The Premier League will start again on Saturday and the twenty teams in the top English division have thrown in hundreds of millions to strengthen themselves. This makes it difficult for young promises to break through, but the right top talents still succeed in the mission. In the past season, guys like Bukayo Saka, Mason Greenwood, Billy Gilmour and Curtis Jones have taken their chances and once again several growth glances await. Goal’s NxGn viewer Tom Maston has compiled an Ones to Watch list upon request and Soccer Zone offers its fifteen choices.
Arsenal are regularly linked with new midfielders this summer, but Thomas Partey and Houssem Aouar have not (yet) been welcomed. This could provide opportunities for Miguel Azeez, who at the age of seventeen is already playing for the Under-23s and England youth teams. The young man with Nigerian roots is internally compared to club legend Patrick Vieira, while he would like to mirror Sergio Busquets. Azeez celebrates his eighteenth birthday on September 20 and is ready for a role as a defensive midfielder. “I have the right attitude and work hard, so it’s up to me to make sure I get good enough to win prizes with club and country.” Azeez could play for England, Nigeria or Spain and has yet to make a final choice, although England are likely to look set to continue to do so.
Louie Barry made the world press in the summer of 2019 when he switched to the great Barcelona at the age of sixteen. Six months later, however, he decided to return to England, where Aston Villa had paid just over a million euros to recruit him. This season he has moved from the Under-18 to the Under-23, but it is expected that it will not stop there. The goal scorer is on the assembly line with the national teams and also has his first goal with the highest youth team, so the question now is when he can show his great talent in the Premier League.
Tino Anjorin made his official debut in the Premier League on March 8 this year, when he was allowed to attack against Everton fifteen minutes before the end. With a score of 4-0, he may replace Willian, and the debut tastes more like the eighteen-year-old attacking midfielder, who has been through the entire youth academy at The Blues. The powerful Anjorin has a good dribble, a hard shot and a good pass. It is important that he leaves behind his injury history. Chelsea have bought more than 250 million euros for new players this summer, but coach Frank Lampard is also expected to keep an eye on his most talented youth players.
Technical director Marcel Brands has handed over more than 75 million euros for new midfielders at Everton this summer, but has decided not to invest in the defense for the time being. It probably has everything to do with the impressive march of eighteen-year-old Jarrad Branthwaite. The 1.95-meter-long defender was taken over from Carlisle United in January for 1 million euros and had little time to convince coach Carlo Ancelotti in the pre-season. Sky Sports analyst Jamie Carragher was also impressed: “I’m a Liverpool man, of course, but it’s always nice when someone breaks through at Everton again and he has everything he needs to become a top defender.
Anthony Gordon was transferred to Everton’s main team in January and was immediately allowed to play in eleven games. So far, it has only resulted in one help, so we can not yet speak of a major breakthrough. That it will come is for coach Carlo Ancelotti sure. The nineteen-year-old left winger signed a new contract on September 1, which should keep him on board for the next five years and apparently allow him to concentrate on an important role in the team. “He did well with his technique on the left, but I think he can also play in midfield or as ten,” said Ancelotti. “He has a lot of creative abilities and I’m sure we will see a lot of him.”
Leeds United are returning to the highest level this season after a 16-year absence and are strengthening themselves significantly. Coach Marcelo Bielsa welcomes, among others, Valencia striker Rodrigo and Josko Gvardiol can also be announced at any time. The eighteen-year-old Croatian from Dinamo Zagreb is one of the greatest talents in his country and The Peacocks will pay more than twenty million euros for his arrival. The super-fast central defender was able to go to Internazionale at the age of fifteen and also has RB Leipzig behind him, while in the past he was also mentioned at Ajax. At Leeds United, however, he has the best chance of playing against his idol: Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool.
Leicester City have transferred star player Ben Chilwell to Chelsea this summer, but fans should not despair. Nineteen-year-old youth international Luke Thomas was allowed to take part in three Premier League games last season and now looks ready for a bigger role in the squad. The youngster was named the best player in the youth academy and signed a new long-term contract two weeks ago. “Luke is a great talent and we are delighted that he had to stay with us,” coach Brendan Rodgers said. “He has already shown himself in the Premier League and he works really hard.” If necessary, Thomas can also play as a left winger or central midfielder, which further increases his chances of playing time.
With Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez in front of them, the chance of a basic place does not seem to seventeen-year-old Billy Koumetio at first. However, the Frenchman was able to make his debut this season, as coach Jürgen Klopp predicts ‘big steps’ for the youngster who was allowed to practice during the preparation. The counterparts of Sepp van den Berg and Ki-Jana Hoever are physically ahead of the Dutch and it seems that they currently have an advantage over Klopp. ‘I think this experience will take him much further and I’m pretty sure he’s making great progress. We call him Billy the Kid, but he certainly does not look like one. He has grown at least eight inches in a year and he has a lot of talent. Fortunately, he has now recovered from the injury that stopped him last season. ”
Harvey Elliott moved from Fulham to Liverpool last summer and does not regret the choice, although he could go to Real Madrid. There, the youngest debutant ever in the Premier League could have had a personal encounter with Sergio Ramos to beat him, but the seventeen-year-old flanker succeeded because he did not like the Spaniard, due to the accident with Mohamed Salah in the Champions. League final of 2018. At Liverpool, the top talent was already allowed to fill the Premier League twice last season and with his first professional contract in his pocket, a bigger role seems like a matter of time. “Harvey is a great talent and he gets the time and space to develop further,” Jürgen Klopp promised.
Dutch youth international Jayden Braaf is doing particularly well in Manchester City. The eighteen-year-old left wing was named the best player of the u.23 last season, where he scored nine goals in sixteen games. The former youth player of Ajax, AFC and PSV also trains regularly with the elite corps of Josep Guardiola, who may have a successor in Braaf for the premature Jadon Sancho. “He has incredible qualities,” the coach rejoiced in July. At the same time, he preached patience, as there are still ‘six or seven’ players who can play in his position. “He’s a young player we have to be patient with.” The question is whether Braaf himself will remain patient in the coming years, because he is coveted by various German clubs.
The fact that Cole Palmer will get the first from Manchester City is sure for years for the loyal followers of the club. The eighteen-year-old attacking midfielder has scored no less than 19 times in 25 games with the Under-18s last season and was allowed to sit on the reserve bench of the main force after the corona break. The big promise has permeated the entire youth academy and has now been officially moved to the top youth team, where he has to work on his match toughness. He recently signed a contract until the summer of 2024, which made coach Pep Guardiola a happy person. The Spanish coach regularly lets him practice with the first and Palmer can not help but notice it. ‘I learn so much in such a short time. It’s ridiculous how detailed everything is prepared. ”
Donny van de Beek, who moved to Manchester United this summer, will have to compete with Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes and Nemanja Matic, while there is still a top player from the youth. Hannibal Mejbri switched from AS Monaco to Old Trafford from AS Monaco to Old Trafford at the age of sixteen in the summer of 2019, and the French youths seem just over a year later ready for playing time in the main force. He was immediately the best player in the Under-18s and moved up to the Under-23s within a few weeks, where he played a major role in the promotion to the Premier League 2. Mejbri first stands out with his long locks, but soon draws attention to his creativity on the field. He is not yet a permanent member of the main force, but he will undoubtedly get a chance against smaller opponents this season.
Another player who could join Manchester United’s main team this season is Teden Mengi. The eighteen-year-old central defender is a match in England’s youth teams and made his debut in the Europa League last season. He may play six minutes against LASK and that is the tentative highlight of the promise born in Manchester. He was previously captain of the Under-16 and the Under-18, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also knows. Teden is a true leader. A center back in which we strongly believe. He’s a good friend of his counterpart Mason Greenwood and with his strength, speed and playing ability I’m sure we have an excellent player in the ranks with him. ”
Wolverhampton Wanderers made a big impression in the Premier League last season. Especially the Portuguese in the selection excelled and in the coming year Luke Matheson will join them. The seventeen-year-old right-back was bought from Rochdale last winter, where he could still complete the season. Matheson was an undisputed starter in League One and gained worldwide fame by scoring in the FA Cup against the great Manchester United. The tireless winger made his Rochdale debut at the age of 15 and is now considered mature enough to show himself in the Premier League. He is an attacking back with a lot of energy and the right attitude. “I think he has everything to succeed in the Premier League,” his former team-mate Ryan McLaughlin told Goal in May.
If a club is willing to break its own transfer record for an 18-year-old, expectations are rightly high. Fabio Silva completed his transfer from FC Porto to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday and according to English media, a prize of about forty million euros was involved. The striker broke many records in the youth of the Portuguese top club and was also allowed to play in the main force 21 times last season. Because several top clubs were also looking forward to his arrival, The Telegraph speaks of a ‘major coup’. A term that club management can agree on, as chairman Jeff Shi says: ‘Our reconnaissance machine has been following Fabio since he played for Portugal’s u.16 player and they feel he is the best number nine of his generation. Our coach (Nuno Esposito, ed.) Sees him as an important reinforcement and thinks he can be of great value to the team immediately. ”