The English Premier League (EPL) 2024/25 season is a dazzling showcase for audacious young talent, with players such as Eberechi Eze, Cole Palmer, Ollie Scarles, Kobbie Mainoo, and Adam Wharton lighting up pitches.
These rising stars are reshaping the future of the English Premier League, but their meteoric rise raises questions about whether clubs are nurturing genuine talent or overhyped prospects.
Out with the Old and in with the New
Eberechi Eze, Crystal Palace’s 26-year-old maestro (while still young in impact), is an excellent example. According to Premier League statistics, he scored 11 goals and provided 6 assists last season, making him a potential target for Manchester City.
His flair and improvisation, praised by The Guardian, defy traditional coaching paradigms. Similarly, Adam Wharton, 20, has been a revelation since his cheap $24 million transfer from Blackburn to Palace.
According to Transfermarkt, his pinpoint passing in a 4-0 rout of Manchester United earned him a call-up to England for the Euro 2024. Kobbie Mainoo, 19, is Manchester United’s midfield heartbeat, drawing comparisons to Paul Pogba. His spectacular goal in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool last season likely sealed his rise to stardom.
West Ham’s 18-year-old Ollie Scarles, a versatile midfielder, is turning heads with his tenacity, but his limited appearances keep him under the radar, which will benefit his employers. Others, such as Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri (17), who became the Premier League’s youngest player in 2022, and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (22), contribute to the wave.
Palmer’s breakout 2023/24 season, during which he scored 22 goals and assisted 11 times, demonstrated his cool penalty-taking and knack for game-changing moments, earning him the PFA Young Player of the Year award. Michael Olise of Crystal Palace, who is now at Bayern Munich, left a 10-goal legacy in 2023-24.
“You can’t win anything with kids” – Alan Hansen (Match of the Day Pundit) in 1995, just before United did just that!
Critics argue that hype outpaces experience. Wharton and Mainoo have only 15 England caps combined, raising concerns about their readiness for high-profile roles.
But recall how former Liverpool star turned TV pundit Alan Hansen famously said about Manchester United’s flock of youngster in 1995, “You can’t win anything with kids,” only to see the United youngsters prove him so embarrassingly wrong. Fans on X question whether clubs rush in young players to fill gaps, risking them burning out.
Managers such as Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner argue that talents like Eze and Wharton thrive in free-flowing systems. The EPL’s youth revolution is undeniable; with 21-year-old Jarrad Branthwaite and 23-year-old Anthony Gordon also shining, you’d think the England national team would thrive, but that could be said for many previous squads that failed. Whether they’re genuine stars or fleeting sparks, these young players are rewriting the league’s script, and fans can’t get enough.
