Allsvenskan & Eliteserien Talents of the Season 2024

It was a calculated risk which has paid off. Now, at the end of 2024, Fischer must be regarded as the goalkeeper of the season in the Eliteserien and has been sensational. Fredrikstad finished with the third best defensive record of any team and only lost seven times in 30 league matches. The whole defensive unit was strong, but Fischer played a huge part in proceedings and deserves a lot of credit.

As you might expect for a keeper, he’s a big, tall unit at 1.97cm. He didn't conceded any goals from set pieces this season (barring penalties) and only one goal resulted from direct crosses faced. He was imperious in between the sticks for FFK. Fischer was only beaten three times from outside the penalty area and conceded just 35 goals from an xGC of 38.63. He overachieved his metrics and was the clear standout keeper in the Eliteserien, boasting great reflexes but also commanded his area.

Fischer averaged 43.88 for pass length, which was the second highest of any regular starting keeper in the league. A lot of that is to do with Fredrikstad’s style of being quite direct and nearly 62% of his passes were over 40m in length. This does not mean he is bad on the ball but should a more possession and pass orientated side be interested in him then he would perhaps have to adapt. Everything else suggests that this talented young keeper, who is still only 23, is set to have a massive future.

Sverre Nypan (Attacking Midfielder, 18, Rosenborg)

For the second consecutive season Rosenborg starlet Sverre Nypan has won the Eliteserien young player of the season. He continues to be one of Norwegian football’s hottest properties and at some stage soon he is surely destined for a big move abroad. The question is where? 

Nypan turns 18 years of age on 19th December and he can celebrate what was another fine domestic campaign in which he helped propel Rosenborg back into Europe. In total, he scored 8 league goals, provided 5 assists and became one of best players in his positions as a midfield mezzala type of advanced playmaker.

Compared to players in his position he ranked in the top ten for goals, assists, shots taken, offensive duels and progressive runs. He has been described as a similar type of player to Martin Ødegaard but perhaps this season he has become more of a goal scoring threat, resembling something of a Frank Lampard type with well-timed runs into shooting positions. His overall shooting accuracy was only around 32% and this is an area he can perhaps improve. However, he overachieved his xG of 7.90 by registering 9 goals.

Nypan has great acceleration and a dynamic physical burst which really compliments his technical skills. He averaged three progressive runs per 90 mins with an average progression length just shy of 90 metres. His dribbling has improved this season to such a level where he’s kept possession after nearly 80% of attempts. He’s been smarter and footballing intelligence developed over the course of 2024. For such a young player he has incredible maturity on his shoulders. 

He’s been strongly linked with Manchester United but other clubs such as Liverpool and Arsenal could also be options. Even Barcelona are a name that have been mentioned, that’s how exceptional this young talent is. He is expected to fetch at least a £10m transfer fee, possibly more.

Nikola Vasić (Forward, 33, IF Brommapojkarna)

We see it in leagues around the world: every so often a relatively unheralded player heading into the season puts up a campaign to remember, hitting record, season-high or even career-defining numbers. Think Michu at Swansea City, for example.

Not many would have expected IF Brommapojkarna striker Nikola Vasić to end the season as the league’s Skyttekung - top scorer - after a career spent predominantly in the lower leagues of Sweden and an ultimately unremarkable spell at Reggina in Italy. But that’s exactly what happened as the Swedish-born striker smashed in 17 goals to win Allsvenskan’s Golden Boot, in doing so becoming the first ever BP player to win the award and also the oldest ever player at 33 to end an Allsvenskan season as the league’s top scorer.

Vasić’s profile is becoming an ever valuable commodity in modern football - a tall (6ft 5in), powerful, broad-shouldered target man that can harass defenders, win balls in the air, hold the ball up to support teammates in pushing further up the pitch and also finish.

With an xG per 90 of 0.6, 2.94 shots per 90 playing in a team that is not one of the league’s strongest or most creative, a 44.4% shots on target %, 4.29 touches in the box per 90 and 1.24 received long passes per 90, Vasić demonstrated his all-round quality as a number nine in this league to deservedly win the Golden Boot.

It was a real shame that Vasić sustained a long-term injury on the final day of the season as a large number of clubs had been queuing up with interest in him for 2025, but BP have rewarded his efforts with a new contract. He deserves his flowers.

Bazoumana Touré (Winger, 18, Hammarby)

With nine goals and three assists in his debut season, 18-year-old dazzling Ivorian wide player Bazoumana Touré is hot property. Some of Europe’s biggest clubs are flocking to watch the youngster and in fact the interest is so clear and concerted that at a recent game against Norrköping, upon the scouts learning that Bazoumana would not be able to participate in the game due to suspension, half the clubs subsequently cancelled their scout’s ticket.

It is clear to see why even Premier League clubs are lining up to visit Stockholm to check out the Ivorian. A touchline-hugging, rapid winger who can beat his man with sheer speed or a trick from time to time, Touré’s physicality, speed, athletic profile and street smarts mark him out as a player that can definitely progress to a bigger league in the near future.

The Hammarby speedster registered 0.45 goals per 90, 37 shots with a shots on target percentage of 51.35%, as per Wyscout data, 6.81 dribbles per 90 (60% successful), 4.54 crosses per 90 (25.6% successful) and 4.44 progressive runs per 90 from a total of 1783 minutes played.

The images below demonstrate precisely what Touré is good at. He occupies wide areas, often situated near the touchline in Hammarby’s system to maintain the width, but is really promising at receiving to feet to go on a charging run 1v1, chasing long balls into space to create counter-attacking or crossing opportunities and also - importantly for a winger - positioning himself in the box in dangerous areas at the back post to get on the end of crosses and finish.

Sebastian Nanasi (Midfielder, 22, Malmö FF)

It may feel obvious and maybe unoriginal to include Sebastian Nanasi on any list of standout performers in Allsvenskan this season, but ultimately it would be wrong not to include the now RC Strasbourg player because he was just that good.

Nanasi left Malmö midway through the 2024 Allsvenskan campaign for an €11 million move to France, his obvious qualities no longer able to be ignored. Nonetheless he was still named Allsvenskan Player of the Season thanks to six goals and ten assists in just 17 league games that meant he ended the season the league’s top assist provider despite leaving three months early.

Undoubtedly the best player in Sweden in 2024, Nanasi was Malmö’s talisman, the one who could grab a tight game by the scruff of the neck and provide the decisive moment - a dazzling dribble, a sumptuous through ball or assist for a crucial goal.

Nanasi’s awareness of space and ability to play between the lines were key assets for this Malmö - and even in France he has hit the ground running with four goals and three assists in just 1146 league minutes. His ability in transitions is demonstrated below, a fantastic prospect at still only 22 years old.