Oh hey there! Premier League’s breakout stars…
From the heroes who brought you ‘Still there: The Premier League’s forgotten…‘, ‘U ok hun? The Premier League’s worried‘, ‘Cup of sugar? Premier League’s loan men‘ and Leave ’em, yeah? The Premier League’s undroppables we present the one player from each club who could break through this season.
Arsenal: Rob Holding
Why could it work out so well? With neither Calum Chambers nor Gabriel Paulista impressing and Per Mertesacker injured, England Under-21 defender Holding might now be Arsenal’s first-choice centre-half alongside Laurent Koscielny. Oh my.
Last season’s breakout star: Alex Iwobi. Eight starts and two league goals towards the end of last season. Back into the shadows now?
Bournemouth: Lys Mousset
Why could it work out so well? We’ve only just realised that Bournemouth spent €7.3m on the 20-year-old from Le Havre. Paul Pogba was a decent product of that youth system.
Last season’s breakout star: Adam Smith, even at 24. Six starts in the Championship became 22 in the Premier League.
Burnley: George Green
Why could it work out so well? Screw Jamie Vardy, this is a rags-to-riches story we can all get on board with. Time for another magnificent chapter?
Last season’s breakout star: Tendayi Darikwa. Joined from Chesterfield and started 21 games at right-back. That he will probably now leave on loan is pretty telling.
Chelsea: Papy Djilobo…hahahaha
Why could it work out so well? Chelsea’s squad is packed with experienced players who Antonio Conte needs to motivate and inspire. It doesn’t leave much room for fledgling talents. Will Ruben Loftus-Cheek even get chances? We think a loan would be a good idea.
Last season’s breakout star: Kenedy. Playing over 500 league minutes at the age of 19 and 20 at Chelsea counts as a success.
Papy Djilobodji is expected to leave Chelsea this summer. A number of lower English clubs are interested, as well as German and French. #CFC
— Chelsea Activity (@ChelseaActivity) July 25, 2016
Crystal Palace: Jordon Mutch
Why could it work out so well? An odd candidate at 24 years of age, but Mutch went from being excellent at Cardiff in the Premier League to the fringes at Palace. Can he finally break through into the first team? He has been playing and scoring goals in pre-season.
Last season’s breakout star: Honestly? Nobody. No player under the age of 23 started a match for Palace last season. Sorry.
Everton: Shani Tarashaj
Why could it work out so well? When the other back-up strikers are Oumar Niasse and Arouna Kone, you’ve got a chance. Now back from his loan spell at Grasshoppers, Tarashaj was part of Switzerland’s Euro 2016 squad.
Last season’s breakout star: Brendan Galloway. Before last season had six career league starts. More than doubled that total when deputising for Leighton Baines.
Hull City: Adama Diomande
Why could it work out so well? Arrived from Norway last summer, but injury meant he only made his debut in December. Scored three goals in 11 games, and has international experience in Norway.
Last season’s breakout star: Moses Odubajo. Fantastic last season, sadly injured until 2017.
Leicester City: Ben Chilwell
Why could it work out so well? If Leicester can ward off Liverpool’s interest and get their left-back to sign a new deal, Chilwell will surely be give opportunity to impress.
Last season’s breakout star: N’Golo Kante. From a relative unknown in this country to the league’s best player in 2015/16.
Liverpool: Loris Karius
Why could it work out so well? Already talking a good game about usurping Simon Mignolet’s No. 1 spot.
Last season’s breakout star: Joe Gomez until his season-ending injury, Divock Origi thereafter.
Possibly the most self confident player I've come across. Clearly believes in himself but has to prove himself now. https://t.co/xuEtyHLJDU
— Tony Barrett (@TonyBarretTimes) July 14, 2016
Manchester City: Oleksandr Zinchenko
Why could it work out so well? Still only 19, but if he can survive a loan move Zinchenko could well be given a chance to impress on the right-hand side of a three-man attacking trio behind a striker. Ukraine’s youngest ever scorer.
Last season’s breakout star: Kelechi Iheanacho. Eight league goals in 752 minutes. The boy could be a bloody superstar.
Manchester United: Eric Bailly
Why could it work out so well? With so many getting their first chance under Louis van Gaal and given Jose Mourinho’s past record, it can only be a big-money signing. Bailly has a chance to form a partnership with Chris Smalling that could last for several years. Unless they buy Leonardo Bonucci.
Last season’s breakout star: Plenty of competition for this, but can only be Marcus Rashford. From nowhere to France, via eight goals in his first 18 senior matches.
Middlesbrough: Julien de Sart
Why could it work out so well? Bought in January as one for the future, reports from the Boro training ground and initial pre-season friendlies suggest that De Sart looks a fine player already.
Last season’s breakout star: Dael Fry. Man of the Match on the opening day at the age of 17, the central defender looked assured during most of his seven starts.
Southampton: Harrison Reed
Why could it work out so well? “I like to improve the young players. It’s important for the club and important for me at all the clubs I have managed. It is a possibility to work with an excellent academy. It’s one of the best academies in England” – Claude Puel.
Last season’s breakout star: Matt Targett. Only 224 career league minutes before last season, Targett added more than 1,000 more after Luke Shaw left.
Stoke City: Ramadan Sobhi
Why could it work out so well? He’s 19 and he’s nickname is Ramadona. But I’m mainly showing off that I noticed he signed yesterday.
Last season’s breakout star: Jack Butland. Difficult to believe he’d only started five top-flight games before last season.
Sunderland: Jordan Pickford
Why could it work out so well? Made two starts last season, but could finally seriously challenge Vito Mannone.
Last season’s breakout star: Duncan Watmore. But he has absolutely no competition for that prize.
Swansea: Mike van der Hoorn
Why could it work out so well? He’s a Dutch Under-21 international centre-half and Ashley Williams surely cannot play every game forever. Or can he?
Last season’s breakout star: Modou Barrow won Young Player of the Year last season. He’s 23 and not very good.
Tottenham: Harry Winks
Why could it work out so well? We know Mauricio Pochettino likes to use youngsters. While other midfielders (Ryan Mason, Alex Pritchard) are available for transfer, Winks isn’t. A first senior appearance on the way?
Last season’s breakout star: Dele Alli. And he wins against plenty of competition.
Watford: Jerome Sinclair
Why could it work out so well? Having moved for £4m, Sinclair will be aiming to break into the Watford first team after struggling for minutes at Liverpool. Will have to wait for his chance, but possible impact substitute? Opta’s lovely man (and Watford fan) Matt Furniss reckons Tommie Hoban could be good too.
Last season’s breakout star: Nathan Ake, and he’s not even theirs.
Mins given to Watford players under age of 26 last season
Ake: 1872 (not theirs)
Berghuis: 222 (about to leave)
Oulare: 5 (about to leave)— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) July 25, 2016
West Brom: Sam Field
Why could it work out so well? Well he’s there. Of those under 25 in West Brom’s squad, one (Saido Berahino) is leaving, another (Tyler Roberts) will probably be loaned out and the third (Jonathan Leko) is below…
Last season’s breakout star: Leko. Became the first time teenager given a league start by Tony Pulis since his appointment at Stoke in 2006.
West Ham: Reece Oxford
Why could it work out so well? If he stays, he should play. James Tomkins has been allowed to leave, and the £18m price tag might put off suitors.
Last season’s breakout star: Manuel Lanzini. He may be 23, but nobody expected much from a loanee from the Arabian Gulf League. Lanzini surprised us all.
Daniel Storey