Lucas Bergvall, 18, Tottenham
The Swedish teenager Lucas Bergvall agreed an £8.5m move from Djurgården in February, before officially joining Tottenham this summer. Bergvall is an all-action midfielder, well suited to a No 8 role in Ange Postecoglou’s fluid Tottenham system. The 18-year-old, already capped once for his national side, is more than capable of winning back possession in the middle of the park, before playing the right pass for a further advanced teammate. Bergvall has impressed in pre-season and provided a smart assist for compatriot Dejan Kulusevski against Bayern Munich last weekend.
Harry Amass, 17, Manchester United
Another player who has staked their claim for more regular first-team involvement during pre-season is Manchester United’s Harry Amass. In the absence of senior left-back Luke Shaw, Amass played in each of United’s summer friendlies, showing, perhaps, that he can be considered as back up in that department for Erik ten Hag. Amass plays with an impressive assuredness and a style eerily similar to Shaw. His ability on the ball stands out, particularly when picking out a teammate with his dominant left foot, and with Shaw now unavailable until after the international break, Amass should be handed further chances to impress.
Oscar Bobb, 21, Manchester City
Though perhaps already a household name, given his cameos for Manchester City over the course of last season, Oscar Bobb looks to have a strong chance of making a real impact under Pep Guardiola. The Norway international started every friendly game for the Premier League champions over the summer and starred in Saturday’s Community Shield triumph over rivals United. Playing from the right, Bobb can wreaks havoc when cutting inside on to his left foot, or going outside to beat his man at the byline; this was evidenced at Wembley by the wonderful first touch and turn that took him past Lisandro Martínez, in order to assist Bernardo Silva.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, 17, Arsenal
Viewed predominantly as a central midfielder throughout his time at the Arsenal Academy, Myles Lewis-Skelly may break into Mikel Arteta’s first team sooner rather than later. In pre-season, the 17-year-old has been integrated into the side as a left-back, but with licence to step inside and invert into midfield where he can affect the game in possession. Lewis-Skelly is well rounded technically, can place a pass through the lines and carry the ball with purpose, while out of possession, he is tenacious, using his body well to make tackles. The Hale End graduate can also slot in as a centre-half, should he be required to, and his useful versatility will appeal to Arteta.
Tyler Dibling, 18, Southampton
A versatile attacker who has now settled on the No 10 role as his best, Tyler Dibling is the latest player to emerge from Southampton’s renowned academy setup. After failing to produce an elite-level talent in recent times, the Saints have high hopes for the England under-18 international. Dibling is an exceptional ball-carrier, capable of progressing play upfield in seconds. He carries himself in a similar vein to a young Jack Grealish, riding challenges from opponents, wearing his socks and shin pads just as low as the Manchester City star. In 2022, Dibling went viral after scoring a hat-trick of identical goals against Newcastle under-23s at St James’ Park. This weekend, the teenager could play in a Premier League match at the same stadium.
Trey Nyoni, 17, Liverpool
The 17-year-old Liverpool midfielder Trey Nyoni could be the latest youngster to establish himself in the first-team and, after a handful of impressive pre-season displays, it would be no surprise to see him stay there this season. After making the move from Leicester to Merseyside last summer, Nyoni impressed for Liverpool’s under-21s before earning a first-team debut in the FA Cup in February. In the few minutes he has played at a senior level, Nyoni showed composure and maturity beyond his years. Perhaps Liverpool’s failure to secure the signing of the Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi will see the youngster afforded more time to shine under Arne Slot.
Marc Guiu, 18, Chelsea
Should he remain at the club as part of what is now an extremely bloated squad – and not be sent out on loan – the Chelsea attacker Marc Guiu could have a really strong impact. The 18-year-old swapped Barcelona for London in July for a reported €6m (£5.1m), having made just three senior league appearances for the Catalan giants last term. Despite arriving for just a fraction of the price many of his new teammates did, the teenager was one of the Blues’s starring performers throughout pre-season under the new head coach, Enzo Maresca. Guiu is a tenacious livewire of an attacker and not a traditional, physically imposing No 9, but one whose relentless work rate and pressing will be crucial for the philosophy Maresca is trying to instil at Stamford Bridge.
Lewis Hall, 19, Newcastle
The former Chelsea youngster Lewis Hall saw his loan move to Newcastle made permanent this summer, after certain clauses were met during his spell on Tyneside last term. Still just 19, it feels as though Hall has been around for quite some time after his early breakthrough under Graham Potter in 2022. But he struggled for regular game time at Newcastle, with the likes of Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Tino Livramento keeping him out of the starting XI before, towards the end of the campaign, Eddie Howe afforded him more opportunities; he then started all four of Newcastle’s pre-season friendlies at left-back, and will be expected to head into the Premier League as the club’s first-choice. Given England’s well publicised shortage in that position, it would come as no surprise to see Hall handed a senior call-up between now and the end of the season.
Yankuba Minteh, 20, Brighton
From one talent on the books at Newcastle to one that was let go this summer. Yankuba Minteh made the move to Brighton for a reported £33m and Newcastle’s loss – “forced” by the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules – is most certainly Brighton’s gain. The Seagulls moved quickly to secure the 20-year-old, and for good reason too. In a loan spell with Feyenoord last season, the Gambian winger scored 10 goals and provided six assists in just under 1,500 minutes of league action – in other words, Minteh was directly involved in front of goal just about every game. Minteh, who turned 20 in July, was the highest rated teenager in the Dutch top-flight during his loan stint and also racked up the 6th most successful dribbles (59) of any player in the division. Expect the exciting young attacker to play a big part under the new Brighton boss Fabian Hürzeler.
Mikey Moore, 17, Tottenham
Tottenham’s Mikey Moore, the youngest player on our list, is considered one of the most exciting talents in England. The 17-year-old capped off a fine summer by signing his first professional contract at Spurs on the day after his birthday last weekend, a summer that saw him star for his country at the European Under-17 Championship in Cyprus. Moore netted a brace in the group opener against France scoring again in group games against Portugal and Spain. Upon his return to Tottenham at the beginning of pre-season, he was told he would spend the coming weeks with Ange Postecoglou’s first-team, and took the opportunity with both hands. He scored in Spurs’s opening friendly against Hearts, then provided an assist three days later against Queens Park Rangers. Moore can play just about anywhere across the front line, including on the wing, as a No 9, No 10, or even slightly deeper as an eight and stands out above the rest for his exceptional dribbling ability, link-up play and impressive finishing. In May, Moore became Spurs’s youngest Premier League player when he came on in the home defeat to Manchester City and we expect him to start a handful of top-flight games before the end of the season.
*The Guardian Sport*
