Which young players will make their impact on the 2026-27 campaign?
The top flight is just around the corner, with last season’s champions Arsenal kicking things off against newly promoted Coventry City on Friday 21 August.
We have selected 20 rising talents, one from each Premier League club, who could be set for a breakthrough campaign.
Fantasy Premier League managers might find some real value among these selections.
Arsenal – Max Dowman (attacking midfielder/forward)
Max Dowman became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history when he found the net against Everton in March at age 16 years and 73 days
It seems unusual to suggest a player who has already scored in the Premier League is on the verge of a breakthrough campaign, but that is precisely the situation with Max Dowman.
He set a new record as the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history during the previous season and was also given his first league start on the closing day of that campaign.
The forward remains just 16 years old and managed six top-flight appearances last term, but after getting a taste of senior football he looks set for greater involvement this time round.
Dowman struck in a pre-season victory over Girona and appears to be a genuine option for manager Mikel Arteta going forward, whether deployed out wide or in the number 10 position.
Arteta will still be careful with the highly regarded teenager, though this season could see Dowman become a regular fixture in the Arsenal first team.
Aston Villa – George Hemmings (midfielder)
George Hemmings made two substitute appearances for Aston Villa in the Premier League last season
The midfielder has long been highly regarded at Villa Park and is viewed as the best prospect from their latest academy cohort to emerge through the ranks.
He made his first-team bow at Arsenal last season and accumulated four appearances under Unai Emery, with two of those coming in Europa League action.
A strong pre-season showing, which included a goal in the loss to Real Sociedad, highlights the 19-year-old’s promise.
Bournemouth – Veljko Milosavljevic (defender)
Veljko Milosavljevic made his international debut for Serbia aged 17
Centre-half Veljko Milosavljevic is already a full Serbia international and holds the record as Bournemouth’s youngest player to start a Premier League fixture, achieved against Brighton in September.
Milosavljevic celebrated his 19th birthday on 28 June and featured in seven Premier League matches during 2025-26, with the Cherries victorious on four occasions and sharing the spoils once.
The 6ft 4in defender has been absent since January due to a knee problem, though he will be targeting a return to his best form and looking to build on his impressive start at Vitality Stadium.
He arrived at the Cherries from Red Star Belgrade on deadline day at the beginning of September 2025, with an initial fee of £13m.
Brentford – Kaye Furo (striker)
Kaye Furo has made one substitute appearance for Brentford in the Premier League
Brentford stumped up £8m in January to secure Belgian forward Kaye Furo from Club Brugge.
The 6ft 3in quick and powerful striker had featured in the Champions League against Arsenal prior to his switch to west London, with Bees manager Keith Andrews explaining that the club had monitored him for some time and were delighted to bring him in.
Andrews stated that Furo possesses qualities he admires and believes can be nurtured within the environment the club has built, expressing confidence the 19-year-old would become a significant player for them.
Furo featured in two FA Cup matches for Brentford before making his Premier League bow in May, entering play as a late substitute during a 3-0 win over West Ham, and Andrews will be anticipating a standout season from the youngster.
Brighton – Zadok Yohanna (winger)
Zadok Yohanna became the most expensive player to be sold by a Swedish club when he moved to Brighton in June
Brighton have earned a reputation for unearthing exciting young talent and Seagulls supporters will be hoping they have done so again with the acquisition of 19-year-old Nigerian right-winger Zadok Yohanna.
The club finalised a £21.5m agreement to bring Yohanna in from Swedish side AIK Stockholm, where he netted five times and supplied four assists across 18 appearances.
Ex-Brighton midfielder Warren Aspinall, speaking on the Albion Unlimited podcast, believed supporters had every cause for optimism.
He noted that securing Yohanna represented a notable achievement as two other major English clubs in Chelsea and Newcastle were pursuing him, meaning Brighton got the deal done first, which he considered very positive.
Aspinall suggested the fee reflected the current market rate for a developing talented player, adding that the club are always on the lookout for such prospects to develop and potentially sell on for substantial fees.
Chelsea – Dastan Satpaev (forward)
Dastan Satpaev joined Chelsea for £3m from Kairat Almaty
Kazakhstan forward Dastan Satpaev, 17, looks the most likely of Chelsea’s youthful talents to make the step up, having earned commendation from incoming manager Xabi Alonso.
Satpaev opened the scoring against Western Sydney Wanderers with a powerful near-post finish and demonstrates pace, strength and a knack for finding the back of the net.
He already possesses Champions League experience and is regarded as a star in his home country, earning nine caps since 2025.
Midfielders Landon Emenalo, who has been converted to a left-back role, Reggie Walsh, Reggie Watson and Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli have also produced encouraging performances.
Coventry City – Kai Andrews (midfielder)
Kai Andrews has played three times for the Wales senior team
Central midfielder Kai Andrews made his Coventry City debut at age 17 during the opening season of 2023.
Andrews, now 19, can also operate on the left flank and appeared 10 times for the Sky Blues last season prior to joining Hibernian on loan for the second half of 2025-26.
That represented his second stint in the Scottish Premiership after an earlier loan spell at Motherwell the previous campaign. He registered his first senior goal in Hibernian’s 2-1 league win at Celtic in February, and has already earned three caps for Wales.
Andrews has featured for Coventry during pre-season and will be aiming to establish himself in Frank Lampard’s Premier League plans.
Crystal Palace – Joel Drakes-Thomas (winger/wing-back)
Joel Drakes-Thomas has played in two Premier League matches, one FA Cup game and one in the Conference League
Crystal Palace’s impressive Conference League run, which concluded with the Eagles clinching their inaugural European trophy, offered young players a chance to catch the eye.
Joel Drakes-Thomas was among those who impressed as, at 16 years and 192 days old, he made his senior debut in the 2-2 draw with Finnish side KuPS, delivering a player-of-the-match display.
He featured against Leeds two days after the KuPS match, becoming the youngest player to represent the club in the Premier League.
Drakes-Thomas, capable of playing as a right wing-back or on the wing, turned 17 in June and committed his first professional contract with the Eagles at the start of July after joining the club at age six.
He has already accumulated four senior appearances and will be targeting significantly more during 2026-27.
Everton – Harrison Armstrong (midfielder)
Harrison Armstrong started six Premier League matches in 2025-26 and made a further seven substitute appearances
Central midfielder Harrison Armstrong has been at Everton since age five and established himself as a key first-team member during the latter part of last season.
He made his Toffees Premier League debut early in the 2024-25 season and has now featured 16 times in the top flight, while also spending half-season periods on loan in the Championship with Derby County and subsequently Preston North End.
His displays earned him the accolade of Everton’s young player of the season, and he has been a regular for England Under-19s. The 19-year-old can operate as a defensive midfielder or in a more advanced position.
Everton manager David Moyes said in January that Armstrong had not looked out of his depth in the Premier League, which he considered the highest praise he could offer.
Fulham – Jonah Kusi-Asare (forward)
Jonah Kusi-Asare made two Bundesliga appearances for Bayern Munich before joining Fulham
Exciting forward Jonah Kusi-Asare looks set for a significant season after finalising a £5m permanent transfer to Fulham in the summer.
The Swedish player, who turned 19 in July, signed a five-year contract with the option of an additional 12 months after making 10 appearances for the Cottagers while on loan from Bayern Munich last term.
Kusi-Asare stands at 6ft 5in and has represented Sweden at under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels.
He made seven substitute appearances in the Premier League last season. However, with Fulham’s leading scorer from last term, Raul Jimenez, departing for Wolves during the summer, Kusi-Asare is expected to take on a bigger role this campaign.
Hull City – Calvin Okike (left-back/central defender)
Calvin Okike played five games on loan at Hartlepool United to gain some first-team experience earlier this year
Eighteen-year-old Nigerian defender Calvin Okike is expected to have a bright future at Hull City and committed his first professional contract during the summer, signing a two-year deal with the option of a third.
He primarily featured for the under-21s last season but was an unused substitute in a 2-0 victory over Norwich City in the Championship.
Okike spent time on loan at National League side Hartlepool United this year, netting within a minute on his senior debut. While anticipated to remain largely with the under-21s during 2026-27, he has featured in Hull City’s friendly wins over Turkish sides Konyaspor and Caykur Rizespor, 3-0 and 2-1 respectively.
Okike collected the academy player of the year award for 2025-26 and will be aiming to push for a first-team place this season.
Ipswich Town – Luca Fletcher (winger/forward)
Luca Fletcher played in the 2025 FA Youth Cup final as Manchester City lost to Aston Villa
Nineteen-year-old forward Luca Fletcher arrived at Ipswich Town on a permanent deal in the summer following a successful loan stint from Manchester City.
During his time at City, rapid forward Fletcher, an England Under-17s international, helped the club reach the FA Youth Cup final in both 2024 and 2025 before impressing at Ipswich, notching six goals in Premier League 2.
He is yet to make a senior appearance but has been training with Ipswich’s first team, with new manager Gary O’Neil expressing his admiration for the young player.
Ipswich’s attacking options appear thin with unproven Brazilian forward Emersonn, 22, arriving for £24m, while Japan’s Daizen Maeda also joined in an £8m move from Celtic.
In the Championship, the centre-forward responsibilities were shared between George Hirst and on-loan Spanish player Ivan Azon.
However, Hirst, who was an unused member of Scotland’s World Cup squad, managed only 11 league goals, while Azon managed just five before returning to parent club Como.
Leeds United – Alfie Cresswell (midfielder)
Alfie Cresswell was an unused substitute in Leeds’ Premier League games against Brighton and West Ham at the end of the season
When 19-year-old midfielder Alfie Cresswell makes his senior debut for Leeds, he will become the third family member to do so.
His father Richard was a forward for the club between 2005 and 2007 and older brother Charlie, a defender who has represented England Under-21s, progressed through the Leeds academy at Elland Road, making 14 senior appearances before a £3.8m transfer to French club Toulouse in 2024.
Alfie Cresswell captains the under-21s, appearing in the Vertu Trophy last season, and was an unused substitute in Leeds’ final two Premier League fixtures of 2025-26.
However, a first senior Leeds start appears imminent as he was part of their squad for the American tour, featuring in the 3-2 friendly defeat to Wrexham in Florida and the 1-0 victory over Sunderland in New Jersey.
Liverpool – Trey Nyoni (midfielder)
Trey Nyoni has made six substitute appearances for Liverpool in the Premier League
With last season having been Rio Ngumoha’s breakthrough year and the 17-year-old expected to take on a far more prominent role this campaign, the focus shifts to Trey Nyoni, who has been one of Liverpool’s standout performers during pre-season.
Nyoni, 19, was viewed as someone capable of featuring in the first team under Arne Slot but did not receive the opportunity he had hoped for.
New Reds manager Andoni Iraola observed that Nyoni requests the ball confidently even when opponents are close by and does not rush, considering this extremely valuable.
With that in mind, the prospect of the midfielder receiving more playing time this season has undoubtedly increased.
Manchester City – Ryan McAidoo (winger)
Ryan McAidoo helped Manchester City win the FA Youth Cup in May
Winger Ryan McAidoo, 18, scored on his first-team debut in the FA Cup last season, one of two appearances in that competition, and could flourish in Enzo Maresca’s setup if afforded the chance.
McAidoo proved lively in the friendly against Inter Milan, coming close to finding a late winner, and the manager’s assessment afterwards indicated the youngster possesses qualities he greatly values in a winger.
The Italian will be monitoring his progression closely during pre-season before deciding whether to keep him with the first team or sanction a loan move to aid his development.
Midfielders Divine Mukasa, 18, and Floyd Samba, 17, also deserve mention.
Manchester United – Shea Lacey (forward)
Shea Lacey came off the bench in the Premier League to play against Aston Villa, Burnley and Brighton in 2025-26
Shea Lacey was on the periphery of the first team toward the end of Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United, made an immediate impact following the Portuguese’s dismissal at Burnley, then received a red card in the FA Cup against Brighton.
Although it was the final game of the season, also against Brighton, before he returned to senior football, he did net a hat-trick in Premier League 2 action. This pre-season he has been among United’s standout performers.
He impressed against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm, winning the penalty that Bryan Mbeumo converted to equalise and unsettling Atletico’s defence. Best deployed starting on the right and cutting inside, expect to see him introduced from the bench frequently.
Newcastle – Sam Alabi (midfielder)
Sam Alabi was an unused substitute for Newcastle in their FA Cup third-round tie against Bournemouth in January
Sam Alabi only signed his first professional contract in July, but the 17-year-old is targeting a senior Newcastle debut this season.
The dynamic midfielder was named among the substitutes on several occasions in the previous campaign after holding his own fearlessly in first-team training.
Alabi unfortunately suffered a season-ending shin injury in January, though former head coach Eddie Howe expressed confidence the teenager had a bright future if he maintained his work ethic.
Although Newcastle have since invested £57m on two young midfielders in Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba, Alabi is one to monitor as someone who has already captained England at youth level.
Defender or midfielder Mason Miley, 17, also merits an honorable mention.
Nottingham Forest – Azae Bonnick (midfielder)
Midfielder Azae Bonnick is a rising star in Forest’s academy and scored 39 goals and supplied 14 assists while playing up an age group for the under-16s last season.
He has also received a call-up to the England Under-15s.
Bonnick made his under-18s debut for Forest against Sunderland in March, just a week after turning 15.
Sunderland – Chris Rigg (midfielder)
Chris Rigg scored his first Premier League goal in April during a 4-3 loss to Aston Villa
Despite being just 19, English midfielder Chris Rigg is approaching 100 appearances for the Sunderland first team.
He played a crucial role in helping the Black Cats secure promotion to the Premier League with 42 league appearances in 2024-25, including starting the Play-Off final victory over Sheffield United at Wembley.
Rigg, capable of operating as a defensive or attacking central midfielder, then made the step up to the top flight impressively, starting 11 Premier League matches with a further seven appearances from the bench.
Already a regular for England Under-19s, Rigg will be expected to play a key role for his club this season, particularly with Sunderland facing a busier schedule as they prepare for Europa League action – their first major European campaign since the 1970s.
Tottenham – Luca Williams-Barnett (forward)
Luca Williams-Barnett made his senior Tottenham debut in September when he came on as a late substitute in the 3-0 Carabao Cup third-round win over Doncaster
Forward Luca Williams-Barnett, 17, has been described by Spurs manager Roberto de Zerbi as a precious diamond, and it is straightforward to understand why.
Quick, skillful and always seeking to get an attempt away, the forward appears determined to break into the first team immediately.
The standout moment was arguably his decision to take a Panenka penalty in the 4-2 shootout victory over Sydney FC last week.
He has caught the eye in all four of Spurs’ friendlies so far. Centre-back Malachi Hardy, 18, is another young player who has earned praise from De Zerbi and excelled in the 2-1 win over Chelsea.