In a league defined by its physicality, speed, and tactical fluidity, the role of the midfielder is as crucial as ever. But it’s not just seasoned veterans running the show — a new generation of midfielders, 23 or younger, are making their mark with maturity well beyond their years.
From deep-lying anchors to silky number 10s, here are the top 5 young midfielders lighting up the Premier League in 2025, ranked from 5 to 1.
5. Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace, 21 years old, CM/DM)
When Crystal Palace signed Adam Wharton from Blackburn in January 2024, few expected the quiet 20-year-old to become one of the best ball-progressors in the league within months. But that’s exactly what he’s done under Oliver Glasner, slotting seamlessly into Palace’s midfield with a calmness that belies his age.
Wharton is a technically gifted, left-footed midfielder who controls tempo and picks out progressive passing lanes with precision. His spatial awareness and scanning ability make him appear two steps ahead of the opposition — a rare trait for a player this young.
In Palace’s double pivot, he has shown a maturity in possession that allows more dynamic teammates to push forward, while still holding his own defensively with 2.33 tackles, 1.37 interceptions, and 6.99 ball recoveries per 90.
Wharton has such a high ceiling, because if he’s able to play at this level as a deep-lying creator well before turning the age of 23, you can only imagine the level he’ll reach when he hits his actual prime as a defensive midfielder in five or six years.
Before then, Wharton will probably leave Crystal Palace and join a bigger club that needs a deep-lying midfielder, whether that is Tottenham Hotspur or potentially even a Premier League title contender.
Although his reading of the game offensively and defensively are excellent and he’s already one of the best creative players in his position in the Premier League, Wharton could stand to get stronger in the tackle in order to reach the world-class level of a Premier League 6. He could also improve his ball retention, taking less risky passes and instead working on his close control so he can set himself up for a higher percentage pass.
4. Carlos Baleba (Brighton, 21 years old, CM)
Carlos Baleba has been Brighton’s most intriguing midfield project since Moisés Caicedo — and that’s no small praise. Signed from Lille in 2023, Baleba has grown into a press-resistant, combative midfielder who thrives on breaking lines with powerful carries and short passing combinations.
At 20, Baleba’s physicality stands out. He combines strength and speed with clean technique, which makes him an ideal fit for Brighton’s high-possession, high-risk system. While still raw in some areas (especially decision-making in the final third), he has shown flashes of dominance — particularly in matches against high-pressing sides where his ball retention becomes invaluable.
Baleba currently averages 1.45 progressive carries per 90, 2.70 pressures per 90, and a winning duel percentage of 60 — and he’s only getting better.
Although Brighton players can sometimes be called system players, Baleba has the athletic traits, the all-around quality, and the tactical intelligence to suit any system.
Players like Baleba who win defensively with smarts, speed, and strength are resistant to getting exploited in any system, and you don’t display his goal threat and quality on the ball by chance.
Caicedo may have been more dominant at around this age for Brighton, but Baleba has arguably just as much potential, maybe even more, because of his ability to beat defenders one-on-one and score goals based purely on skill.
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3. Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea, 23 years old, DM)
Caicedo’s £115 million move from Brighton to Chelsea came with sky-high expectations — and while his first season at Stamford Bridge was rocky, the Ecuadorian international has reasserted himself as one of the best young defensive midfielders in Europe.
What makes Caicedo special is his elite defensive radar. His ability to cover ground, read transitions, and make clean tackles in high-pressure moments is world-class. He’s also shown improvements as a passer — averaging a completion percentage of around 90 and setting career highs in switches under both Mauricio Pochettino and Enzo Maresca. Now this season under Maresca, Caicedo’s progressive passes per 90 are up even further to a cool 5.78.
Though still only 22, Caicedo has already played in high-stakes Premier League and World Cup matches. He reads the game like a veteran, often acting as the first line of defense and the starting point of attacks.
It’s so hard for any defensive midfielder to justify a fee well over 100 million pounds, but if anyone can say they are worth that much in the modern game purely as a defensive engine, the young Ecuadorian is well on his way to doing that.
Caicedo is indispensable to Chelsea‘s return to prominence as a Champions League club, and now that his more playmaking partner Enzo Fernandez is back to his best, too, in a Blue kit, Caicedo has been able to show much more of what he can do at Stamford Bridge.
2. Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool, 23 years old, CM)
Liverpool fans waited a long time to see the best of Ryan Gravenberch — but the Dutchman is finally showing flashes of the elite midfield talent that Bayern Munich once paid big money for. At 6’3″, Gravenberch combines height and athleticism with impressive close control, making him a rare box-to-box hybrid with real flair.
His best performances have come when allowed to roam between the lines, carrying the ball from deep and driving past opposition midfielders. Under Arne Slot, he may even be deployed as a more advanced #8, unlocking another level of attacking contribution.
Gravenberch’s key numbers this season include 37 appearances for the first time in his career, 37 dribbles completed, 4 goal involvements, and 68 shot-creating actions, reflecting a player who’s growing in influence.
For Slot, the next key is figuring out exactly which position Ryan Gravenberch is best. Is he an 8? Is he a 6? Is he a single pivot? Is he a double pivot? And the right answer is simply that he’s all of those things.
It all depends on what Slot feels is the best setup in Year 2, and that may ultimately be guided game-to-game by how the opposition plays, as the Manchester City and Arsenal midfields will look very different next season; the Gunners already added Martin Zubimendi.
Gravenberch suits the Premier League a lot better than players who have been more hyped over the years at big English clubs like Paul Pogba, and that’s because he’s willing to play gritty and not just focus on his influence and involvement on the attacking end.
Ultimately, that’s what makes him successful in a three-man midfield. But after missing out on Zubimendi, if Liverpool can land someone who is more of a deep-lying creator and screener to form a tandem with Gravenberch at the best, we may see a Premier League Player of the Season award for the Dutchman in the near future.
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1. Cole Palmer (Chelsea, 23 years old, CAM/RW)
The breakout Premier League star of 2023/24 and just as good in 2024/25, Cole Palmer is more than just a young talent — he’s already a bona fide attacking leader for Chelsea. Signed from Manchester City for just £40 million, Palmer’s rise has been meteoric. He ended the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons as Chelsea’s top scorer, chief creator, and most reliable clutch player.
Palmer floats between the lines as a right-sided playmaker, though he can also play centrally as a #10 or false 9. What sets him apart is his composure and footballing IQ — he rarely wastes touches, sees passes others don’t, and has ice in his veins from the penalty spot.
This season alone, he produced 15 goals, 8 assists, 87 key passes, and a shot conversion rate of 0.09 goals per shot. He ranks among the league’s best in goal involvements per 90 — across all ages. Even though his goals and assists were down in 2024/25, the key passes set a career high.
Palmer isn’t just the best young midfielder in the Premier League; he’s one of the best midfielders, period.
Everyone likes to bring up the possibility of a Ballon d’Or with Palmer because it’s great for hot takes, but it’s actually in the realm of reasonability, depending on how far the Chelsea rebuild progresses.
Chelsea won the Champions League in 2020/21 and Jorginho, of all players, was getting Ballon d’Or shouts. Palmer is a player who has hit 33 and 23 goal contributions in consecutive seasons for Chelsea; those are Eden Hazard-type numbers.
Not comparing the two, but Palmer is a high caliber player who can win a Ballon d’Or one day. He’s only 23 and yet is already the face of Chelsea. As this team improves, Palmer can go as high as the Blues do as the face of the franchise.
Internationally, if England utilize a 10 and, like Real Madrid, keep Jude Bellingham as an 8, Palmer could have a big World Cup next season, and if both the Three Lions and Blues can succeed with Palmer as a centerpiece player statistically from a main creative position on the right or through the middle, the sky is the limit for the Chilly One,
While Palmer isn’t as skillful of a dribbler or as electrifying of an athlete in short spaces as Jamal Musiala or Florian Wirtz, he is just as technical and more understated with his skills, needing fewer touches to score or assist or help Chelsea win a game. And it’s that efficiency and nonchalance, especially for his age, that sets him apart and will make him capable of putting up even scarier numbers (think close to 40 goal contributions) as time goes on.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2011. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has contributed to sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. Joe’s work has appeared in ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Sports Illustrated. He also edited NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, and mentors award-winning writers across football and pro wrestling.