Five young players to look out for in the Premier League this season.
Gerard Deulofeu (Everton)
The year-long loan signing of promising young striker Gerard Deulofeu from Barcelona could end up being a real coup for Everton and Roberto Martinez this season. The 19-year-old is one of the most exciting young talents to emerge from Barca’s famous La Masia youth academy in recent years, and though he is relatively inexperienced, a loan move to gain more regular first-team football and top flight experience could be just what he needs to get his career going.
Arsenal and Liverpool were reportedly keen on snapping him up on loan as well, so Everton have fought off some high class opposition to land the Spaniard. If Deulofeu does go on to be the Barcelona legend he is so capable of being, it will be here in the Premier League where he first got started.
Marco van Ginkel (Chelsea)
It remains to be seen if young Dutch midfielder Marco van Ginkel can force his way into the Chelsea side on a regular basis straight away this season, but Jose Mourinho clearly saw enough in him to sign him for £8million this summer, and so far he has not been loaned out as was perhaps expected. This skillful and competitive box-to-box midfielder could find opportunities to play more as the ageing Frank Lampard will inevitably play a little less often, and with a good record of goals from midfield he looks like an ideal long-term replacement for the Blues legend. In an increasingly youthful Chelsea side, the future looks bright if van Ginkel can strike up a good understanding with the likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar, Andre Schurrle and Romelu Lukaku ahead of him.
Wilfried Zaha (Manchester United)
After an impressive couple of years in the Championship with Crystal Palace, it was no surprise to see considerable interest in Wilfried Zaha last January. The likes of Arsenal and Manchester City were reportedly in for him, but in the end he joined eventual champions Manchester United, though Premier League fans would have to wait before seeing him in action, as he returned on loan to Palace for the second half of the season. His fine form helped them to promotion via the playoffs, and he will now come up against his old side for United this year.
A quick and skillful attacker, Zaha can play either upfront or on the wing, and will be charged with improving on United’s overall attacking play from last season, as the side were heavily reliant on Robin van Persie to provide the goals. Playing wide, Zaha could provide more of a threat than the likes of Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia and Nani were able to do, or playing upfront, he could be another goal outlet, as the likes of Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck all under-performed in that department as well.
Already a full England international, this 20-year-old is one of the country’s top talents, and playing with other world class players will surely only give him the opportunity to improve further, and he should show that this season.
Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea)
Kevin De Bruyne earned rave reviews in Germany after his performances on loan for Bundesliga side Werder Bremen last season. The 22-year-old is one of many in this exciting generation of talented Belgian players, and looks like he will now be given the chance to prove himself at Chelsea, despite rumours earlier in the summer that the Blues would look to move him on.
De Bruyne will certainly have a lot of quality competition ahead of him at Stamford Bridge, with the likes of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Oscar and new signing Andre Schurrle to displace in the attacking midfield positions, but the former Genk starlet certainly does look like something special, and he could provide something a bit different for Jose Mourinho’s side this season. The Portuguese coach is not known for handing out too many opportunities to young players, but has hinted that that could change this season due to UEFA’s new Financial Fair Play regulations. Mourinho has not spent as much money as it was thought he might, and the players that have come in (Schurrle and van Ginkel) are young and clearly investments for the future. This should come as some encouragement for De Bruyne, and another returning loan star Romelu Lukaku.
Coutinho (Liverpool)
Skillful Brazilian Coutinho first burst onto the scene with Inter Milan in 2010, and now looks like developing into a more consistent and truly world class performer. The 21-year-old arrived at Liverpool in January for just £8.5million, and quickly looked like a real bargain, with an impressive record of 3 goals and 7 assists in just 13 Premier League appearances. Although the Reds face a lot of uncertainty this summer, with the futures of Luis Suarez and Daniel Agger up in the air, they can be safe in the knowledge that they have another star in the making in Coutinho, who will surely improve after having a proper pre-season with the club and adapting to life in England. Even if star striker Suarez does leave, Coutinho looks like the perfect player to ensure Brendan Rodgers’ technical and attacking style of play continues to progress at Anfield. Of all the exciting young talent in the Premier League at the moment, Coutinho arguably looks like the one most ready to make a real impact this season.