Premier League fans love nothing more than seeing an academy starlet break into their club's first team and develop into a talisman. Bukayo Saka at Arsenal and Phil Foden at Manchester City are just two examples of prospects from their clubs' youth ranks who have become superstars.
Some managers are prepared to put their faith in youth and reap the rewards, such as Erik ten Hag, whose saving grace during his tenure at Manchester United was ending a trophy drought. That was thanks in part to bedding Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho into his side.
The 2025-26 Premier League campaign is on the horizon, and it's interesting to see which teams will be counting on their youth coming good. Here every team is ranked by the number of academy players in their first team; those with the same number of players are ranked by the value of the player/players.
20-16
Bournemouth, Brentford, Burnley, Nottingham Forest, Everton
Four Premier League clubs only have one player from their youth academies in their first-team squads heading into next season. Bournemouth, Brentford, Burnley and Nottingham Forest are seemingly wary of trusting youth, although they are clubs whose talents are often targeted by English football's big guns.
English goalkeeper Will Dennis is the Cherries' only academy graduate in Andoni Iraola's squad and he is rarely ever chosen between the sticks. The 25-year-old shot-stopper didn't make a single appearance last season and has had spells out on loan at Slough and Kilmarnock over the years.
Brentford have unearthed some gems that go under the radar, such as Crystal Palace's Tyrick Mitchell, and find it hard to keep hold of their prospects. Their decision to appoint Keith Andrews as Thomas Frank's successor came from the Irishman's knowledge of the club.
Andrews may have a wealth of knowledge about the Bees' youth teams that could lead to call-ups, but his current squad has just one academy player. English goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe spent last season on loan at Motherwell, and while he has returned to the Gtech, it's extremely unlikely he'll displace new signing Caimohin Kelleher.
Burnley's Enock Agyei is at the very start of his career, having been a member of the Clarets' youth system since 2023. The 20-year-old Belgian winger has spent time back on loan in his homeland to gain more experience and first-team opportunities.
One of the most high-profile names on this list is Ryan Yates, who has been a key man at the City Ground since breaking into Nottingham Forest's first team in 2018. He has since become captain and led the team in their Europa Conference League qualification (potentially for the Europa League) last season.
Premier League Clubs' Academy Products In First-Team
Rank
20.
19.
18.
17.
16.
Everton have two English youngsters in David Moyes' first team, although you wouldn't expect either to be a starter next season. English goalkeeper Harry Tyrer has returned from a season-long loan at Blackpool Town, where the 23-year-old made 42 appearances.
There is plenty of excitement regarding the Toffees' midfield gem, Harrison Armstrong, amid the 18-year-old catching the eye. He was even praised by caretaker manager Leighton Baines after a fine display in the FA Cup last season:
"To see him getting this exposure to the first team is why we all go to work. It’s brilliant to see that and I thought his performance was really good today. It’s a great moment for the football club."
15-11
Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham, Sunderland
Next up is Aston Villa, who also have two players from their academy, and they have a history of developing top Premier League stars. Jacob Ramsey is one of Unai Emery's favourites and has been one of the Spanish coach's most-used players over the years.
But the versatile 24-year-old English midfielder's future is up in the air amid links to Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur. That isn't the case for Dutch midfielder Lamare Bogarde after the Villans tied the 21-year-old down to a new long-term deal in April.
Tottenham Hotspur were forced to use their youth last season due to an injury crisis. English attacking midfielder Alfie Devine, 21, is their most exciting prospect, but keep an eye on Dane Scarlett, 21, who has also been showing glimpses of promise when called into senior action.
Brandon Austin has served as a backup goalkeeper at Spurs for years. The 26-year-old wasn't counted on when Guglielmo Vicario spent a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
|Premier League Clubs' Academy Players|
|Rank|Club|Number of Academy Players|Players|Value|
|15.|Aston Villa|2|Jacob Ramsey, Lamare Bogarde|£33.1 million|
|14.|Tottenham Hotspur|3|Dane Scarlett, Brandon Austin, Alfie Devine|£5.3 million|
|13.|Wolverhampton Wanderers|3|Hugo Bueno, Tawanda Chirewa, Nathan Fraser|£7.93 million|
|12.|Fulham|3|Ryan Sessegnon, Josh King, Martial Godo|£14.4 million|
|11.|Sunderland|3|Anthony Patterson Dan Neil, Chris Rigg|£36.1 million|
|---|
Vitor Pereira may have to rely on youth in his bid to cope with the departures of Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri. He's included three in Wolverhampton Wanderers' pre-season squads, with Spanish left-back Hugo Bueno, 22, Zimbabwean midfielder Tawanda Chirewa, 21, and Irish forward Nathan Fraser, 20, featuring.
Fulham also have three academy graduates in Marco Silva's senior squad, including 25-year-old English left-back Ryan Sessegnon, who returned from Spurs last summer. English midfielder Josh King, 18, and Ivorian winger Martial Godo, 22, are young talents who could be at Craven Cottage for the long term.
The Premier League can be a daunting prospect for inexperienced players but the in-demand Chris Rigg is the real deal. The 18-year-old English midfielder shone at the Stadium of Light alongside other English academy products, Dan Neil, 23, and goalkeeper Anthony Paterson, 25.
10-6
Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Arsenal, Leeds United, Crystal Palace
Newcastle, like their Tyne-Wear rivals Sunderland, have three players in Eddie Howe's first-team who have made the step up from their youth system. The English youngster may have come off the boil last season, but there are still huge hopes for 19-year-old Lewis Miley.
Dan Burn, 33, continues to show that age is just a number, heading home the opener in the win over Liverpool in last season's Carabao Cup final. Another of the Magpies' squad who rose through the youth ranks is 21-year-old Irish left-back Alex Murphy.
There perhaps isn't a better-run club in the top-flight than Brighton & Hove Albion, and they certainly find success in developing talent. No team has had more current academy graduates represent them in the league than the Seagulls' current crop.
That's thanks to the longevity of English centre-back Lewis Dunk, 33, and English winger Solly March, 31. However, Fabian Hurzeler can also call upon rising star Jack Hinshelwood, a 20-year-old defensive midfield gem; Irish attacker Andrew Moran, 21, who was on loan at Stoke City last season; and 25-year-old Canadian goalkeeper Tom McGill.
|Premier League Clubs' Academy Players|
|Rank|Club|Number of Academy Players|Players|Value|
|10.|Newcastle United|3|Dan Burn, Lewis Miley, Alex Murphy|£19.1 million|
|9.|Brighton & Hove Albion|5|Lewis Dunk, Solly March, Jack Hinshelwood, Andrew Moran, Tom McGill|£20.8 million|
|8.|Arsenal|5|Bukayo Saka, Reiss Nelson, Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Karl Hein|£130.5 million|
|7.|Leeds United|6|Pascal Struijk, Sam Byram, Sam Greenwood, Mateo Joseph, Alex Cairns, Charlie Crew|£15.6 million|
|6.|Crystal Palace|6|Nathaniel Clyne, Tyrick Mitchell, Justin Devenney, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Caleb Kphorha, Hindolo Mustapha|£21.75 million|
|---|
Arsenal, perhaps surprisingly, don't make the top five, and Ayden Heaven and Chido Obi's recent moves to Manchester United mean the Gunners need to show their Hale End starlets' evident pathways to the first team.The Gunners do have two English wonderkids following in Saka's footsteps in left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly and right-winger Ethan Nwaneri, both 18.
Estonian goalkeeper Karl Hein, 23, is also a member of Mikel Arteta's squad ahead of next season although uncertainty grows over Reiss Nelson's future following the 25-year-old winger's loan at Fulham. But the North Londoners should soon be battling for top spot with Max Dowman, 15, the most exciting teenager in the country and not far off the senior team.
Pascal Struijk was colossal at the back for Leeds United last season and the 25-year-old Belgian was often joined in defence by experienced English left-back Sam Byram, 31. Daniel Farke's academy first-team stars also includes English striker Sam Greenwood, Spanish frontman Mateo Joseph, Welsh defensive midfielder Charlie Crew and veteran English shot-stopper Alex Cairns in his squad.
Crystal Palace's FA Cup triumph is a significant feat and three got their hands on winners' medals. That includes Tyrick Mitchell who was part of their youth system after the 25-year-old English left-back arrived from Brentford in 2016. Another fan favourite full-back Nathaniel Clyne, 34, also has a long-term association with the Eagles.
Northern Irish midfielder Justin Devenny is on the rise and the 21-year-old also played a role in Palace's cup win. English youngsters Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, 22, and Caleb Kporha, 19, and Sierra Leonan midfielder Hindolo Mustapha are also in Oliver Glasner's senior camp.
5-1
West Ham United, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea
West Ham United seem to stockpile their academy graduates because of the seven in Graham Potter's first-team, only English left-back Oliver Scarles, 19, and 20, have made more than two Premier League appearances. There are some interesting prospects at the London Stadium, such as centre-back Kaelan Casey, 20, and midfielder Lewis Orford, 19.
Sir Alex Ferguson always had a strong belief regarding Manchester United focusing on youth development. There are seven who have made it into Ruben Amorim's first-team including Chido Obi, who opted for an Old Trafford move to fast-track his senior career.
The Red Devils could fall down the list should Alejandro Garnacho depart this summer amid the 21-year-old Argentine attacker's links with Chelsea. But Kobbie Mainoo appears to be staying put and will be hoping to recapture the form that saw him shine at Euro 2024. Toby Collyer, 21, Harry Amass, 18, and Tyler Fredricson, 20, are others to make the step-up while Tom Heaton, 39, is third-choice goalkeeper.
While Manchester City aren't afraid to splash the cash they also have one of the most successful academies in world football. The Cityzens gave Cole Palmer away to Chelsea but Pep Guardiola has others catching the eye at the Etihad.
Phil Foden's form may have nosedived last season but he claimed a PFA Player of the Year award-winning 2023-24 campaign. English midfielders James McAtee, 22, and Rico Lewis, 20, are following in his footsteps.
Norweigan starlet Oscar Bobb could be one to watch next season, while Nico O'Reilly and Josh Wilson-Esbrand are others to join Guardiola's senior team. James Trafford has returned to his boyhood club and the English goalkeeper looks set to battle it out with Ederson for the number one jersey.
|Premier League Clubs' Academy Players|
|Rank|Club|Number of Academy Players|Players|Value|
|5.|West Ham United|7|Oliver Scarles, George Earthy, Kaelan Casey, Lewis Orford, Krisztian Hegyi, Callum Marshall, Freddie Potts|£6.96 million|
|4.|Manchester United|7|Tom Heaton, Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo, Chido Obi, Toby Collyer, Harry Amass, Tyler Fredricson|£43.5 million|
|3.|Manchester City|7|Phil Foden, Rico Lewis, James McAtee, James Trafford, Oscar Bobb, Nico O'Reilly, Josh Wilson-Esbrand|£87 million|
|2.|Liverpool|8|Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Conor Bradley, Stefan Bajcetic, Rhys Williams, Ben Doak, Tyler Morton, Trey Nyoni|£39.15 million|
|1.|Chelsea|8|Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Armando Broja, Levi Colwill, Alfie Gilchrist, Tyrique George, Josh Acheampong, Jamie Gittens|£47.85 million|
|---|
If it weren't for the sale of Jarell Quansah, Liverpool would top the list and he could soon be followed out the door by the wantaway Harvey Elliott. The English midfielder struggled for game time last season and is one of Jurgen Klopp's 'kids' who may need to consider their futures.
It looks likely that first-team opportunities may be sporadic for Trey Nyoni, Tyler Morton, Rhys Williams and Ben Doak. Stefan Bajcetic will have a point to prove after returning from a loan at Las Palmas and Conor Bradley may rotate with Jeremie Frimpong after Trent Alexander-Arnold's departure.
Chelsea's squad is forever changing and their recurring rebuilds mean they could end up mid-table once the season officially kicks-off. But they are top as it stands, with Enzo Maresca using captain Reece James and versatile centre-back Levi Colwill throughout the FIFA Club World Cup triumph.
Trevoh Chalobah's Stamford Bridge days looked numbered until the English defender's Crystal Palace loan was cut short in January. Other players to make the step up from the West Londoners' Cobham-based academy are Armando Broja, Alfie Gilchrist, Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George although most of their futures are uncertain.
Jamie Gittens has returned to the club from Borussia Dortmund in a £48.5m deal after previously spending time in their youth system. It speaks volumes of how successful their academy is, as some of the Premier League's most wanted stars are their products, including Liverpool target Marc Guehi.
All data and valuations courtesy ofTransfermarkt- correct as of 05.08.2025