The 2026/27 Premier League season is here, and amid the other countless narratives, a host of young stars will be preparing to make their mark.
Nico O’Reilly is the reigning Young Player of the Season winner, scooping the award after a breakout season with Manchester City that yielded five goals and three assists in the Premier League alone.
That’s the fourth time that a Manchester City player has won the award since it began seven years ago, joining Phil Foden (x2) and Erling Haaland on the roll of honour. Elsewhere, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer and Ryan Gravenberch have also been honoured.
Who will be in the running this time around? Here, we’ve taken a look at one favourite, one dark horse and one outsider.
The Favourite: Rayan Cherki
The fact that Rayan Cherki only managed 124 minutes for France at the World Cup this summer is truly shocking. The former Lyon playmaker enjoyed a stunning debut season at the Etihad Stadium, registering 11 goals and 17 assists across all competitions, including 12 assists in 33 Premier League appearances. Only Bruno Fernandes (21) set up more goals.
With Bernardo Silva departing for Real Madrid, Cherki is primed to play an even bigger role in the Man City midfield this season as the club enter a new era under Enzo Maresca.
Still only 22 years old, Cherki averaged a whopping 3.02 chances created per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season, alongside 0.96 big chances created, 1.21 successful crosses and 2.57 successful dribbles.
In short, Cherki was an absolute livewire and played with a level of swagger that made him a joy to watch.
The thought of him dovetailing with Antoine Semenyo and Phil Foden is exciting enough, but his providing the service for Erling Haaland is utterly mouth-watering and could produce some mind-boggling numbers.
The Dark Horse: Estevao
The 2025/26 season was mostly miserable for Chelsea, but in Estevao, they had something to be excited about.
The Brazilian teenager managed nine goals and three assists in 38 appearances across all competitions following his big move from Palmeiras, which is a promising return for his first season in Europe.
His Premier League return was a little more modest, with two goals and two assists in 22 games. However, only 12 of those outings came from the start, while there were some very exciting underlying numbers, including 2.98 shots, 1.70 chances created and 3.09 successful dribbles per 90.
Estevao genuinely changed a number of games for Chelsea with his speed, skill and fearlessness, and he was unlucky to miss out on Brazil’s World Cup squad through injury.
Xabi Alonso is shaking things up at Chelsea. With Alejandro Garnacho departing for Aston Villa, there is more space on the wings, and there are genuinely elite attacking midfielders to combine with in the form of Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers.
All the ingredients are there for Estevao to be a raging success at Stamford Bridge this season if everything comes together for player and club.
The Outsider: Max Dowman
For Max Dowman to win this award would take a monumental effort, given he doesn’t even turn 17 until New Year’s Eve. But that’s exactly why he occupies the outsider spot.
There’s very clear talent at the teenager’s feet, which Dowman exemplified perfectly with his first-ever Premier League goal against Everton back in March.
His limited Premier League minutes last season yielded some exciting numbers, including 3.53 successful dribbles, 2.35 chances created and 3.53 shots per 90. Dowman is clearly fearless and immensely talented.
The tyro has shown some exciting glimpses in pre-season, too: not least his goal and assist performance in a 4-1 win over Spanish side Girona at the very start of August.
Dowman should see a steady increase in minutes to prove himself this season, though he remains an outsider as Mikel Arteta manages the youngest member of his title-defending squad.
Other key names to watch: Florian Wirtz, Nico O’Reilly, Kobbie Mainoo, Junior Kroupi, Rio Ngumoha, Adam Wharton, Benjamin Sesko.