Nwaneri, Estevao and the 25 Premier League wonderkids with the most potential

FT Desk

• Updated: 17 Nov 2025 07:39 CST
• 7 min read

Nieuws

The Premier League is not only blessed with some of the leading talent in world football, but also some of the biggest prospects in the game.

Over the course of the last 18 months, some outstanding talent has emerged, with the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Estevao and Ethan Nwaneri all bursting onto the scene in England's top-flight.

But who is the player with the potential to reach the highest level?

How the best Premier League players of the future are predicted

FootballTransfers, in partnership with data analytics company SciSports, has developed an algorithm to determine a player's current and future skill level.

The FootballTransfers Skill is designed to indicate a player's Skill level. It does so by measuring the influence of a player on his team. The Skill score is computed on a per-match basis. It is able to calculate the influence that the player has on the team he plays for.

The input variables of the Skill information are:

• Age
• Number of minutes a player played in a particular position
• Type of match (e.g. league, cup, international)
• Strength of the league and the opponent
• The number of goals scored and conceded by the player’s team.

The algorithm determines the skill level of a player based on historical information. A player's skill is based on his performances in matches, where more recent matches are more relevant (“have a higher weight”) than older matches.

Which Premier League stars have the most potential?

10. Noah Sadiki, Sunderland

After racking up 108 senior appearances for Union Saint-Gilloise across a two-year stint at the club, Noah Sadiki completed a €17m move to Sunderland this summer amid the Black Cats’ immense spending spree.

The DR Congo midfielder has slotted in superbly alongside fellow new arrival Granit Xhaka and he has formed an excellent relationship with the ex-Arsenal star.

Sadiki is still only 20 years old and the early signs suggest that he has the potential to grow into one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.

9. Myles Lewis-Skelly, Arsenal

While his team-mate further down the list is the youngest Premier League player ever, Myles Lewis-Skelly is the youngest player to score on his debut for England.

The injuries suffered by Kieran Tierney at Arsenal over the last few years allowed Lewis-Skelly to be thrust into the deep end at left-back and to be fair to him, he flourished.

But, Mikel Arteta's love of stockpiling left-backs means he's no longer considered first choice, with the likes of Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie now vying for minutes in that role.

He's still just 19, though, so plenty more to come.

8. Kobbie Mainoo, Manchester United

Kobbie Mainoo is one of the players in the Premier League with the most potential. And yet, Man Utd don't seem to really want him.

The 20-year-old has fallen down the midfield pecking order at Old Trafford under Ruben Amorim, with Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and now Manuel Ugarte preferred in the middle of the pitch.

A January switch seems likely, with Napoli emerging as a potential destination. But, crucially, United don't want to outright sell him, so there is still a future for him with the Red Devils.

7. Estevao, Chelsea

Estevao has the highest Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of any Premier League player under the age of 21 and he is set for a stellar career in the English top flight.

The 18-year-old is already a key member of the Brazil national team and he has established himself as a firm fan favourite since his summer move to Chelsea.

Estevao has scored in each of his last three starts for the Stamford Bridge outfit and it won’t be long before he ousts Pedro Neto in Chelsea’s favoured Premier League XI.

6. Ethan Nwaneri, Arsenal

It's no surprise that the youngest player ever to feature in the Premier League is in our top 10. At 15 years and 181 days, Ethan Nwaneri made his debut for Arsenal against Brentford in September of 2022 and since then has gone from strength to strength.

The midfield roster that Mikel Arteta has at his disposal means that Nwaneri doesn't start as many games as he would like, but is certain to become a key player at some point.

His versatility allows him to play either in central midfield or on one of the flanks, a key attribute in itself.

5. Jorrel Hato, Chelsea

Jorrel Hato has endured a tough start to life at Chelsea, racking up just eight appearances this term and suffering a torrid time during their 2-2 draw versus Qarabag in the Champions League in early November.

However, he has already played over 100 senior games at just 19 years of age, and he remains one of the most highly-rated young defenders in world football.

Capable of playing at centre-back or left-back, Hato boasts the potential to become an integral member of Chelsea’s first-team squad if Enzo Maresca gives him the minutes he needs to develop.

4. Archie Gray, Tottenham

Archie Gray comes from a lineage of footballers. He is the son of Andy Gray, the grandson of Frank Gray and the nephew of Eddie Gray, all of whom played for Leeds United in their careers.

It was indeed at Leeds that Gray made his name as a promising youngster before making his big-money transfer to Tottenham.

It was a baptism of fire for the young man as injuries meant he was often deployed at centre-back under Ange Postecoglou, and the Australian's system meant that there was almost constant pressure on the player to play out from the back while remaining solid defensively.

In a dismal domestic year for Spurs in 2024/25, he is one of a few players who emerged with credit.

3. Leny Yoro, Manchester United

Signed as a player for the present and future from Lille in the summer of 2024, Yoro has firmly made his mark in Man Utd’s starting XI. The 20-year-old is closing in on 50 first-team appearances for the Red Devils, having picked up an injury soon after joining the club.

He looks every inch a player whom Amorim can build his team around, showing mental toughness, technical quality and an ability to dominate even against the best opponents.

2. Lucas Bergvall, Tottenham

The appearance of the Swede as high as second may come as a surprise to many, but the former Djurgarden man is only 19 years old and has been playing in a side struggling to find top gear.

Nevertheless, his attitude and application have remained of an excellent standard and in April he was rewarded with a new deal until 2031. He has been compared favourably to Luka Modric thanks to his passing, ball control and decision making. While a lack of strength and stamina has been pinpointed as a problem, these physical attributes will surely improve with time.

1. Rico Lewis, Manchester City

It takes a special talent to break into Pep Guardiola’s plans at Manchester City, yet Rico Lewis has managed to do just that at the tender age of 20, underlining the talent that has the FootballTransfers algorithm rate him as the best young talent in the Premier League.

Why is he so highly regarded? He has all the attributes that Guardiola values in a player. He has exceptional game intelligence and boasts a strong degree of tactical flexibility. Both of these strengths mean that he can play in a variety of different roles. On top of this, he is also excellent mentally and physically, meaning he is already an all-round talent at the age of just 20.

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