Elliott, Doku, Garnacho: who is the best young player in the Premier League 2023/2024?
Alexander Mulyanov May 30, 2024, 20:00 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Cole Palmer isn’t here, but we’ll explain everything to him.
The Premier League season is over: City are champions again. The time has come to choose the best; The main thing is who belongs to whom. This material is our vote for the best player under 21 years of age (inclusive). But with one assumption: Cole Palmer was eliminated from the nominees (he is already officially nominated for the title of best player outside the age categories), too obvious a choice.
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Rating: best young player of the 2023/2024 Premier League season
Photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Alejandro Garnacho, Manchester United
In the modern history of Manchester United there are no problems of money and youth. In the season that ended, Erik ten Hag, for example, made Rasmus Hoylund, Amad Diallo and Willy Kambvala shine from time to time, and at some point Kobby Mainu appeared. But Garnacho is the most stable: for the second consecutive season he has scored more than 10 goals and has almost the best numbers in the league in terms of dribbling, rushing and xG.
The highlight was the goal against Everton, which will probably be recognized as the most beautiful of the year. The 19-year-old Argentine then admitted that he didn’t even think he scored. The epic of tweets discrediting the coach added drama to the season, but, according to Sam Luckhurst, the parties have resolved the problem: Garnacho now monitors social networks.
Photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images
Josko Guardiol, Manchester City
Joshko made a great transition to left back during the season: although he could sometimes play on the left for Dinamo Zagreb or RB Leipzig, he has now firmly established himself there. Since March, he touches the ball in the opponent’s penalty area (3.87 versus 1.96) and dribbles (1.33 versus 0.86) approximately twice as often, and the passing performance indicators have also increased, shots and chances created.
28 games in the Premier League, one championship, only 34 goals conceded (the second result in the league) and four goals scored (the same number as Gabriel Jesús) do not allow us to doubt the Croatian’s candidacy.
Photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images
Kobby Mainu, Manchester United
The 19-year-old midfielder didn’t make his professional debut until January, but he immediately made it clear that he looked very cool. Functionality, passing, technique and smart movements – it’s all about him. In the first season, Kobby became the leader of United and was included among the contenders for the Golden Boy 2024. He is also looking forward to the beginning of the year!
Last season, Jorginho became the only Premier League midfielder to surpass the Englishman in percentage of defensive duels won. The guy is not deprived of skill in creation: he is in the top 9% of midfielders in the top 5 leagues in terms of successful dribbles and is ahead of 72% of players in passing accuracy. We need to act from the depths, please. He can also navigate in limited space and score. Hence the four goals in the League and FA Cup. The only bright point of the current Manchester United and, perhaps, the main hope of recent years after Mason Greenwood.
Photo: Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Jeremy Doku, Manchester City
In November, the Antwerp dribbler was recognized as the strongest in the City team, but his development was hampered by an injury: for this reason, Doku missed almost 10 games from December to January. Not to say that Pep Guardiola was racking his brain, but with the Belgian’s return, the team now has more variety and sharpness in attack.
The Anderlecht Academy product torments Premier League defenders: he is considered the leader in collected leathers (beating 155 opponents) and runs (150 attacks). More importantly, the winger is among the top five under-21 players in the tournament in terms of xG. In general, 12 useful actions are quite serious for the first incomplete year in England.
Photo: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
Rasmus Hoylund, Manchester United
16+2 in Manchester United’s debut season today is at least one application, especially considering that five goals were scored not just anywhere, but in the Champions League. Unfortunately, the striker was disappointed by his teammates: Hoylund practically has no ball, so he has to decide for himself. I like his movement and intransigence.
With a conversion rate of 23%, the Dane surpasses Foden (17%), Kai Havertz (20%) and even the winner of our vote from last year, Bukayo Saka (16%). This is only a percentage less than Erling Haaland. Even more is expected of him in the next campaign: as James Ducker writes, the Dane is on the Club’s list of untouchables.
Photo: Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Jerrad Branthwaite, Everton
Everton are lucky to have Branthwaite, a calm pillar for his age who makes the entire team feel at ease. This season, the Englishman shone to the maximum and brought together the best clubs: Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United.
It is not in vain that Manchester United became interested in the Carlisle graduate: the left-footed Briton, who can occupy the position for the next 10-15 years, simply “eats” forwards. This season, only a few have emerged victorious in single combat more often than Branthwaite, and in terms of tackles he is first among the U21s in the Top 5 championships. Don’t be surprised if Jerrad leaves for €100m at some point after Euro 2024.
“I’m surprised he wasn’t included in the voting for Premier League Young Player of the Year,” exclaimed Sean Dyche about the official award. And now, looking at us, he’ll probably be satisfied.
Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Harvey Elliott, Liverpool
Fulham’s record signing is in his sixth year making noise, but this time he has established himself as part of the Reds’ core. Elliott played with the same confidence in three positions and became much more productive: 17 points in the goal+pass system.
The 21-year-old Englishman accelerated towards the end of the season: he scored eight goals since March, equaling the powerful assistant Rodri. Liverpool appreciated the Englishman’s progress and presented an award to the best young player of the season. It’s crazy, but Harvey managed to play 119 games for Klopp’s team. And at the same time, Jürgen himself said that he regrets it because he cannot give the midfielder even more game practice. Now someone else will give it.
Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images
Adam Wharton, Crystal Palace
The 20-year-old Blackburn graduate only joined Crystal Palace in February – they paid around £20m for the prop. Despite constant practice in the championship and even interest from Chelsea, almost no one expected a strong promotion in the Premier League. newcomer. Now you can’t imagine the Eagles core without him. Adam himself was impressed: “I couldn’t even imagine that everything would turn out so well. It seemed that he was going to play a few games before the end of the season, but no more, because it is too big a step forward.”
At the end of the season, the Palace newcomer has the second highest percentage of duel wins among all Premier League midfielders. The boy is very tenacious: no player under 21 in his position attacks and fights so frequently. Another promising midfielder for the England team, who is already in the sights of Arsenal and Bayern.
Photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Bad Gusteau, Chelsea
Reliable as a Swiss watch, Chelsea’s plan “we will buy all the young players, at least one will play” worked: Gusteau gradually became a Premier League beast. He outperforms other right-backs in crosses, key passes, passes into the final third and runs, and is second in assists and interceptions. The main thing is that the Frenchman breathed life into one of the Bleus bands.
So far, the failed rugby player (this sport was the one that Malo emphasized in his childhood) is paying the maximum of the 30 million euros paid to Lyon. He appreciates the fans and supports Mauricio Pochettino: he recently called the coach, above all, a good person and team leader. As long as he does not get injured, the 21-year-old talent should become even more powerful for the 2024/2025 season.
Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images
Udoji Destination, Tottenham
One of the key figures in the development of Tottenham post-Stekoglossky is Udoji, not always technical, but headstrong and attack-oriented. Since the fall, the Italian has become one of the three best wingers in the Premier League in terms of promotion, and in the end he has improved his game in defense: there are more than 85% in terms of tackles and interceptions.
“The first day, Postecoglou called me at his house and told me that I would become part of the base. He explained to me exactly what he wanted to see from me; This motivated me,” Destiny said. Gary Neville included the defender in the team of the season, and the league included him in the shortlist for the award, won by Phil Foden. The Spurs management was not left out: they gave Udoji a contract on better terms.
Really cool!
Palmer is the Premier League’s main discovery. He broke the league even without a clear position on the field
