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Analysis
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The Premier League’s five best Under-21 players of the season
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 22 May 2025 17:03 BST
- 5 min read
Analysis
The 2024-25 season has seen several wonderkids emerge as top-class players in the Premier League thanks to a plethora of impressive showings.
While the PFA Young Player of the Year award includes nominees who are now 24 years old, those of a younger generation fully deserve their flowers.
Below, FootballTransfers runs through the Premier League’s five best Under-21 players of the season.
Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth)
After an encouraging loan spell at AS Roma, Juventus made the bizarre decision to sell Dean Huijsen to Bournemouth for a measly €19.6 million last summer. That decision has turned out horribly for the Italian giants and it’s been a masterstroke from Andoni Iraola’s side.
Huijsen has been one of the best central defenders in the Premier League this season and he has earned a €59m move to Real Madrid, meaning Bournemouth have turned a tidy profit on the Spaniard in less than 12 months.
The 20-year-old has played a key role in Bournemouth’s impressive campaign under Iraola and his ball-playing ability led to interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool before Real Madrid swooped.
Current ETV
Dean Huijsen
D (C)
B'mouth
Dean Huijsen
D (C)
B'mouth
ETV Range
€49.5M - €60.5M
Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth)
Huijsen’s Bournemouth team-mate Milos Kerkez has also enjoyed a sensational 2024-25 season and he may be on the move this summer too, amid interest from Liverpool and Manchester City.
The Hungary international has been a standout performer at left-back for the Cherries, starting every Premier League match this term and registering two goals and five assists during that time.
Kerkez’s pace has provided Bournemouth with immense threat down the left flank, while he has also caught the eye from a defensive perspective too.
Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
Myles Lewis-Skelly has undoubtedly been the breakout star of the campaign. He didn’t start his Premier League game until mid-December, but he has since established himself as an Arsenal regular and a fully-fledged England international.
At 18, he is the youngest player on this list, but he has fully justified his inclusion with a string of stellar performances in the Premier League this campaign. His press-resistance is outstanding and he hasn’t been fazed by his rapid ascent into the spotlight at all.
Oozing with confidence, Lewis-Skelly has usurped Riccardo Calafiori as Mikel Arteta’s preferred left-back and he is the current favourite to start for England in that role at the 2026 World Cup.
Carlos Baleba (Brighton)
Brighton may have feared the impact of Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo’s departures in 2023, but Carlos Baleba has certainly stepped up in their absence this term.
The Cameroon international has been truly exceptional this season, combining defensive solidity with an immense ability to drive the ball up the pitch by utilising his physical and technical attributes.
Baleba is wanted by some of the top clubs in England and his form this campaign means Brighton may be able to earn yet another huge transfer fee this summer.
Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Adam Wharton missed three months of the season due to a groin injury, however he has earned his inclusion due to his spectacular form when fully fit.
The Englishman hasn’t been showered with praise like Crystal Palace team-mates Jean-Philippe Mateta or Eberechi Eze, but he has enjoyed a wonderful campaign in central midfield.
Wharton has played a pivotal role for Oliver Glasner’s side, knitting together things from the middle of the park with incisive passes from deep and an elite understanding of the game.
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