The Premier League is almost upon us, with last season’s champions Arsenal beginning their campaign at home against newly promoted Coventry City on Friday, 21 August.
We have selected 20 rising talents, one from each top-flight club, who are poised for a breakthrough campaign.
Some of these players could prove to be excellent value for Fantasy Premier League managers.
Arsenal – Max Dowman (attacking midfielder/forward)
It seems unusual to suggest that a player who has already found the net in the Premier League is on the verge of a breakthrough, yet that precisely describes Max Dowman.
He set the record as the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history last season and was handed his first league start on the closing day of the previous campaign.
The forward remains just 16 years old and made six top-flight appearances in 2025-26, but having sampled first-team football, he is expected to feature more prominently this term.
Dowman found the net during a pre-season friendly victory over Girona and appears to be a genuine option for manager Mikel Arteta, capable of operating on the wing or in the number 10 position.
Arteta will continue to handle the highly promising teenager carefully, though this season could see Dowman become a regular fixture in Arsenal’s starting line-up.
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 standout prospect from their recent academy graduates.
He made his senior debut at Arsenal last season and accumulated four appearances under Unai Emery, including two in the Europa League.
A strong pre-season showing, which included a goal in the defeat by Real Sociedad, highlights the 19-year-old’s potential.
Bournemouth – Veljko Milosavljevic (defender)
Veljko Milosavljevic made his international debut for Serbia aged 17
Centre-back Veljko Milosavljevic is already a full Serbia international and became the youngest Bournemouth player to start a Premier League match when he featured against Brighton in September.
Milosavljevic, who turned 19 on 28 June, appeared in seven Premier League games during 2025-26, with the Cherries winning four and drawing one of those matches.
However, the 6ft 4in defender has not played since January due to a knee injury, but will be aiming to return to his best and 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 in 2025, for an initial fee of £13m.
Brentford – Kaye Furo (striker)
Kaye Furo has made one substitute appearance for Brentford in the Premier League
In January, Brentford paid £8m to sign Belgian striker Kaye Furo from Club Brugge.
The 6ft 3in quick and powerful forward had featured in the Champions League against Arsenal before moving to west London, with Bees manager Keith Andrews stating that the club had monitored the player for some time and were thrilled to bring him to the club, adding that his qualities suited the environment they had created and he would undoubtedly become an important player for them.
Furo featured in two FA Cup matches for Brentford before making his Premier League debut in May, coming on as a late substitute during a 3-0 victory over West Ham, and Andrews will be expecting a significant season from the 19-year-old.
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 built a reputation for discovering 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 agreed a £21.5m deal to sign Yohanna from Swedish club AIK Stockholm, where he scored five goals and provided four assists in 18 appearances.
Former Brighton midfielder Warren Aspinall, speaking on the Albion Unlimited podcast, believed the club’s fans had every reason for optimism, noting that it was quite a coup as two other major English clubs in Chelsea and Newcastle were pursuing him, so Brighton managed to secure his signature ahead of them, which was very positive.
He added that the fee appeared to be appropriate for an emerging talented player, and that the club were searching for rough diamonds to develop and eventually sell for substantial profits.
Chelsea – Dastan Satpaev (forward)
Dastan Satpaev joined Chelsea for £3m from Kairat Almaty
Kazakhstan striker Dastan Satpaev, 17, appears the most likely of Chelsea’s young prospects to break through, having received praise from new manager Xabi Alonso.
Satpaev opened the scoring against Western Sydney Wanderers with a powerful near-post finish and appears quick, powerful and capable of scoring regularly.
He already has Champions League experience and is a superstar in his country, having won nine caps since 2025.
There have also been impressive performances from midfielders Landon Emenalo, who has been converted into a left-back, Reggie Walsh, Reggie Watson and Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli.
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 aged 17 at the start of the 2023 season.
Andrews, now 19, can also play on the left and featured 10 times for the Sky Blues last season before spending the second half of 2025-26 on loan at Hibernian.
That was his second stint in the Scottish Premiership following a loan spell at Motherwell the campaign before. He scored his first senior goal in Hibernian’s 2-1 league victory at Celtic in February, and has already earned three caps for Wales.
Andrews has been back with Coventry during pre-season and will be hoping 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 successful Conference League campaign, which concluded with the Eagles winning their first European trophy, offered young players an opportunity to impress.
Joel Drakes-Thomas was among those who shone as, aged 16 years and 192 days, he made his senior debut in the 2-2 draw with Finnish side KuPS, delivering a player-of-the-match display.
He played against Leeds two days after the KuPS match, becoming the youngest player to represent the club in the Premier League.
Drakes-Thomas, who can operate as a right wing-back or on the wing, turned 17 in June and signed his first professional contract with the Eagles at the beginning of July after being with the club since the age of six.
He has already made four senior appearances and will be hoping for many more in 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 with Everton since the age of five and established himself as a key member of the first team during the second half of last season.
He made his Toffees Premier League debut early in the 2024-25 campaign and has now played 16 times in the top flight, while also having half-season loans in the Championship, firstly with Derby County and then Preston North End.
His performances earned him Everton’s young player of the season award and he has regularly featured for England Under-19s. The 19-year-old can operate either as a defensive midfielder or in a more advanced position.
Everton manager David Moyes said in January that Armstrong had not looked out of place in the Premier League, which he considered the greatest praise he could offer the player.
Fulham – Jonah Kusi-Asare (forward)
Jonah Kusi-Asare made two Bundesliga appearances for Bayern Munich before joining Fulham
It promises to be a significant season for exciting forward Jonah Kusi-Asare after he completed a £5m permanent move to Fulham in the summer.
The Swedish player, who turned 19 in July, joined on a five-year contract with an option for a further 12 months after he had featured 10 times for the Cottagers while on loan from Bayern Munich last season.
Kusi-Asare is 6ft 5in and has represented Sweden at under-17, under-19 and under-21 level.
He made seven substitute appearances in the Premier League last season. However, with last season’s leading scorer for Fulham, Raul Jimenez, moving to Wolves in the summer, Kusi-Asare is expected to play a much larger role this term.
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 signed his first professional contract in the summer, a two-year deal with the option of a third.
He predominantly featured for the under-21s last season but was an unused substitute in a 2-0 victory over Norwich City in the Championship.
Okike had a loan spell at National League club Hartlepool United this year, scoring within a minute on his senior debut. Although expected to remain largely with the under-21s in 2026-27, he has featured in Hull City’s friendly victories over Turkish sides Konyaspor and Caykur Rizespor, 3-0 and 2-1 respectively.
Okike won the academy player of the year award in 2025-26 and will be looking to push on into the first team this campaign.
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 striker Luca Fletcher joined Ipswich Town on a permanent deal in the summer after a successful loan spell from Manchester City.
While at City, rapid forward Fletcher, an England Under-17s international, helped the club reach the FA Youth Cup final in 2024 and 2025 before impressing at Ipswich, scoring six times in Premier League 2.
He is yet to play a senior match but has been training with Ipswich’s first team, with new manager Gary O’Neil saying he has been impressed by the youngster.
Town’s attacking options appear limited with unproven Brazilian striker Emersonn, 22, joining for £24m, and Japan’s Daizen Maeda also signing in an £8m move from Celtic.
In the Championship, the centre-forward duties were shared between George Hirst and on-loan Spaniard Ivan Azon.
However, Hirst, an unused member of Scotland’s World Cup squad, managed only 11 league goals, while Azon only scored five and has returned 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 member of his family to do so.
His father Richard was a striker for the Whites from 2005 to 2007 and older brother Charlie, a defender who has represented England Under-21s, came through the youth ranks at Elland Road and made 14 senior appearances before a £3.8m move to French side Toulouse in 2024.
Alfie Cresswell captains the under-21s, featuring in the Vertu Trophy last season, and was an unused substitute in Leeds’ final two Premier League matches of 2025-26.
But a first senior Leeds start is not too far away, as he was included in their squad for the tour of the United States, playing in the 3-2 friendly defeat by 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
Given last season was Rio Ngumoha’s breakthrough year and the 17-year-old is expected to play a much more prominent role this season, the focus must go on Trey Nyoni, who has been one of the standouts of Liverpool’s pre-season.
Nyoni, 19, was considered one of the players who could feature in the first team under Arne Slot but was not given the opportunity he desired.
New Reds manager Andoni Iraola said that when Nyoni had one opponent reasonably close, he called for the ball and displayed confidence without rushing, which he considered extremely valuable.
With that in mind, the prospects of the midfielder receiving more game time this season have definitely 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 the competition, and could thrive in Enzo Maresca’s system if given the opportunity.
McAidoo was a real livewire in the friendly against Inter Milan, coming close to scoring the winner, and the manager was suitably impressed, describing the youngster as the type of winger he loved.
The Italian will be monitoring his development closely during pre-season before deciding whether to keep him with the first team or grant a loan move away to aid his progression.
Notable mentions go to midfielders Divine Mukasa, 18, and Floyd Samba, 17.
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 fringes of the first team towards the end of Ruben Amorim’s time at Manchester United, shone immediately after 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 played senior football again, he did score a hat-trick on Premier League 2 duty. This pre-season he has been one of United’s best performers.
He was outstanding against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm, winning the penalty Bryan Mbeumo scored to level and unsettling Atletico’s defence. Best when starting on the right and cutting inside, expect to see plenty more of him being introduced from the bench.
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 has his sights set on a senior debut for Newcastle this season.
The dynamic midfielder was named on the bench on several occasions during the previous campaign after fearlessly holding his own in training with the first team.
Alabi went on to suffer a season-ending shin injury in January, but former head coach Eddie Howe backed the teenager to have a bright future if he continued to work hard.
Although Newcastle have since spent £57m on a couple of young midfielders in Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba, Alabi is one to monitor as someone who has already captained England at youth level.
Mason Miley (17, defender or midfielder) also deserves a mention.
Nottingham Forest – Azae Bonnick (midfielder)
Midfielder Azae Bonnick is a rising star in Forest’s academy and scored 39 goals and provided 14 assists, playing up an age group for the under-16s last season.
He has also earned 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
Although only 19, English midfielder Chris Rigg is approaching 100 appearances for the Sunderland first team.
He played a crucial role in helping the Black Cats gain 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, who can operate as a defensive or attacking central midfielder, then made the step up impressively, starting 11 Premier League matches, with a further seven appearances from the bench.
Already a regular for England Under-19s, Rigg will expect to play a vital role for his club this season, particularly with Sunderland having more matches as they will be competing in the Europa League – 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 victory over Doncaster
Attacker Luca Williams-Barnett, 17, has been described by Spurs manager Roberto de Zerbi as a precious diamond – and it is easy to understand why.
Quick, skilful and always looking to have a shot, the forward appears determined to break into the first team immediately.
The highlight was arguably his decision to take a Panenka penalty in the 4-2 shootout victory over Sydney FC last week.
He has impressed in all four of Spurs’ friendlies so far. Centre-back Malachi Hardy, 18, is another youngster who has earned praise from De Zerbi and excelled in the 2-1 victory over Chelsea.