The hunt for the next big thing is on
Every season throws up a new crop. Names most fans have never heard of. And in 10 months, they will be on everybody’s lips. Opta has picked one prospect per Premier League club for 2026-27. Here are the ones that make you raise an eyebrow.
Start with Arsenal. Forget Max Dowman. Make way for Marli Salmon. The defender made his Champions League debut at 16 years and 102 days last winter. He won 71.8% of his duels in Premier League 2. Arteta likes that sort of profile.
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Midfielders on the move
At Liverpool, one youngster has made his case this summer. Trey Nyoni. Across three friendlies in the United States, he completed 141 of 154 passes, including 44 forward passes out of 54. Iraola is opening a door Slot had kept shut. If Curtis Jones heads to Inter, the path is there.
Brentford are backing their own bet too. Antoni Milambo, signed from Feyenoord for 21 million pounds, saw his first season wrecked by an ACL injury in October. He is back. In 2024-25, no Eredivisie U21 player did better than his 14 goal involvements.
Chelsea are taking a big swing, age be damned. Reggie Watson is 16. A holding midfielder already being compared with Rodri, and one Xabi Alonso has been raving about in pre-season. The injury issues around Lavia and Essugo could hand him minutes sooner than expected.
The academies are dreaming big
Manchester City are pushing Ryan McAidoo. The 18-year-old winger scored the ninth goal in the demolition of Exeter in the Cup. Maresca calls him “the kind of winger I love”. At Manchester United, JJ Gabriel is racking up the numbers. Top scorer, or close enough, for the U18s, a first taste of senior football against Atletico, and already a dream: becoming the club’s youngest ever Premier League player.
Newcastle are entering a new era without Howe. Park Seung-soo, the 19-year-old South Korean winger, has been turning heads with the reserves. Tottenham, sticking to form, have produced Luca Williams-Barnett, 17, and his 1.25 goals-plus-assists per 90 minutes in PL2.
The only question now is who can keep going when the hype fades. Raw talent alone never tells the full story.
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