Leeds United supporters may be surprised at Kun Temenuzhkov whereabouts now: View | OneFootball

The Bulgarian wonder-kid was once among the best young talents in world football, but at 24 finds himself a long way from the games elite.

Few things are constant in the world of football, though one trope we can always be sure of is that every year, countless predictions regarding teenage talent will be made in pursuit of finding 'the next big thing'.

A tremendous example of this is The Guardian's ongoing Next Generation series. Beginning in 2014, it is an annual round-up of 40–60 players under the age of 18 that the paper's staff have tipped for a future at the sport's summit. Retrospectively delving through past editions tends to present the odd familiar face, but generally more confusion than recognition.

One admittedly impressive edition, however, is the list for 2017. Erling Haaland, Ferran Torres, Jadon Sancho and many more feature.

But among this cavalcade of 2000-born stars, placed between Vinicius Jr. and Alphonso Davies, we find a young Bulgarian by the name of Kun Temenuzhkov, who, despite once rightfully being mentioned alongside these household names, sadly now may only be fleetingly familiar to fans of Leeds United, who may be surprised to learn that he's currently playing his football in Spanish fourth-tier.

La Masia to Leeds

Temenuzhkov displayed immense promise as a teenage footballer. Having developed at Barcelona's renowned La Masia academy, he possessed impressive technical skills, agility, and a sharp eye for goal. His ability to play both as a striker and attacking midfielder made him a valuable, versatile asset.

Kun joined Leeds United on a free transfer in pursuit of first-team football after scoring 30 goals in 30 games in his final season in Catalonia.

He excelled initially for the U23's alongside names like Jack Clarke and Leif Davis, with nine goals in nine games, also winning the Premier Development League (U18's).

However, besides one FA Cup appearance under Marcelo Bielsa, surprisingly, Temenuzhkov simply didn't have what it took to be a footballer at the top-level, and a procession of loan-spells followed by a permanent move away from the club meant the stocky forward has found himself in football obscurity somewhat.

Temenuzhkov a journeyman in the Spanish lower-Leagues

Without speculating too much, at 24, it would appear that Kun has all-but given up his dream of being that generational Bulgarian talent.

Since last playing for Leeds, he has featured for six different clubs: La Nucia of Valencia, Real Unión of the Basque Region (owned interestingly by Unai Emery, who conveniently have three Villa loanees on their books), CDA Navalcarnero of Madrid, Zamora of Castille and León and Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar, before moving back to Madrid to play for Moscardó, his current side.

It was with his penultimate club, Lincoln Red Imps, that Temenuzhkov won his first senior silverware - The Gibraltar Football League title, though the forward did not stick around for attempted Champions League qualification.

It seems, despite his potential, that the former Elland Road hopeful is purposefully fulfilling a more modest existence, hopping around Iberia and enjoying his football with the pressure off, and to be quite honest, who can blame him? Even though those he rubbed shoulders with on the Next Generation list kick on to extreme heights, it's an envious lifestyle the Bulgarian wonderkid is living.