Ten Premier League 2 players who could break through in 2025/26

Football writer Daniel Edwards names 10 young players who could step up from Premier League 2 in 2025/26.

It’s easy for fans to be caught up in the excitement of a transfer window, with the possibility of finally signing the one missing piece that gets your team into Europe, or even to the top of the Premier League table.

But it’s also important to recognise the quality that already exists within each club at academy level.

We can never predict exactly who it will be, but young players break through every season in the Premier League. Just look at the likes of Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Dean Huijsen in the 2024/25 campaign.

Here are 10 Premier League youth stars who seem set to emerge in 2025/26.

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (Man City)

Age: 19 | Position: Central defender Players compared with: John Stones, Dean Huijsen

Simpson-Pusey was named the Premier League 2 Player of the Season in May, becoming the first defender to win the award.

Nine days later, he captained Manchester City's Under-21 side to their fourth Premier League 2 (PL2) title in five seasons.

Simpson-Pusey may already be familiar to some; when Man City’s senior side were in the midst of an historically poor run of form back in November, the young centre-back was thrust into the middle of an injury-plagued defence, completing 90 minutes twice in five days away to Sporting CP and Brighton and Hove Albion.

It was a challenging time for any player to be introduced to a new environment, never mind a young defender making his first starts in senior football. It says a great deal about Simpson-Pusey's character that he came out the other side as a positive in the eyes of Man City fans, having shouldered a huge amount of responsibility on the ball in both matches, in a team devoid of confidence.

Pep Guardiola praised the teenager after the Brighton game, saying: "He performed unbelievably.

"We have a central defender to help us for the future, for the next years. I’m really pleased. There is always good news when the situation goes bad, and this is [an example]."

In what can be considered the holy grail for a central defender, Simpson-Pusey led PL2 for both passing accuracy (93.8 per cent) and aerial duel success (85.3 per cent) last season.

Best passing accuracy in PL2 2024/25*

*Minimum 500 passes

Best aerial duel success in PL2 2024/25

*Minimum 30 aerial duels

Given Man City’s extensive catalogue of central defenders, it would be a surprise if Simpson-Pusey isn’t sent out on loan to be given the senior minutes he requires to keep progressing – he has achieved all he can at youth level.

Lewis Orford (West Ham United) 

Age: 19 | Position: Central midfielder | Players compared with: Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse

London-born and raised, Orford has been a part of the setup since he was just five years old.

He was a key player in the Hammers' FA Youth Cup triumph in 2023, when the team thrashed an Arsenal side containing Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri to lift the trophy for the first time in 24 years.

Two years on, Orford is coming off the back of a dominant season in PL2 and is ready to add to the two substitute appearances he made in the Premier League last season under Graham Potter, a manager who has always had a keen interest in developing academy players.

Orford has often drawn comparison to Declan Rice, and though the West Ham factor has a large role to play there, there are myriad on-the-field similarities too.

With broad shoulders and an elegant gait, Orford often looks a cut above players of the same age and he was nominated for the PL2 Player of the Season in 2024/25.

Showcasing his two-way capabilities, Orford led all players in PL2 last season for both assists (nine) and possession recoveries (142), while he also created the most big chances of any player (12).

Most assists in PL2 2024/25 

Most possession wins in PL2 2024/25 

West Ham struggled to find a fruitful double pivot combination last season under Potter – Orford may well be half of the solution.

Shumaira “Shim” Mheuka (Chelsea)

Age: 17 | Position: Forward | Players compared with: Son Heung-min, Sergio Aguero

The latest jewel from Chelsea's famed academy at Cobham, Mheuka is a forward with a rare concoction of abilities that should combine to give him a long and successful career at the top level.

Previously part of Brighton’s academy, Mheuka joined Chelsea in 2022 and has been a force to be reckoned with at youth level ever since, often playing an age up for both Chelsea and England.

Mheuka ticks almost every box – he has incredibly quick feet, strong ball control, he can come deep to connect play, he can play off the shoulder of the last defender, he can play wide, and most importantly, he can finish.

None of this is news to Chelsea of course, and Mheuka’s promise was rewarded with some first-team interaction by manager Enzo Maresca, making his Premier League debut against Southampton in February, while becoming Chelsea’s youngest ever starter in major European competition in March.

Mheuka was named as Chelsea’s Scholar of the Year last season and the expectation will be that he still spends the majority of his time with the Under-21s in the upcoming campaign, but you can expect to see him given an increase of usage with the senior side too.

Trey Nyoni (Liverpool)

Age: 17 | Position: Central midfielder | Players compared with: Thiago Alcantara, Angel Gomes

Nyoni joined Liverpool in 2023 from Leicester City, for whom he was playing Under-18 football at the tender age of 15.

A player of incredible composure, agility and guile, it’s easy to see why he was comfortable playing with an older group.

Chiefly a sitting midfielder with metronomic tendencies, Nyoni is also capable of playing higher up the pitch, such is his immaculate close control and deftness around the box.

Only four players created more chances in open play than Nyoni in PL2 last season, despite him usually dictating play from a deeper position.

Nyoni has been a regular in England’s youth set up from the Under-16s through to the Under-20s, and he’s a profile that English football has struggled to produce in recent times – a player that can control the tempo.

Nyoni made five appearances for Liverpool’s senior side last season, with two starts in domestic cup competitions.

Though he is yet to make his Premier League debut, manager Arne Slot made him Liverpool’s youngest ever player in European competition when he appeared from the bench against PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League in January.

It won’t be long until he’s involved in Premier League matches too.

Harry Howell (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Age: 17 | Position: Attacking midfielder | Players compared with: Tyler Dibling, James McAtee

Although he was only 16 years old for the majority of the campaign, Harry Howell spent all of last season as a starter for Brighton’s Under-21 side – and he was arguably their best player.

Howell is a versatile attacker, comfortable playing behind the striker, sometimes as the striker, but mostly and to greatest effect from the right.

Able to dribble with the ball at great speeds, Howell is a sharpshooter who needs no time at all to get a powerful shot off, finding it easier than most to create half a yard of separation from his opposition full-back.

Despite playing predominantly against players a year or two older than him, Howell finished fourth for expected assists (4.39) and fifth for dribbles completed (36) in PL2 last season.

Most dribbles completed in PL2 2024/25 

Most expected assists in PL2 2024/25 

Howell made his senior debut in Brighton’s come-from-behind victory over Liverpool in last season’s penultimate match, becoming the club’s youngest player in the Premier League in the process.

In the 84th minute, with the scores level at 2-2, Howell entered the pitch alongside his cousin, Jack Hinshelwood.

Only 78 seconds later and Brighton were ahead, with the two cousins celebrating together at the corner flag.

The young attacker did enough to earn credit from manager Fabian Hurzeler: "Harry did an incredible job, he put in a really good performance against Liverpool.

"Now he has to be humble, stay grounded, keep working hard, and then I'm sure that he can be a role model for all the other young players in the academy, to show that if you work hard, you have a chance to be a first-team player."

Hindolo Mustapha (Crystal Palace)

Age: 18 | Position: Central midfielder | Players compared with: Kobbie Mainoo, Elliot Anderson

Mustapha was the youngest of the eight nominees for PL2 Player of the Season in 2024/25, and given the strength of his campaign with Crystal Palace, he can count himself unlucky not to have won the award.

Already capped at senior international level and with a goal to his name for Sierra Leone, Mustapha can play almost anywhere in midfield.

He spent the majority of last season in an advanced position that mirrors the way Oliver Glasner uses number 10s for the senior team.

Mustapha has wonderful ball control, he can stride purposefully with the ball while utilising his physical attributes to hold players off and then create separation, he has an excellent eye for a pass, and he can strike a ball powerfully and cleanly.

The only player with more combined goals (10) and assists (seven) than Mustapha in PL2 last season was Manchester City’s Divin Mubama, who is a striker.

Most goal involvements in PL2 2024/25 

Mustapha led all players in the division for goals scored from outside the box (five), dribbles completed (63), and chances created from open play (48), while he was second for possession won (138) and fourth for progressive carries (191).

Most goals scored from outside box PL2 2024/25 

Most dribbles completed in PL2 2024/25 

Most chances created from open play PL2 2024/25 

Most progressive carries in PL2 2024/25 

Mustapha is yet to make an appearance above youth level for Palace, but make no mistake, he is ready to make his mark in senior football.

Finlay Herrick (West Ham)

Age: 19 | Position: Goalkeeper | Players compared with: James Trafford, David Raya

Herrick was the only goalkeeper to be nominated for PL2 Player of the Season in 2024/25, which is no mean feat in a high-scoring league that often highlights the quality of attackers more so than defenders.

Although on the shorter side for a goalkeeper, standing at just over six feet tall, Herrick nonetheless has a great command of his area.

As is now expected with modern-day goalkeepers, he’s comfortable on the ball and has no issues with finding the right pass while under pressure.

In what was his first season at Under-21 level, Herrick kept the most clean sheets of any goalkeeper in PL2 last season (seven), although he knows he didn’t accomplish it alone.

"As much as I want to take credit for all the clean sheets, and I celebrate like I did all the work, you’ve got to give credit to my defence," he told West Ham's official website, prior to joining the England squad for the Under-19 European Championships.

Goalkeepers with most clean sheets in PL2 2024/25 

Although Herrick is yet to make his senior debut for West Ham, the club clearly see a bright future for him at the club, tying him down until 2028 with a bumper contract last October.

It’s not common for young goalkeepers to be given a chance straight away at the top level, so the expectation will be that Herrick goes on loan to a club in the EFL in 2025/26, but you can expect to see him lining up for West Ham’s senior side down the line.

Josh King (Fulham)

Age: 18 | Position: Central midfielder | Players compared with: Vitinha, Youri Tielemans

In May 2018, when King was 11 years old, he walked out as a mascot alongside Fulham captain Tom Cairney for a Championship play-off semi-final match against Derby County.

In December 2024, when King was 17, he made his full Premier League debut alongside Cairney in Fulham’s midfield.

Although possessing a slight frame and a height of five feet eight, King has typically played in a midfield two at youth level for Fulham, whose academy setup he has now been part of for 10 years.

Fulham manager Marco Silva has not historically been forthcoming with minutes for youth players, usually electing to stick with a tried and tested senior group, so it has not gone unnoticed that he fast-tracked King into the senior squad for much of last season, awarding him two starts in all competitions as well as a smattering of substitute appearances.

Silva spoke highly of King after his first start in the Premier League, against Southampton: "It was a good performance for him. It was a surprise for some people that he was so composed, but it wasn't a surprise for us.

"I took the decision [to start him] because I saw that he is ready. He is a really good boy who is focused on his goals [objectives] and the team's."

King’s appearances at youth level were simply too good to ignore, earning him Fulham's Scholar of the Year award in 2023/24, ad regular starts for England’s youth teams.

Don’t be surprised if he becomes a regular starter for Fulham before long, too.

Chido Obi (Manchester United)

Age: 17 | Position: Forward | Players compared with: Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak

Obi is one of the most dominant forwards at youth level in recent times, scoring 32 goals in 18 games in the Under-18 Premier League for Arsenal during the 2023/24 campaign, with 28 of those goals coming during the final nine matches of the season.

That’s why his move to Man Utd in 2024 made shockwaves at academy level.

Losing a player of such great potential to a major rival was a huge blow for Arsenal, and a major coup for Man Utd.

Obi, who is eligible to play for England and Nigeria but is expected to represent his country of birth, Denmark, stands at six feet two inches tall and is likely still growing. Nonetheless, he has the balance and footwork more associated with players of a lesser height, and that’s why it’s easy to draw parallels to forwards like Ekitike and Isak, who have more in common with a diminutive winger than they do your average target man.

Obi makes good use of his physical advantages at youth level, and that’s why there will need to be patience as he transitions into the senior game, where those advantages will not exist at first.

Liam Delap, for example, has had to walk that same trajectory, and is now flying.

Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim is of course well aware of Obi’s potential and used him eight times for the senior side last season, including making him the club’s youngest ever starter in the Premier League.

Those appearances totalled just north of 200 minutes - you can expect to see a lot more of Obi in 2025/26.

Max Dowman (Arsenal)

Age: 15 | Position: Attacking midfielder | Players compared with: Cole Palmer, Kaka

Comfortably the youngest player on this list, Dowman could go down as one of the greatest talents ever produced by Arsenal’s Hale End academy.

Dowman only turned 15 on the final day of 2024, yet he already looks too good for the U18 Premier League, registering 15 goals and five assists in just 15 appearances in the competition last season.

Most goals + assists in U18 PL 2024/25 

Although the Arsenal hierarchy will be keen not to put too much pressure and expectation on Dowman’s young shoulders, manager Mikel Arteta has been glowing when offered the chance to talk up the teenager's qualities.

"He's very impressive," said Arteta, during a press conference earlier this year. "Some of the things he does are unbelievable.

"We have a lot of belief we can develop him into one of our own."

Dowman glides effortlessly with the ball, while always keeping it at close proximity and out of reach of bamboozled defenders. He has been compared with many famous players, from Cole Palmer to George Best, but one reference point that has stuck is former Ballon d’Or winner Kaka, a comparison offered up by one of Arsenal’s youth coaches, Gustavo Oliveira.

"He plays in the style of Kaka," said Oliveira. "One day he will play for the England national team and in the Premier League."

Dowman will be too young to truly stake a claim in Arsenal’s squad next season, but he is expected to be given ample time around the first team, and as we have seen with Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri, Arteta isn’t afraid to platform precocious talents.