A look at the ten youngest scorers in Premier League’s history – what ever happened to these exciting youngsters after they made an instant impact in England’s top division?
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10) Danny Cadamarteri
Now retired at the age of 35, Danny Cadamarteri burst onto the scene with Everton at the age of 17 and looked like a superb prospect. However, things didn’t work out that way and he most recently played for League One side Carlisle United after a career mainly spent in the lower leagues.
9) Mikael Forssell
Considered a great prospect at Chelsea, Mikael Forssell opened his account as a 17-year-old for the Blues but never made it at the club, showing his best form in a spell with Birmingham City. The 34-year-old Finnish striker is now with Bochum in the German second division.
8) Raheem Sterling
A player still making a name for himself – perhaps for the wrong reasons at the moment – Liverpool’s 20-year-old forward Raheem Sterling has shone since becoming a regular as a 17-year-old for the Reds.
7) Federico Macheda
Scoring that famous late wondergoal against Aston Villa to win a crucial game for Manchester United in the 2008/09 season, Federico Macheda’s career never took off after that and he is now with Championship outfit Cardiff City after six different loan spells away from Old Trafford.
6) Andy Turner
A player who looked scored as a 17-year-old for Tottenham Hotspur but whom many will barely remember now, Andy Turner never made much of a career for himself in the Premier League and is now assistant manager of Northern Premier League Division One South side Coalville Town.
5) Michael Owen
A star for Liverpool at 17 and English football’s brightest hope for so much of the early part of his career, Michael Owen never really fulfilled his potential as injuries took their toll, though he has a good England career to look back on as well as one season with Real Madrid. Now everyone’s most hated pundit.
4) Cesc Fabregas
An outstanding youngster for Arsenal back in the day, Cesc Fabregas is the Gunners’ youngest ever Premier League scorer but now plays for their rivals Chelsea after a superb career for the likes of Barcelona and the Spanish national team.
3) Wayne Rooney
Announcing himself with that wondergoal for Everton against Arsenal as a 16-year-old, Wayne Rooney’s name did not fade into obscurity – he is now Manchester United captain, England captain, and is closing in on Bobby Charlton’s goals record for the Three Lions, on top of a long, long list of honours for his club, including the 2008 Champions League.
2) James Milner
It’s strange to think that James Milner was ever a ‘wonderkid’, but that’s certainly how it looked when he became a regular for Leeds United as a 16-year-old. Now with Manchester City as a squad player, but arguably an underrated talent even if he never lived up to the early hype.
1) James Vaughan
Another Everton starlet, James Vaughan was a player who looked like being the next Wayne Rooney when he scored at the age of just 16 years and 271 days, a record that still stands today as the youngest scorer in Premier League history. Unfortunately for him, he’s not done a great deal since then and currently plays for Huddersfield Town.