Liverpool striker Josh Sonni-Lambie is nominated for the first-ever U18 Premier League Player of the Season award having scored 21 goals in all competitions.
This season has brought the introduction of a new U18 Player of the Season prize and Liverpool are represented on the eight-man shortlist.
Joining Sonni-Lambie among the nominees are Chelsea duo Mathis Eboue and Chizaram Ezenwata, Man United‘s JJ Gabriel and Albert Mills, Man City‘s Teddie Lamb, Middlesbrough‘s Joe Roberts and Tottenham‘s Tyler Tingey.
The winner will be announced at the Premier League’s youth development conference on Tuesday, May 12 and Sonni-Lambie could be considered a favourite.
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 20, 2025: Liverpool's Josh Sonni-Lambie (L) celebrates after scoring a goal from a penalty kick during the U18 Premier League match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Blackburn Rovers FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. (Photo by Rafaella Mcintosh/Propaganda)
He is shortlisted after scoring 16 goals in 21 games in the U18s league, while in all competitions this season he has netted 21 times in 32 games for Simon Wiles’ side.
Still only 18, the striker has also made four appearances for Rob Page’s U21s, including playing 105 minutes in their eventual round-of-16 playoff defeat to Crystal Palace last month.
Sonni-Lambie’s season will effectively end on Friday night as the U18s play out their final competitive fixture away to Derby.
They are guaranteed a mid-table finish after Wiles’ first campaign in charge, with the highest they can place being seventh and then lowest ninth.
Why hasn’t Josh Sonni-Lambie joined Liverpool U21s yet?
FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Wednesday, October 22, 2025: Liverpool's (L-R) Trent Kone-Doherty, Kieran Morrison, Keyrol Figueroa, Josh Sonni-Lambie, Alvin Ayman line-up before the UEFA Youth League match between Eintracht Frankfurt Under-19's and Liverpool FC Under-19's at Sportpark Dreieich. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
There has been a surprise at Sonni-Lambie’s extended run with the U18s, particularly with U21s strikers Jayden Danns, Will Wright and Keyrol Figueroa all suffering with injuries this season.
But the teenager could benefit from this full season in the younger age group before likely stepping up to the U21s on a full-time basis in 2026/27.
Sonni-Lambie is one of five forwards named on the eight-man Player of the Season shortlist and is third among those when it comes to league goals scored.
Man United prodigy Gabriel (22) and Man City striker Teddie Lamb (21) are the only players to score more than the Liverpool youngster in this season’s U18 Premier League.