Football Wonderkid Scout

 Future National Star Juan Agudelo

Cup in 2010, where he came on as a substitute against South Africa. He went onto score the only goal of the game, gaining the record of the youngest ever senior goalscorer for the USA. Since then he has gone on to achieve 10 caps for his country, demonstrating his promise as a future star of the national team as his stock continues to rise both domestically and across Europe.

2) Andy Najar (DC United)

At just 5 ft. 7, DC United’s impish attacking midfielder is attracting much attention across the States. Having already been named rookie of the year in his debut season for the Washington club, Andy Najar now finds himself as a key member of the DC first team squad. Born in Honduras, he joined DC United’s youth academy in 2008, after his move to the states at the age of 13, where he impressed with a string of outstanding performances in the Developmental League. After High School graduation, Najar signed a Generation Adidas contract and joined up with the first team squad, where he gained a reputation as an impact player. His brief appearances from the substitutes bench during the course of the season gained him many plaudits, with many top American soccer pundits such as Paul Gardner considering the young winger to already be a key part of DC’s squad. Although he holds an American Green Card, Najar has already stated his desire to play for his home country at international level. Compared to former DC United wonderkid Freddy Adu having been thrust in the limelight from such a young age, 18 year-old Najar has reportedly attracted attention from Real Madrid and Arsenal.

3) Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake)

Once the subject of interest from Arsenal, Luis Gil has never been far from transfer speculation in his still fledgling career. Originally a Kansas City Wizards player, Gil moved to Real Salt Lake in 2010 in exchange for a Super Draft pick. Deemed to be too young to feature in Salt Lake’s first team, Gil moved on loan to USSF Division 2 club AC Saint Louis, making an instant impact with two goals in his nine appearances. This form brought him back to Salt Lake where he made his first team debut in a CONCACAF Champions League group stage match against Cruz Azul. Gil struggled to cement a starting position for the rest of the 2010 campaign, but looks to be in line for much more action in the new season. A technically gifted playmaker with sublime vision, he could be compared to Cesc Fabregas for his playing style but natural comparisons have already been made against Landon Donovan. Gil first came to international prominence in the 2009 Fifa Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria, where he was America's youngest and best player . At just 17 years-old, the future looks exceptionally bright for a player wanted by a host of teams throughout Europe including Real Madrid and Sevilla.

4) Omar Salgado (Vancouver Whitecaps)

If the newly formed Vancouver Whitecaps are to achieve any success in their debut MLS campaign they will need to get the best out of their talented, yet temperamental striker Omar Salgado. Salgado has courted much controversy is his short career after turning his back on the Mexican national set-up after representing them at both Under-17 and Under-20 level to pursue success with the USA. Now a regular feature in the USA’s Under-20’s Salgado has notched an impressive 10 goals in 12 appearances for his new nation. With a keen eye for goal, the old fashioned centre forward, who once attracted the attentions of Everton, is set for a big 2011.

5) Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy)

Although he is no longer a ‘wonderkid’, Los Angeles Galaxy’s domineering centre-back Omar Gonzalez is undoubtedly a real talent, at just 22 years of age. With big names such as David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle (now of FC Ingolstadt 04 in Germany) dominating the headlines, Gonzalez was able to mature away form the spotlight. However this sheltered existence could not last after he won the MLS rookie of the year award in 2009, leading to him becoming a key member of the Galaxy squad for the 2010 campaign. Despite his fantastic club form, Gonzalez missed out on a spot in Bob Bradley’s 23-man World Cup Squad, which was criticised in the American press. However his international debut came after the finals in a friendly against Brazil.

6) Amobi Okugo (Philadelphia Union)

The first of Philadelphia Union’s young trio began his career in 2010 during the Union’s first season in the MLS. Drafted to the side as a sixth round pick. Okugo has come on leaps and bounds under the stewardship of Polish manager Piotr Nowak. The athletic midfielder is often deployed in a defensive role, where he provides the anchor of the midfield, allowing attacking players such as Justin Mapp the freedom to roam. With experienced midfielders such as Brian Carroll and Stefani Miglioranzi expected to get the lions share of game time, Okugo will have to make the most of his time on the field this term.

7) Danny Mwanga (Philadelphia Union)

Danny Mwanga’s journey from the Democratic Republic of Congo to soccer in the United States is a truly fascinating one. During the 1997 civil war of the Congo, Mwanga’s father, who was advisor to then Congolese dictator Mobuto Sese Seko, lost his life, forcing his wife, Mwanaga’s mother, to flee the country, leaving behind her son and daughter with their grandparents. Eventually in 2006 Mwanga moved to the States and reunited with his mother, where they settled in Portland Oregon. He took an immediate interest in soccer, which he participated in in his homeland, playing for his high school and Oregon State University. He won many plaudits in college soccer achieving a place in the MLS 2010 season SuperDraft, where he joined The Union as a first round pick. Most of his 33 appearances during the season came from the bench; despite this he notched an impressive eight goals, mainly partnering the experienced Sebastien Le Toux. Although not the most technically astute of strikers, Mwanga’s physical attributes and all-action approach make him a difficult proposition for even the most experienced of MLS centre-backs.

8) John “Jack” McInerney (Philadelphia Union)

Another hope for the promising Philadelphia Union is 18-year-old Jack McInerney. A completely different proposition to his young strike partner Danny Mwanga, McInerney is more technically complete striker, who likes to operate on the last defender, stretching the opposition. It was a fairly disappointing 2010 campaign for the man affectionately known by the fans as ‘Jack Mac’ as he netted only three times in his 22 outings, before joining the Harrisburg City Islanders on loan. First team opportunities may be hard to come by this term, following the signing of experienced Guatemalan forward Carlos Ruiz coupled with Mwanga’s strong start. But given the opportunity McInerney has the talent to develop into a future star for the USA.