chases after the ball during the English Premier League football
match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in
London on July 15, 2020.Glyn KIRK / POOL / AFP
The new Premier League season starts on Saturday with a
clutch of young players eager to play a starring role.
After Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood was the breakout star
last term, AFP Sport looks at five candidates aiming to emulate the
striker’s success in the coming months:
Phil Foden (Manchester City)
midfielder Phil Foden (L) celebrates with Manchester City’s English
midfielder Raheem Sterling (R) after scoring their second goal
during the UEFA Champions League Group C football match between
Manchester City and Dinamo Zagreb at the Etihad Stadium in
Manchester, north west England on October 1, 2019. Manchester City
won the game 2-0.Anthony Devlin / AFP
Widely regarded as the most gifted of England’s Under-17 World
Cup-winning team three years ago, Foden has a golden opportunity to
fulfil his vast potential this season.
The departure of City playmaker David Silva has left a vacancy
in Pep Guardiola’s team that Foden is determined to fill.
Guardiola showed his trust in the 20-year-old by starting him in
last season’s League Cup final win against Aston Villa, when he was
the man of the match, as well as the Champions League last-16
second-leg victory over Real Madrid.
“I’ve played many big games for Man City now and I have learned
to cope with the fans and the pressure. It definitely helps you,”
Foden said.
England manager Gareth Southgate also believes Foden is ready
for prime time, but his first callup to the national squad ended in
disgrace when he and Mason Greenwood were sent home on Monday after
the pair breached coronavirus protocols in Iceland, reportedly
after leaving the team’s bio-secure ‘bubble’ after meeting local
girls.
Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)
Just two years after his career was in danger of stagnating,
Phillips has inspired Leeds’ long-awaited return to the Premier
League and celebrated his first England call-up in a memorable
period for the midfielder.
It is a remarkable rise for a player regarded as an
underachiever when Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa took charge in
2018.
Bielsa recognised that Phillips was better suited to a midfield
holding position than the box-to-box role he had previously been
asked to fill.
Since that inspired switch, the 24-year-old has made more
tackles, interceptions and successful passes than any other Leeds
player.
Those qualities have seen Leeds fans dub him the “Yorkshire
Pirlo” in a nod to the perceived similarities between their
hometown hero and former Italy great Andrea Pirlo.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Bukayo Saka (C) vies for the ball against Liverpool’s Dutch
midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum (R) during the English FA Community
Shield football match between Arsenal and Liverpool at Wembley
Stadium in north London on August 29, 2020. (Photo by ANDREW
COULDRIDGE / POOL / AFP)
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The versatile 19-year-old earned a PFA Young Player of the Year
nomination after an impressive 2019/20 campaign.
Now Saka must build on that breakthrough first full season by
cementing his place in Mikel Arteta’s side.
Capable of playing on the left or right wing, at left-back and
even in central midfield, Saka showed no signs of resting on his
laurels as he delivered an influential display when Arsenal beat
Liverpool in the recent Community Shield.
Saka’s range of passing was on full display when he found
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with a raking cross-field ball that led
to his captain’s goal against Liverpool.
Only Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Liverpool’s Trent
Alexander-Arnold have provided more assists for Premier League
sides in all competitions since the start of last season than Saka,
who has 12.
Matheus Pereira (West Bromwich Albion)
season on loan at West Brom.
The 24-year-old Brazilian was Albion’s star performer in their
promotion-winning campaign last term.
In his first season in English football, Championship defenders
found it impossible to contain Pereira as the winger scored eight
goals and provided 16 assists — more than any other second-tier
player.
He had initially joined on loan from Sporting Lisbon, but Albion
secured a permanent deal for around £9 million ($12 million) that
should prove value for money.
“Everybody is aware of the impact he made in his first season
and from speaking to him I know he is now very excited by the
challenge of playing for Albion in the Premier League,” said West
Brom sporting director Luke Dowling.
Curtis Jones (Liverpool)
Liverpool against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup this
season
Jones gave a tantalising glimpse of his ability with a brilliant
long-range winner against Everton in last season’s FA Cup third
round.
The 19-year-old midfielder’s energy and quality in possession
make him an ideal fit for Jurgen Klopp’s high tempo game-plan.
He made eight more appearances after that Merseyside derby
wonder-goal and came off the bench in last month’s Community
Shield.
With Klopp taking a cautious approach in the transfer market and
expressing his faith in the club’s cadre of talented youngsters,
Liverpool-born Jones could earn more opportunities when the Reds
start the season as English champions for the first time since
1990.
-AFP
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