The Next Breakthrough Stars of Premier League 2021-2022

The start of the English Premier League 2021-2022 season is closing in fast these days and while clubs make the final preparations for the new PL season, the most ambitious talents make a last effort to convince their manager for a place in the first-team squad.

The question remains who will become the new debutants in the new Premier League season. The next nine months will tell but today I’d like to look at the likely candidates to break out in Premier League 2021-2022 under the age of 18.

Here are five English wonderkids in Football Manager 2022 that might become the next breakthrough stars of Premier League 2021-2022.

These young players are destined to follow in the footsteps of Phil Foden, Bukaya Saka, Wesley Fofana, and Tariq Lamptey – hopefully eventually playing regular Premier League football in the months and years to come.

Let’s take a closer look at the young stars who we believe will break through in the English Premier League for the next season! Feel free to use the comments section to add your own suggestion of potential Premier League debutants who might reach the stars next season!

Kaide Gordon /16/ Liverpool

Liverpool have made a brilliant job of nurturing their best talents in recent years. From Alexander Trent-Arnold broke through in the English Premier League in the 2016-2017 season to Neco Williams, a group of new Reds talents are looking at the 2021-2022 season as their chance to breakthrough on the biggest stage.

One of the these players is Kaide Gordon. The young winger born in 2004 should on paper be behind Harvey Elliott (2003) and Curtis Jones (2001) in the pecking order but made a great display in his first apperance for the Liverpool first team in the pre-season friendly a few weeks ago.

Labelled as one of the best English talents for his age-group, Kaide Gordon was one of few young talents that didn’t make the cut for FM21 release due to young age, but who will definitiely be one of the best FM22 wonderkids to watch for the upcoming Football Manager edition.

The former English Under-16 international player was bought from Derby in February 2021 and has since then impressed for the Liverpool U18’s. His fantastic 2020-2021 season has lead to 9 goals and 3 assists in 15 appearances in the U18 Premier League.

Kaide Gordon is a versatile forward who can play anywhere up front – either as an inverted winger or more centrally as a number 10 or a bit deeper as an 8 due to his technical brilliance, creativity and flair. His abilities with the ball makes him able to unlock the opposition defence both with great vision and trickery. Apart from standing out with his ability to make the right decisions time after time, he makes every touch and interaction with the ball so easy.

With his sublime left foot he was the #1 free-kick and corner specialist at Derby, whilst his great passing abilities makes him into a wide playmaker that brilliantly sets up his teammates in wonderful goalscoring opportunities.

The former Derby Academy player of the year 2019/2020 has already received his Championship debut, but how long would it take until he’ll get his first appareance in the Premier League?

Despite competition in the attacking unit being fierce with James Balagizi, Issac Mabaya and Layton Stewart as outsiders for a PL debut as well, I believe we don’t need to wait long!

Shola Shoretire /17/ Man Utd

While Kaide Gordon is awaiting his Premier League debut, Shola Shoretire was one of 7 under-17 talents who received their Premier League debut last year. The left-footed inverted winger received two apperances last season, but only recorded 10 minutes of action – making his debut on February 21st against Newcastle. By also receiving his Europa League debut last season, he has already gained a brief taste of playing football at the highest level.

Under the tutelage of Ole Gunnar Solskjær, a manager famed for trusting the youth, the FM21 wonderkid will definitely make a greater remark on the new Premier League season.

Born in Newcastle on February 2, 2004, Shola Shoretire was promoted to the U23 squad prior to last season and had a fantastic 2020-2021 season. Playing for the Man Utd U23 in the Premier League 2, the winger racked up a phenomenal season; scoring 10 goals in 21 appearances – a feat that eventually made him get the award of Manchester United’s Young Player of the Year 2020/21 – following in the footsteps of Ryan Giggs, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford – three former winners of the Jimmy Murphy young player of the year award.

Shola Shoretire really excels in possession of the ball. With incredible close control, agility, dribble repertoire and sublime technique, he glides past his markers as a warm knife through butter. His ability in one-on-one situations and draw the attention of the opposition’s defenders can draw a resemblance to a young Cristiano Ronaldo, often getting into dangerous positions to create chances and assists for his teammates as well as finishing off the attacks with placed shots. Coming up against one, two, or three opposing defenders seems never to be any problem for him.

The PL defenders might be surprised how hard it is to stop this guy! He really excels in tight spaces – often using insane dribbles to surprise anyone who closes him down.

Apart from being bagged with flair and ability to the unordinary, the teenage sensation has the quickness both in pace and decision-making to become a future superstar making a living on tearing the opposition’s defence apart with his incredible skills.The Sky BluesApart from being bagged with flair and ability to the unordinary, the teenage sensation has the quickness both in pace and decision-making to become a future superstar making a living on tearing the opposition’s defence apart with his incredible skills.

Liam Delap /18/ Man City

Following the breakthrough of Phil Foden at Manchester City last season we would believe Pep Guardiola would look to the youth to replace Sergio Agüero and Fernandinho. Instead Harry Kane and Jack Grealish are topping Guardiola’s shopping list despite the City Academy is bolstered with prominent candidates to break through at the biggest stage.

One candidate to be fully integrated with the first team ahead of 2021-2022 is Liam Delap.

The 17 year old striker where one of the greatest City Academy players last season and eventually made 3 appareances for the first team of Man City. With his PL debut under the way, a full match in the Carabao Cup third round against Bournemouth which he scored a goal and a brief spell in the FA Cup match against Birmingham and a total of 24 goals scored in 20 appearances for the Under-23’s in PL2 future looks bright for the teenage phenomenon.

Whilst the summer of 2021 should be the time where he impressed his manager in pre-season friendlies to become the future replacement for Sergio Agüero, reports about injury set-back and rumours of him and his entourage seeking a potential loan move to continue his development at a Chapionship club has not seen him receive any action with the first team this summer.

Whether Liam Delap will be in and around the Man City first team for the 2021-2022 or not is yet to see, but looking at his current abilities and skills he might be one who can lead the English national team to long-awaited success.

The young English forward has scored an incredible 38 goals in 42 appearances since he made his debut for the Under 18’s for the 2019-2020 season. Having the eye for the goal by being lethal in front of the box as well as being an all-round striker who can hold up the ball to bring teammates into goalscoring opportunities, Liam Delap might be the natural replacement for Harry Kane when he retires. His finishing reportoir is brilliant – from powerful long shots to placed shots in the corner of the net to easy tap ins or chips over the goalkeeper, it truly shows how lethal he is.

For some reason he reminds me of Ciro Immobile and his tendency to attack the space behind the opposing line with determined runs – taking advantage of his acceleration to leave his marker at the apprporiate distance.

Dane Scarlett /17/ Tottenham

Recent reports from Spurs tell the story of the Harry Kane transfer saga that has escalated quickly. With him not turning up to the last training session, it seems Tottenham might look for his replacement sooner rather than later.

While most clubs might spend the cash on a new top signing from abroad, Spurs could look to their youth Academy. While this situation might have come one or two seasons too soon, it might be the greatest opportunity for the highly-rated Spurs teenager Dane Scarlett to force his way into the first team.

As part of the Tottenham Under-18’s squad along with Alfie Devine, Dane Scarlett enter the 2021-2022 season after great performances last season. the current England U17 international managed to score 18 goals in 20 appearances in the U18 Premier League before getting promoted to the U23’s team where he scored 3 goals in 5 matches.

When getting a chance by the new Spurs manager Nuno Espirito Santo in their first pre-season friendly earlier this summer, he scored the first, of hopefully many goals for Tottenham. The former youngest player of Tottenham, before Alfie Devine completed the feat two months later, possesses great finishing and technique. Good at timing his runs and be a constant torn to the opposition’s side with his movements and tendency to come deep before arriving in the box, Dane Scarlett is a lethal striker in the making.

So far it’s been 26 goals in 31 appearances for the youth – but only time will tell what the final tally will stand at by 2038!

Thierry Small /17/ Everton

English clubs have done a remarkable job of developing their homegrown talents in the past five years. One of the positions I feel they have done a great job is producing modern wingbacks. Lately, we’ve seen Reece James, Max Aarons, Brandon Williams, Tariq Lamptey and Luke Thomas making their way to the first team.

The next in line is Everton’s Thierry Small. Born in Solihull on August 1st, 2004, the current English Under-17 international of Panamanian descent, is an interesting talent who might get the opportunity by Rafa Benitez if an injury crisis should occur at the back.

“Rafa has taken the opportunity to regularly come to the Academy”.

“He is interested in who could be “Rafa has taken the opportunity to regularly come to the Academy. “He is interested in who could be good enough to make that step and who we are looking at for the future.”

Tweet by Everton FC, August 2nd, 2021

The young fullback became the youngest ever Everton player when he played the last 5 minutes in the FA Cup fourth-round match against Sheffield Wednesday 24st of January 2021 despite moving between the Under-18 and U23 squad last season.

By ranking up 13 matches, scoring 3 goals, and making 1 assist, he helped Everton U23 to an honorable 5th place in PL2 2020-2021 – ahead of both Liverpool, Manchester United, and Arsenal U23.

Thierry Small can be described as an attacking wingback in the same mold as Alphonso Davies. Highly technical, great tackling and aggression to come out victorious in the battle of possession, rather quick and got the stamina to work the entire flank by smart runs and interceptions – making him a valuable asset both in defensive action as well as attack.

His agility, close control and footwork as he drives to the byline or looks to get the ball out of tight spaces near the touchline is brilliant. Either he cuts inside or uses his powerful crosses to get the ball into dangerous positions, he has all the skills required of a modern attacking wingback. In fact, I believe we’re seeing the next Trent Alexander Arnold in the making!

His skills and style of play have already impressed the competitors. Man Utd and Arsenal are all keen on attracting his services.

Honorable Mentions

• Roméo Lavia – 18.02.2004 – Manchester City – Defensive Midfielder
• Jayden Braaf – 31.08.2002 – Manchester City – Winger(Left)
• Carney Chukwuemeka – 20.10.2003 – Aston Villa – Central Midfielder
• Louis Barry – 21.06.2003 – Aston Villa – Centre-Forward
• Divin Mubama – 25.10.2004 – West Ham – Centre-Forward
• Kian Pennant – 14.04.2004 – Leicester – Centre Forward
• Andrew Omobamidele – 23.06.2002 – Norwich – Central Defender
• Lewis Dobbin – 03.01.2003 – Everton – Central Midfielder
• Samuel Edozie – 28.01.2003 – Man City – Winger

Who do you believe can make a breakthrough in the coming Premier League season? Let us know in the comments.