The Premier League are back from their World Cup break on Monday, and already this season we’ve seen a number of under-21 stars rise to the occasion to make a name for themselves.
Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri became the Premier League’s youngest player when he came on as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Brentford in September, aged 15 years, 5 months and 23 days, breaking the record previously held by Harvey Elliott , from Liverpool (16 years, 30 days) when he was at Fulham.
– Streaming on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (US)
But while Nwaneri may have to wait a little longer before making the full step into the first team, here’s a list of 10 youngsters aged 21 and under who, already having opportunities in their respective first-team, have the chance to impress yet. most. in the New Year.
Arguably the most impactful teenage newcomer, the Belgian midfielder signed for £12m this summer from Manchester City (which included a £40m re-sign clause in the deal). League as part of a struggling Southampton side and although the sample size may be small – six appearances as a starter as injury kept him out of action in September and October – Lavia has impressed against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester United and Liverpool.
Dynamic, technically gifted and secure in possession, Lavia presses, recovers the ball (six interceptions every 90 minutes) and distributes with measure, intelligence and precision. His accurate goal against Chelsea – he controlled a clean corner perfectly with his left foot before deftly curling it into the right corner on the edge of the penalty area – proved to be a telling snapshot of his maturity.
Thrust into the spotlight against Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League, Garnacho’s man of the match performance gave him the chance to realize his obvious potential under Erik ten Hag. The United coach then spoke of the youngster’s need to improve the defensive aspect of his game “in the pressing part, in the counter-impression, in the defensive transition”. But he also praised his new attitude, which suggests Garnacho may have more chances.
Scoring a late goal to beat Fulham 2-1 a few weeks later cemented his position and the Argentinian striker has the skills to cause problems for defenders: pace, trickery and a willingness to run at the opposition every time he receives the ball. He favors his right foot a lot and still takes a lot of passes in possession, but his idol is Cristiano Ronaldo and you can see why the 18-year-old plays like that. He could be the key to replacing the now-deceased Ronaldo in the United XI.
Fabio Carvalho, 20, attacking midfielder, Liverpool
After helping Fulham win promotion, Carvalho arrived at Anfield for around £5m last summer, ready to make an immediate impact. However, in part due to the unstable nature of Liverpool’s attack and increased competitiveness, it may be some time before we see a consistent contribution from the Portugal Under-21 international.
There were flashes of his talent: he showed his opportunism with a 98th-minute winner against Newcastle, while his volley against Bournemouth highlighted his remarkable technical ability. Whether as an inverted left winger or as a central attacking midfielder, he often radiates creativity and has a natural taste for deflecting (Philippe Coutinho style), receiving and creating between the lines.
Leeds avoided competition from a number of European clubs to sign the Italian international for a modest €4.5m from FC Zurich in the summer. But apart from scoring the 4-3 winner over Bournemouth in November, we still have a lot to see from the teenager who played in Inter Milan’s youth system. Based on his intrinsic talent, however, there should be much more to come.
Gnonto has been deployed primarily on both wings, but is effective wherever it finds space. Full of intensity and energy, he performs his actions – be it dribbling, touching, shooting and sprinting – with high speed and favors strength and urgency when finishing. Difficult to unbalance, tenacious and determined, he is an excellent ball carrier who runs towards defenders with the utmost conviction.
Amadou Onana, 21, central midfielder, Everton
With over 50 league appearances in Germany and France – not to mention Everton paying a hefty €35m transfer fee to sign him from Lille in the summer – Onana understandably arrived at Goodison with high expectations. While his performances so far have been comfortably reassuring rather than spectacular, it’s not hard to see that the Belgian international (who came off the bench twice at the World Cup) already plays like a fully developed senior player and has all the makings of a player cutting-edge central midfielder of the future.
Onana is not just enjoyable to watch – he carries the ball with grace and his natural, smooth athleticism allows him to effortlessly weave through the pressure in midfield – he is also positive with his passing. He’s won nearly 60% of his challenges so far this season and is averaging three dribbles per 90 minutes, so he could make a mark at No. 6 or No. 8.
Rico Lewis, 19, right-back, Manchester City
Based on seven first team appearances, City manager Pep Guardiola clearly holds the England Under-19 right-back in high regard. Among other good performances, Lewis scored in the Champions League victory against Sevilla and played a safe and mature game in the victory over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.
In addition to his near-perfect adaptation to first-team football, Lewis seems to have all the requisites to excel at the highest level: agile and resourceful in tight quarters with a fine touch. While his coaches point to a good mental approach, he is also a natural at combined football. And while there is work to be done in his individual defense, his explosive pace often comes to his aid.
Since making his Premier League debut at the start of the season, the Scottish international has come a long way to step into the role of right-back for Everton. Mainly recognized for his pace and ability to exploit space on the right flank, Patterson looked reasonably comfortable at the top level, bringing freshness and sparkle.
Although he still doesn’t have enough physical strength to be more efficient in defensive duels, the former Rangers connects well to the midfield and calculates the movement off the ball well to find the right positions from where he can send the ball into the area.
Bochum’s €11m signing started the season well and excelled in a 2-1 win over Leicester City in August that led to a senior Germany call-up (he was an unused member of the World Cup squad ).
While his fearless defending style is obvious, his eight interceptions per game, 70% challenge success rate, and aerial dominance are also among the best quarterbacks. On the other hand, Bella-Kotchap needs to become more reliable with the ball and he still makes a lot of individual mistakes, but he has already become an important player for Southampton.
Signed on a free transfer this summer when his contract expired with Derby County, the England Under-20 winger has, perhaps surprisingly, already been treated to three Premier League appearances by his new club. With strong balance and upper body strength, Ebiowei has potentially winning characteristics in his game and it’s clear why Palace boss Patrick Vieira has watched his development.
Although he relies heavily on his left foot and is guilty of some poor decisions on the ball, his instinctive dribbling skills, combined with pinpoint crossings and dead-ball accuracy from his favored right-back position, make him a dangerous opponent and an exciting prospect. .
Comments
Post a Comment