The 2026/27 Premier League season is very nearly upon us – and, as ever, a host of new faces will hope to light up the division.
Here, we pick out the most buzzworthy young signings (21 or under) to keep an eye on this term…
The most exciting new Premier League wonderkids for 2026/27
Johan Manzambi – Aston Villa (20)
One of the standout young players of the 2026 World Cup, Swiss attacking midfielder Johan Manzambi is ostensibly the replacement for Morgan Rogers at Aston Villa, arriving from Freiburg for reported club-record £59.5m.
And based on his performances at this summer’s tournament – where he became the youngest player since 1966 to record five goal contributions (three goals, two assists), he’s not going to be daunted by challenge of the Premier League.
Jannik Schuster – Brentford (20)
Brentford will be hoping Jannik Schuster is their latest diamond-in-the-rough success story after signing the Austria U21 centre-back from FC Salzburg, with head coach Keith Andrews describing him as a player “determined to maximise his potential”.
Standing out for his aerial strength and pinpoint long-range passing, Schuster enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2025/26, making 20 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga and featuring three times in the Europa League.
Luka Vuskovic – Brighton (19)
Among the most impressive centre-backs, young or otherwise, in Europe’s top five leagues last term, Luka Vuskovic made quite a name for himself on loan at Hamburg from Tottenham – and his since joined Brighton with Jan Paul van Hecke heading the other way.
Croatia’s youngest-ever World Cup player, the 6ft4 Vuskovic made the 2025/26 Bundesliga Team of the Season, finishing as the top-scoring defender in the German top flight and won a league-high 69.1% of his duels.
Marco Palestra – Chelsea (21)
Marco Palestra could be one of the most fixating full-backs to watch in the 2026/27 Premier League, arriving at Chelsea off the back of a stunning Serie A campaign for Atalanta.
Adept on either side of defence and compared to PSG and Morocco star Achraf Hakimi for his exceptional ball-carrying abilities, the two-cap Italy international was bestowed with the honour of Serie A Best Defender last season, when he featured in all but one of Atalanta’s 38 games.
Caleb Yirenkyi – Coventry (20)
Coventry’s all-time record signing as they prepare for their first top-flight campaign in 25 years at a reported £26m, Caleb Yirenkyi has already drawn comparisons with Ghanaian compatriot and former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien – who worked with him as a coach at his previous club, Nordsjaelland of Denmark.
Named Danish Superliga Young Player of the Year for 2025/26, the 15-cap international’s tenacious off-the-ball work and great adaptability could make him a key player in Coventry’s quest for survival.
Anan Khalaili – Crystal Palace (21)
Winger Anan Khalaili has moved to Crystal Palace after a strong three years with Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise, where he won the league title and domestic cup.
A versatile player capable of operating all down the right-hand side and beyond, Khalaili – who has earned 16 caps for Israel – recorded eight goal contributions in the Belgian Pro League last season (three goals, five assists), as well as finding the net three times in Union SG’s maiden Champions League campaign.
Lucas Herrington – Hull (18)
Prodigious centre-half Lucas Herrington’s reported £12.6m switch to Premier League new boys Hull from MLS outfit Colorado Rapids made him one of the most expensive Australian footballers of all time – having made his professional debut less than two years ago.
Another breakout star of this summer’s World Cup, featuring twice en route to the last 32, the towering Herrington said he was happy to be likened to a ‘Rolls-Royce’ by international teammate Harry Souttar.
Jeremy Jacquet – Liverpool (21)
Part of Liverpool’s rearguard rebuild amid the departures of Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson, Jeremy Jacquet is a high-intensity, ball-playing central defender who cut his native France, making 31 Ligue 1 appearances for Rennes.
A European Under-19 Championship runner-up with Les Bleus two years ago, featuring in the Team of the Tournament, Jacquet has previously been dubbed as the successor to Reds captain Virgil van Dijk, with his former coach Laurent Viaud noting that “there is a lot of similarity between the two”.
Bazoumana Toure – Newcastle (20)
Newcastle have lost several key players and seen a change in the dugout this summer, but Magpies fans have every right to be exciting about Bazoumana Toure following the winger’s arrival from Hoffenheim.
An explosive dribbler, the naturally left-sided Toure racked up 14 goal involvements (five goals, nine assists) to help Hoffenheim clinch Europa League qualification last term – and he’s already scored twice in nine senior outings for the Ivory Coast, helping them to the World Cup last 32.
