Ten thrilling young Premier League players to watch in 2024 – including Arsenal & Man Utd starlets

2024 is just a hair’s breadth away and with it comes a whole new year of possibilities for the young players of the Premier League. There are a host of talented young tyros who are just a few injuries or a run of form in the reserves away from getting their chance to shine in the first team, and several who have already broken through and look set to have a huge year, so we’ve gone through the league to pick out ten of the best and brightest to watch in the New Year.

Some are known quantities who have new challenges ahead, others feel achingly close to making their big breakthrough – and over the next 365 days, some of these kids will become stars. And a few might end up enduring a disappointing loan spell in League Two. It isn’t easy to make it in the top flight, but these ten players have a chance to make something special of themselves in the coming months.

Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)

The 16-year-old has been a hugely hyped-up prospect over the past year or two and it seems like Mikel Arteta likes what he’s seen in the Premier League 2, given that the youngster was named on the bench for the defeat to West Ham United this past week. That elevation to the senior squad suggests that he’s even closer to making his breakthrough than many of us thought.

His fast feet and technical wizardry have drawn comparisons with a young Jack Wilshere, which is extremely high praise given how good he was as a kid – and while he could do with bulking up a little, he has the pace and guile to ensure that his relatively slender frame isn’t too much of a drawback. Whether he makes it into the first team in 2024 or not, he’s a superstar in the making and already has nine goals for England’s Under-17s.

Ben Doak (Liverpool)

Fast, strong and physical, the 18-year-old Liverpool winger came through the ranks at Celtic and was snapped up by the Reds in 2022, and has progressed swiftly enough to make his senior debut on Boxing Day 2022 against Aston Villa, becoming the youngest Scotsman in Premier League history in the process.

Injuries have hampered his chances at breaking through since then, and Doak is currently stuck on the sidelines with a knee injury, and he’s also had a tough time adding to his cap count courtesy of the fact that he’s competing for Mohamed Salah’s spot in the team – but if the Egyptian leaves Anfield in the summer, as many suspect he will, then Doak’s time in the sun may well come next season. A big talent who was nominated for the Young Sports Personality of the Year Award in 2023 despite only playing in two league games over the course of the year.

Jack Hinshelwood (Brighton & Hove Albion)

The 18-year-old winger has more or less broken through already – promoted to the starting line-up at the Amex Stadium by Roberto di Zerbi as injury cover, Hinshelwood has scored twice and made a big impression in the final third for the Seagulls, and looks set for a big 2024.

Hinshelwood only made his England age-group debut this year and has already been promoted through the youth ranks at pace, suggesting some seriously fast development from the right-winger. He’s lethal around the area and great and finding space near the opposition goal, although he could generate more in the build-up. If he can round his game out, he could be yet another brilliant find by Brighton.

Matheus França (Crystal Palace)

The Brazilian teenager cost Palace a princely fee over the summer, with reports suggests his transfer cost could rise as high as £22m – but while he’s largely been restricted to substitute appearances since joining, the 19-year-old former Flamengo forward’s underlying numbers suggest he’s more than ready to step up to the plate and challenge players like Eberechi Eze for their place in the side.

He’s a bundle of energy, a brilliant dribbler and a dangerous finisher, and while his final ball needs some polishing he’s got all the attributes to become a star for club and country. He’s also a great team player who makes a ton of tackles and interceptions and relishes playing in a high press – in other words, he has all the hallmarks of a future fan favourite at Selhurst Park.

Tim Iroegbunam (Aston Villa)

A product of Villa’s academy system, defensive midfielder Iroegbunam impressed on loan at Queens Park Rangers last season in the Championship and would probably have more than one appearance for Unai Emery’s side this year if injury hadn’t gotten in the way.

A powerful, tough-tackling presence in the heart of midfield, Iroegbunam isn’t the most technical player on this list and could stand to develop a broader passing range, but when you need a bit of steel and bite in the centre of the park, he’s your man. He’s far from the complete package but at just 20 has time to develop and could easily force his way back into the first-team reckoning now he’s fully fit once more.

Roméo Lavia (Chelsea)

Given that he was hugely impressive for Southampton last season and given that Chelsea have already splashed a whopping £58m to acquire him, it’s a stretch to say that Lavia needs to ‘break through’ at this point, but with the Blues’ midfield paring of Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández struggling to gel, the pressure on him to perform will be immense – this could be a make or break year for the young Belgian.

He’s an excellent tackler who reads the game extremely well, but at just 19 still has plenty to learn and may need to do it very quickly indeed. If he can figure out how to get the best out of his impressive technical skill and start generating chances for his team as well as snuffing out dangerous attacks, he could soon look like one of the best young players in the world, but if he struggles then he runs the risk of being branded a flop years before most young players would expect to be judged. A big 2024 ahead.

Jaden Philogene (Aston Villa)

Another young Villain who could become a star in the back half of 2024 – 21-year-old Philogene is currently on loan at Hull City and is making some waves in the second tier, racking up six goals and five assists in just 14 games down at the MKM Stadium.

He’s also scored twice in his first three matches for England’s Under-21 team this year and the Hammersmith-born striker looks primed to become a full-time member of Emery’s squad next season. Getting past Ollie Watkins won’t be easy, but his brilliant movement and dribbling, combined with some solid finishing, means he has all the attributes to make it happen.

Oscar Bobb (Manchester City)

The 20-year-old Norwegian international has already made an impression in a string of cameo appearances this season, and judging by how impressive he’s been it may only be a matter of time before he enters Manchester City’s rotation for good.

He passes the eye test with flying colours already, but his underlying numbers are absolutely ridiculous – he’s already racked up 15 shot-creating actions and two goal-creating actions (basically the number of times he’s been involved in the build-up for chances and goals) in less than 200 minutes of first-team football. That’s simply staggering, and a testament to his creativity and to how fluidly he fits in with one of the most formidable squads in world football. A hugely gifted player and a future megastar if he carries on at the same rate of travel.

Alejo Véliz (Tottenham Hotspur)

The 20-year-old summer signing scored his first Premier League goal for Spurs against Brighton at the end of 2023 and has the potential to bag quite a few more if given the chance – and while the Argentine’s game needs some rounding off around the edges, he’s got bag loads of quality in the areas that matter most.

A tidy finisher and excellent in the air, he’s a proper fox-in-the-box style of forward and while he isn’t going to astonish anyone with his technical prowess or passing range, he knows precisely where the goal is – and with Spurs needing another forward to offer some depth options down the home straight this season, we wouldn’t be surprised if Véliz goes on a bit of a tear towards the end of the season. A simple, unfussy player who could score plenty in the right side.

Amad Diallo (Manchester United)

The young Swede was sublime on loan at Sunderland last season but has been stuck on the sidelines with injury since the summer – but could be exactly what United need to inject some threat into their forward line in 2024.

Fast, dangerous in the box and brilliant at beating his man, Diallo offers so much of what Erik ten Hag’s team lack up front – penetration, pace and the ability to bring team-mates into play, as well as an eye for the spectacular. With Alejandro Garacho patchy, Marcus Rashford off the boil and Antony all but irrelevant, a fit and firing Diallo could be huge – although there is speculation that he may be shipped back to the second tier for a bit of post-injury development. In our view, that would be a mistake, but he would make some Championship contender or other very happy indeed.