact for the Serie A side.

Kvaratskhelia will be a huge figure for Napoli in various competitions.

He already has three goals in his first four Serie A matches.

Goncalo Ramos

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Benfica

Benfica lost Darwin Nunez in a big-money move to Liverpool, but their next attacking sensation could be even better.

Goncalo Ramos has already dominated Portugal in a short span of time and shown why the club is so high on him.

He's capable of scoring goals in bunches and facilitating for his teammates as well.

Jamie Bynoe-Gittens

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Borussia Dortmund

Dortmund is another club that constantly produces top talent, and they have another quality attacker in their midst.

Jamie Bynoe-Gittens came up through some of England's biggest youth systems, including Chelsea and Manchester City.

Now, he's proving his worth at Dortmund and will surely be eyeing a move back to the Premier League at some point in the future.

Nuno Mendes

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Paris Saint-Germain

Mendes had a great first season at PSG while on loan, and now he's back on a long-term basis.

The Portuguese left back proved to be one of the Paris club's best signings last season.

He's extremely versatile getting up the pitch and a very strong defender on the wing.

Aurelien Tchouameni

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Real Madrid

Tchouameni moved from Monaco this summer and now he has massive shoes to fill with Casemiro leaving Madrid.

The Frenchman has the build of a Paul Pogba, but defensively is where he really stands out.

He has the attributes to succeed in possession and great flair with the ball at his feet.

James Sands

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Rangers

Sands has quickly taken hold of a starting center back job with Rangers and he doesn't seem eager to give it up.

After coming over from MLS on loan, Sands is really thriving in Scotland and played a big role in Rangers reaching Champions League.

He's a player that could work his way into the U.S. Men's National Team for this year's World Cup.

Enzo Fernandez

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Benfica

Fernandez is one of the most exciting players in Portugal at the moment after coming over from River Plate.

The Argentine has a knack for scoring insane goals and brings a certain flair to Benfica that makes them must-watch.

Benfica have two legitimate superstars in Fernandez and Goncalo Ramos.

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