Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
For all the money flowing from every possible causeway into the Barclays Premier League that causes clubs to spend grotesquely large transfer fee’s for the worlds best and brightest, England’s top league still harbors many young and gifted players. The nature of the BPL does have a habit of making these players fall by the way side as top clubs spend each summer to bring in further reinforcements in a power struggle more reminiscent of the Cold War arms race than it does to football. Players such as Jack Rodwell, Kevin De Bruyne, Wilfried Zaha and many more have fallen through the cracks at top clubs after high profile moves that would see them barely have a sniff at consistent first team opportunities – but it will not be that way for everyone.
Despite the money and the struggle between clubs to tip the balance of power in their favor with signing after signing, there currently are a few young players who are gracing the pitch at their respective clubs who will undoubtedly shine through to become the next wave of talented young players to grace the BPL in the coming years. Let’s take a look at these five players who, baring catastrophic circumstances (knock on wood…or…whatever surface you have available to you currently), will be the names on the lips of fans both foreign and domestic.
Serge Gnabry (attacking midfielder; Arsenal)
The young German wide player is already firmly in the hearts and minds of Gunners fans the world over. When he does make an appearance, he is one of the players to make a difference – his appearances have lead to manager Arsene Wenger tipping him to potentially be on the plane to Brazil this summer. Not enough for you? German national team manager Joachim Low stated, “The boy is really good. He has exceptional qualities. I’m still open to him making the World Cup squad. We have an eye on him.” The 18 year old Stuttgart native is blessed with pace, a howitzer of a shot and an incredible understanding of the game as well as a positional awareness that takes many footballers well into their careers to grasp. With all the rumors of Arsenal looking at Julian Draxler and the fact that they have Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and others who can occupy attacking midfielder or wing positions, it easily can be Gnabry who will end up stealing the show at the Emirates over the coming years.
Adnan Januzaj (attacking midfielder; Manchester United)
The highly touted attacking player is subject to much speculation as of late. Not only are United supporters in constant debate as to how he should be deployed for their beloved Red Devils, but everyone is curious as to which nation the boy will chose – Januzaj is eligible to play for Belgium (the country of his birth), Albania, Turkey, Serbia and even has an outside chance of becoming eligible to play for England. The superlatives that have been uttered when speaking about this gifted youngster have seemingly run out. Much like Gnabry, he has an understanding of the game that, for such a young player, you would think he has been playing at the highest levels for the last ten years. He is something truly special, but will have to be ware that at Man United, youngsters can fall by the way side, especially now that manager David Moyes will be under pressure to spend big to right a shit that is currently foundering. But make no mistake; this rare find can easily have a team constructed around him.
Andros Townsend (attacking midfielder; Tottenham Hotspur)
Having spent four years going out on multiple loan deals to lower league sides, Townsend made his breakthrough during the current campaign under now former manager Andres Villas Boas. His performances for the north London club in the beginning of the campaign would see England manager Roy Hodgson give him his full national team debut against Montenegro in which he was named man of the match after a sensational performance. Townsend is much in the mold of Theo Walcott – an incredibly fast player who loves to burst down the touchline and look to provide service, but he also enjoys tucking into the inside channels to have a sniff at goal. Under new boss Tim Sherwood, his appearances have decreased and it would be wise for Spurs to continue to have him play regular football at the highest level – his performance (and his splendidly taken goal) against Montenegro showed exactly what he is capable of when given license to run free.
Ross Barkley (attacking midfielder; Everton)
Under David Moyes he was not trusted – under new boss Roberto Martinez, Ross Barkley has taken the BPL by storm early this season. Barkley’s talented performances are not seemingly coming out of no where – back in 2011, former fan favorite Tim Cahill claimed that Barkley was “the most talented footballer he had worked with.” while former Arsenal legend Martin Keown boldly predicted that “Barkley will be one of the best players we will ever see in this country.” Loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United would keep him quietly waiting in the wings. Enter Roberto Martinez, Everton’s new manager who would bring a new brand of attacking inspired football to Everton – it would be the key to opening up Barkley and unleashing him. Still a very raw talent (much like Wayne Rooney was), his skill on the ball, strength and attacking ambition going forward are clear for all to see. Everton will have a hard time keeping hold of one of the most talented young English players to come through the youth ranks at any club in years.
Luke Shaw (left-back; Southampton)
Subject to a potential bidding war this month by Man United, Chelsea and Man City, the best young left back in England is highly touted with justifiable reasons abound. If there has ever been a complete left back to come out of a club after both Ashley Cole and Leighton Baines, it is Shaw. Still just at the tender age of 18, Shaw seemingly has the world at his fingertips in the coming months as he will have a gargantuan decision to make when it comes to the well being of his footballing career. For a left back he is at the taller end of the spectrum (6’1), with a strong frame, pace, very strong positional awareness and the ability to get forward to add that something extra to the attack that most wingbacks try to exhibit, but Shaw seemingly does effortlessly. Add to that his ability to deliver from set-pieces with precision, it is only a matter of time before the Saints will no longer be able to hold on to their prized possession. Despite Baines being the best left back in the BPL at currently, there is no doubt Shaw will supplant the Everton man in the very near future.
Youthful exuberance can best be described as the energy, excitement and daring that is associated with being young – it is no different when it comes to being a football player as it does if we were discussing a normal young adult coming into their old in the world with everything before them and nothing to look back at. For these five massively talented young players, their youthful exuberance shines through in their performances on the pitch and it is something we should all be very excited to witness – after all, to make it in the modern game, a little daring when you are young often brings out that special something extra required to turn you into a world beater.