10 Premier League wonderkids for 2025/26 include Arsenal talent, Liverpool and Chelsea duos, and ‘special’ West Ham star

Premier League clubs are spending more money than ever on transfers – but many hidden gems are already at the club.

Every season, several young players break through from academy level to cut their teeth among England’s elite.

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Some, like Myles Lewis-Skelly, burst onto the scene in Micah Richards’ fashion, while others, who include his Arsenal teammate Ethan Nwaneri, have long been earmarked to reach the top.

The latter made his first Premier League appearance aged 15 and 181 days in September 2022, but properly made his mark last campaign.

Now, talkSPORT.com has picked out 10 other wonderkids set to emerge in 2025/26, with the two caveats being that they’ve made fewer than that number of first-team appearances (sorry, Josh King!)

And they aren’t loaned out, meaning Manchester City‘s Celtic-bound Jahmai Simpson-Pusey is unavailable. So, in no particular order or indeed ranking, let’s dive right in…

Max Dowman – Arsenal

The Gunners wouldn’t even be able to slow the hype train surrounding their next Hale End gem, described by Declan Rice as “the best 15-year-old in the country”.

Dowman made his debut for the Arsenal Under-18s at just 13 years old, and has scored 20 goals for the side alongside ten assists.

The teenager netted 15 times in as many appearances in the U18 Premier League last season and later trained with the first team.

Dowman, who was drafted into first-team training at age 14, made his senior debut during a pre-season win against AC Milan last month.

He then caught the eye further during a 3-2 win over Newcastle, winning a penalty in a performance that Mikel Arteta called ‘special’.

And as per talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan, Dowman could be en route to becoming a world-beater in football like Lamine Yamal.

Rio Ngumoha – Liverpool

The Reds lost two transfer targets to Chelsea in the summer of 2023 in Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, but got their revenge a year later.

Ngumoha was regarded as one of the best talents produced in recent years at Cobham, and such was their fury at his exit that the Blues’ youth system was drastically overhauled to prevent future mistakes.

Chelsea captain John Terry, who worked with the winger as an academy coach, predicted: “This boy is, and will be a top player”.

Ngumoha has wasted little time in living up to that promise, after becoming the youngest player to start a first-team game for Liverpool in January.

He has since been an integral part of Arne Slot‘s pre-season, starting the club’s first three matches, and scoring his first two senior goals.

Liverpool’s confidence in the 16-year-old has also been evident by Luis Diaz’s £65.5million move to Bayern Munich, with Ngumoha now the only recognised left-winger behind Cody Gakpo.

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Trey Nyoni – Liverpool

Sticking with the Premier League champions for their second and final entry on this list is Ngumoha’s academy teammate.

Like the latter, Nyoni arrived at Anfield from an English rival, having played for Leicester City‘s U18s at the tender age of 15.

Since his arrival in 2023, the midfielder has been banging on the door to become an established member of Liverpool‘s senior squad.

Nyoni briefly held Liverpool’s record of the youngest player to appear in the FA Cup when he featured against Southampton in February 2024 under Jurgen Klopp, before he was usurped by Ngumoha.

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He impressed in Slot’s first pre-season last summer, but made just five senior outings, with two starts in domestic cup competitions.

Nyoni remains Liverpool’s youngest-ever player in European competition, following his substitute appearance against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League in January.

The 18-year-old is yet to make his Premier League debut, but having signed a new long-term contract in June, it surely won’t be long.

On both Nyoni and Ngumoha, Liverpool veteran Andy Robertson told The Anfield Wrap. “They’re so young, but they’re such good kids, and they’ve got a hell of a future ahead of themselves.”

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Ethan Williams – Man United

His famous uncle Alex is still in the history books at the Etihad after becoming the first black goalkeeper to play in the English top-flight.

Now, Williams will be hoping to make a name for himself at Old Trafford after emerging as Ruben Amorim‘s secret weapon.

The 19-year-old racked up an impressive 25 goal contributions in the Red Devils academy during the 2023/24 campaign.

Williams spent the second half of last season out on loan to Cheltenham Town in League Two, scoring twice in 17 matches.

His future looked to be elsewhere this summer, but the winger returned to pre-season with a point to prove, with Marcus Rashford joining Barcelona, and Alejandro Garnacho frozen out.

talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent, Alex Crook, revealed “Amorim has taken a shine to Ethan Williams” after making a U-turn on their decision to include the youngster on the club’s US tour.

And the Portuguese was rewarded by Williams scoring his first United goal during the club’s 4-1 win over Bournemouth in Chicago.

As such, Amorim allowed himself a rare celebration of his own, later saying: “I celebrated that goal. 

“It is not usually even during the season, but I celebrated that goal because I really like to see the kids who work really well, who don’t have a lot of space during training, but still they are there.

“They understand the idea, they press and fight. They controlled the game so I’m pleased.”

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Preston Fearon – West Ham

The 18-year-old is looking to follow in Rice’s footsteps at the Hammers, having been released by Chelsea four years ago.

And the former Irons captain is keenly aware of the club’s latest academy product, having liked West Ham’s Instagram post of Fearon, with the caption “a first-team debut for Preston” following the 2-1 defeat to Man United.

But it is Rice’s successor as skipper, Jarrod Bowen, who has predicted big things from the teenager in the near future.

He told whufc.com: “He’s a special player. I’m surprised he didn’t nutmeg anyone, because I’ve never seen someone nutmeg so many people in training. He’s done it to me a couple of times as well!

“I’ll let him off, because he’s a special player, and a really good person as well. He’s really grounded, and he really wants to work hard.

“I’m so glad he got his opportunity tonight, because he deserved it. I’m proud of him and so happy for him, and I know there’ll be many more to come.”

Fearon’s first senior appearance for West Ham continued his memorable year, having now recovered from a back injury that ruled him out for much of the 2023/24 season.

He captained the U18s to the Premier League Cup title in April, before winning the prestigious Dylan Tombides award, which recognises the club’s Academy of Football’s outstanding scholar, a month later.

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Reggie Walsh – Chelsea

Blues captain Reece James admitted he was surprised by how good the 16-year-old was following his full debut in May.

Walsh played all 90 minutes of Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Djurgardens in the Conference League, a week after his senior bow in the first leg.

In doing so, the midfielder became Chelsea’s youngest ever starter in a European competition at the age of 16 years and 200 days.

“I’ve seen him in training lots,” James told TNT Sports. “But training and games are different, and this is the first time I’ve seen him in a game.

“And I was like f****** hell. I didn’t realise how good he actually was.”

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has been in no doubt over Walsh’s talent, though, claiming the academy graduate is ‘perfect’ for his system.

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Shumaira “Shim” Mheuka – Chelsea

The Blues academy graduate may have ceded the record for the club’s youngest starter in Europe to Reggie Walsh, but he remains well in the hunt to establish himself as the next Cobham starlet to properly break into the first team.

Indeed, that’s exactly what Josh Acheampong has predicted for Mheuka, who was also tipped as a potential FC Future Star by Romeo Lavia, and is a ‘top talent’, according to Tosin Adarabioyo.

Chelsea have handed Brighton £257m on 14 players and staff members since Todd Boehly took over as co-owner and chairman.

Mheuka may prove the best value for money, having left the Seagulls, whom he’d joined from age nine, to move to Stamford Bridge for a tribunal £1m fee, rising to £4.25m, in July 2022.

The forward made his senior debut for Chelsea as a substitute in November during their UEFA Conference League win at FC Astana.

The 17-year-old made his Premier League debut against Southampton in February, and briefly became Chelsea’s youngest-ever starter in major European competition a month later.

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Mheuka, who was named as Chelsea’s Scholar of the Year last season, has fierce competition among Enzo Maresca’s ever-changing attack.

But, with Nicolas Jackson linked with an exit, and no guarantees either of Liam Delap or Joao Pedro will thrive in their first full seasons at Chelsea, fans can expect to see Mheuka given more of a look.

Former Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell has no doubt the youngster will reach the top, telling TNT last season: “I coached Shimmy when he was at Brighton.

“I was doing the Under-16s and he was a 14-year-old then and demanding about how he should be playing, starting, for the Under-16s, which goes to show the confidence the young man has in joining in.

“He’s got good footballing IQ, he’s a good size, and he’s destined for big things.

“He’s at a great club to hopefully hone those skills and get more appearances. Hopefully, a goal to come with it.”

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Harry Howell – Brighton

The Seagulls may have lost Mheuka, but another 17-year-old prospect is still breaking records on the south coast.

Howell became Brighton’s youngest-ever Premier League player in a 3-2 win over English champions Liverpool in May.

Even more special for the midfielder was the opportunity to play alongside his cousin, Jack Hinshelwood, who later scored the winner.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler dubbed the teenager a ‘special’ player, after his record-breaking night, having trusted him to come on at 2-2.

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Hurzeler said: “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.”

Howell will undoubtedly have his feet kept on the ground by his dad, Jamie, a 1994 FA Youth Cup winner with Arsenal.

The latter had been permitted by Bognor Regis Town — where he is the current co-manager — to miss their 2-1 win to Cray Wanderers in the Isthmian League Premier Division (the seventh tier of English football) to watch his then-15-year-old son put Brighton Under-21s into the Football League Trophy quarter-finals in January 2024.

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Mateus Mane – Wolverhampton Wanderers

The 17-year-old is maintaining a running theme, having become Wolves’ youngest Premier League player, fittingly, against Brighton.

Mane, a Portugal-born forward who has represented England at youth level, has since been rewarded with his first professional contract in gold and black.

It represents a remarkable rise to the top, having only arrived at the club in February 2024 from National League Rochdale’s academy.

Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira then took notice of Mane’s seven goals and four assists in 15 league outings for the Under-18s.

“He’s a talented player,” Pereira said. “I believe he has a big future at our club, and I hope to give him the opportunity to play very soon.”

After his debut Premier League appearance against Brighton in May, the Wolves boss confirmed Mane will be part of his first-team squad.

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Hindolo Mustapha – Crystal Palace

The midfielder was the youngest of the eight nominees for the Premier League 2 Player of the Season last season.

The 19-year-old, who was also named the Eagles’ Under-21 player of the season, is already capped at senior international level.

Mustapha even has a goal to his name in his three appearances for Sierra Leone, and originally, was a shoo-in for inclusion on this list.

However, he was ruled out for six weeks with a knee injury in July, which curtailed hopes of impressing Oliver Glasner in pre-season.

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As a result, Mustapha wasn’t part of the group that travelled to Austria for a training camp and will also miss the Community Shield.

Mustapha, who is yet to play an official first-team game, will be itching to recover as soon as possible to continue where he left off.