Barcelona midfielder Pedri remains the standout contender for the 2021 Golden Boy after the shortlist was cut from 100 to 60.

Pedri, 18, was a revelation last term after his move from Las Palmas. The teenager performed in a leading 78 games since last September for club and country, after also making the semi-finals at Euro 2020 and winning gold for Spain at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

His main rivals for the most-prestigious prize for young footballers are expected to be Mason Greenwood (Manchester United), Eduardo Camavinga (Rennes) and Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).

A drop to 40 players will be announced next month, with the finalists being revealed in October. All nominees must be under the age of 21 and play in a European nation’s top tier.