Seeing a young academy graduate break into the first team of your football club is one of the most wholesome joys as a fan. This Premier League season, we’ve seen some outstanding breakthrough displays from players who, in the last few months, have become household names.
The excitement around Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United had been building for a while but, after picking up an ankle injury in pre-season, United fans had to wait until November to see the 18-year-old make his first league start. It was well worth the wait.
In a 3-0 win at Everton, the Stockport-born teenager was awarded man of the match and hasn’t looked back since. Mainoo joined United’s academy at just eight years old, and he’s now one of the first names on the team-sheet.
His composure on the ball has brought a calmness to United’s midfield in what’s been, at times, a chaotic season. He followed up his first senior goal in the FA Cup with his first Premier League goal, a stunning late winner at Wolves.
Many youngsters would struggle when thrust into the spotlight at a club like United, but Mainoo has thrived and is almost certain to develop into one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.
If he continues to perform at this level over the coming months, it could be very difficult for Gareth Southgate to ignore him for this summer’s Euros. In the blue half of Manchester, City have their own academy star who has made his senior bow this season and contributed significantly to their Treble defence.
Oscar Bobb was always destined for big things after picking up City’s Elite Development Squad Player of the Year award in each of the last two seasons, and it’s testament to his talent that he’s been able to seamlessly squeeze into arguably the best squad in world football.
At 20 years old, he scored the injury-time winner in a thrilling 3-2 comeback against Newcastle in January. His maiden Premier League goal, taken so calmly in the cauldron of St James’ Park, instantly secured him hero status among City supporters. The fact that Pep Guardiola puts his trust in him is all the reassurance you need that Bobb is another future maestro in the making.
Newcastle kicked off this season with great expectation after reaching the Champions League for the first time in 21 seasons and making a number of big-money signings in the summer. However, it’s been 17-year-old academy prospect Lewis Miley who’s had all the fans talking on Tyneside.
Eddie Howe has had to cope with a long injury list, but the teen talent, who joined Newcastle’s academy at just seven years old, has been a shining light. Miley hasn’t looked out of place in Howe’s team, using the ball intelligently and playing with a maturity well beyond his years.
The baby-faced midfielder scored his first senior goal in December’s victory over Fulham, becoming Newcastle’s youngest ever Premier League scorer.
Conor Bradley had been on the fringes of first-team football at Liverpool since joining the club in 2019, but after spending last term at Bolton and winning their player of the year award, the Northern Ireland right-back has become a key asset with Trent Alexander-Arnold spending large chunks of this season on the sidelines.
Liverpool were facing calls to invest in another right-back last summer, so it’s credit to Jurgen Klopp for trusting that, in Bradley, they already had everything they needed in abundance.
When given the chance, the 20-year-old has stood out, starring in a home win over Chelsea. It was a special night for him and his family, as it would be the last match his father watched before sadly passing away.
Klopp will leave Anfield this summer knowing that one of his most significant legacies will be the young players, like Bradley, who he’s handed first-team debuts to. Brighton are known for developing young players with their smart recruitment, but they also have an academy churning out talents like Jack Hinshelwood.
Seagulls fans have particular admiration for the 18-year-old, who joined Albion’s youth system at the age of seven. He’s the fourth generation of his family to play professionally, with father Adam also featuring for Brighton.
After progressing along the conveyor belt as a central midfielder, Hinshelwood actually made his debut at full-back and has regularly played out of position, with Roberto De Zerbi crediting his versatility.
After a man-of-the-match performance on his full European debut in Athens, his first game at the Amex saw him make a goal-saving clearance and then net his first senior goal seconds later.
In the modern game, it’s probably harder than ever for academy prospects to break into the first-team picture, with clubs under increasing pressure to compete with rivals and splash serious cash on transfers. It just makes the continued success of these young starlets even more impressive.
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