Ten youngsters who need experience, or simply squad players who need more games and could benefit from a loan move next season.
10. Oriol Romeu (Chelsea)
The young midfielder arrived from Barcelona as an exciting prospect in 2011, though he has not looked quite ready to be a regular for Chelsea. He has barely featured for the first team this season and when he has he has looked a little slow and off the pace. No doubt a talent if he was produced by Barca’s famed youth system, but at 21 he could certainly benefit from more experience and regular football at a lower level Premier League club.
9. Tom Carroll (Tottenham)
This skillful midfielder is highly thought of at Tottenham, drawing comparisons with Arsenal starlet Jack Wilshere for his playmaking abilities with his left foot from the middle of the park. However, he has a lot of competition ahead of him at Spurs and sitting on the bench isn’t doing much good for his development. The 20-year-old has had previous loan spells at Leyton Orient and Derby County, and could be on his way to another Premier League team on loan next season to show what he can do when given more of a chance.
8. Nick Powell (Manchester United)
This 19-year-old midfielder is one of many exciting young players to have come from Crewe Alexandra’s youth system, and earned a big move to Manchester United last summer after impressing with the League 2 side. Opportunities have been unsurprisingly hard to come by in this United side, though he has managed to score one goal for the club. With a host of summer signings expected to come in, Powell may be on the way out, at least for the season, as United need him to be playing and gaining experience at this stage in his career.
7. Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea)
Ryan Bertrand has had to make to with playing second fiddle to Ashley Cole for a number of years now at Chelsea, but they are keen to keep this talented youngster around. Still, he is now 23 and no longer going to benefit from simply making brief appearances as a substitute or playing in the less-important cup games. Cole isn’t going anywhere any time soon, so why not let Bertrand get a few more games elsewhere next season? This skillful attacking left-back certainly won’t be short of suitors from a number of Premier League clubs.
6. Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal)
Though hardly an inexperienced youngster, Wojciech Szczesny has hit a difficult spell in his Arsenal career. The Polish goalkeeper was very highly rated at the club for a number of years, but was arguably made first choice too soon at the age of 20. He has suffered a dip in confidence and perhaps needs a move away from the spotlight for a while. The talented Pole could do well to spend next season on loan while Arsenal bring in a more experienced short-term solution between the posts to aid their push for silverware. Szczesny certainly won’t want to be on the bench at this stage in his career.
5. Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)
It’s been a decent breakthrough season for Raheem Sterling, one of the most exciting young players at Liverpool, but it’s clear that the 18-year-old winger still looks a bit raw for this level. Sterling has done well to make 36 appearances for Brendan Rodgers’ side this season, scoring 2 goals, and also earned a call-up to the England national team. Still, it may all be a bit much too soon for the teenage talent, and he could certainly do with a temporary step down to a lower level Premier League side or maybe even to the Championship, which has shown itself down the years to be a great starting point in many players’ careers.
4. Victor Moses (Chelsea)
Perhaps an unexpected signing by Chelsea from Wigan last summer, Victor Moses has unsurprisingly not been a regular feature in the side this season. Still, he has a great deal of potential and perhaps made his big move a bit too early. The Nigerian forward is still only 22 and his talents would surely be in-demand by many mid-table sides next season, with Swansea said to be showing an interest. Chelsea probably won’t be using him, and he could come back to them a better player. A similar move has worked wonders for fellow Chelsea youngster Romelu Lukaku this season.
3. Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool)
This talented 21-year-old has shown what he can do in limited appearances for Liverpool this season, and deserves more of a chance to be playing regularly. A previous loan spell at Blackpool in 2011 worked wonders for Shelvey’s confidence, and his stock has certainly risen to Premier League level now. He still may not quite be ready for the Reds’ first team, but time out on loan could certainly provide him with the experience he needs to make an impact at Anfield the following year.
2. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)
A lot was expected of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain when he signed for Arsenal from Southampton for around £12million as a 17-year-old. The winger had a decent first season with the club, but has failed to reproduce his form this time round. At this age he is still likely to be inconsistent, but the talent is there and the experience of playing every week would do him the world of good. Arsenal may not find a place for him next season as they strengthen their squad this summer, so a loan move to a lower level Premier League team could benefit both parties greatly.
1. Javier Hernandez (Manchester United)
Another player who is not a youngster in need of experience, but simply a talented striker who has gone off the boil slightly. Javier Hernandez made a great immediate impact when he joined United in 2010, but he has been in and out of the team over the last couple of years, and will be frustrated not to have cemented a regular place due to his finishing abilities. United may or may not want to keep him, but they would be unwise to sell this talented goal poacher without giving him more of a chance. If he cannot get games at Old Trafford next year, there are many Premier League sides who would take him and give him the opportunity to show what he can do at this level.