The Premier League has delivered an exciting season so far. With United’s collapse, Liverpool’s resurgence, Arsenal’s challenge, and City’s impending return all unfolding together, it is set to deliver an amazing end to 2023-24. While not every club has had the fortune of experiencing good form and performances, some stars have been lighting it up for their clubs despite their surroundings.
Some young stars have caught the eye for their marvels on the pitch, while others have gone rather under the radar, expectedly or unexpectedly. Here are 5 young stars under the age of 24 who have done well this season so far:
João Gomes
The Brazilian has started to step into the potential that was once expected of him. This came a lukewarm debut campaign with Wolves which saw just 11 appearances to his name. Gomes has racked up almost double that with 21 appearances already, and nabbing an impressive 82.1% pass completion rate.
He adds to his contribution with 2.16 shot creating actions per 90, alongside 4.83 tackles and interceptions per 90. Although the Brazilian hasn’t fully harnessed and crafted his raw ability as he gives the ball away 1.22 times per 90, he has seen a massive improvement in his performances indicating there’s much more to come.
João Pedro
The Brazilian has been experiencing pastures anew in the last six months after moving to Brighton from Watford. While he has adapted to the British shores admirably, he has settled like a seagull on the shore in south England. From his 23 appearances to the season so far, he has scored 8 goals and provided 2 assists already.
It is all the more impressive when considering that he is currently delivering an xG+xAG of 0.69 per 90, which is extremely close to his actual output of 0.65 per 90. He had impressed during his time at Watford but has not taken his stock to an entirely different level under Roberto De Zerbi.
James Garner
The Englishman has had a testing couple of seasons in recent memory. Although he proved his potential and his quality in a successful loan spell with Nottingham Forrest, he could not find a place at Old Trafford, and was moved on to Everton last year. With the Toffees, he only managed 16 appearances in his debut campaign but has since turned the momentum around.
In 2023-24, James Garner nabbed 23 appearances with 0.23 xG+xAG from the middle of the park. Alongside his respectable contribution to the Toffees offense, he is also creating 2.97 shots per 90 with an impressive defensive contribution at 4.47 tackles and interceptions per 90.
Alex Scott
The Guernsey-based talent has earned quite the reputation for his exceptional ceiling as well as attracting the eyes of many Premier League sides. After making the step up from Bristol City to AFC Bournemouth this past summer, few would be shocked at how well Scott has managed to find his feet in the Premier League. Although he has only made 10 appearances in the season so far with an underwhelming contribution of just 0.14 xG+xAG.
He has more than made up for it with his supporting role in attack and defense. Scott has created an impressive 3.82 shots per 90 so far. While on the defensive side of things, he has contributed an extremely respectable 3.17 tackles and interceptions per 90. While he is still young and will continue to develop, the glimpses he has shown are extremely impressive.
Teden Mengi
The former Manchester United defender found pastures anew this past summer. After spending over 7 years with the Red Devils, Mengi moved to newly promoted Luton Town. While he has not yet found a permanent place in Luton’s defense, he has shown enough to warrant 16 appearances so far. While he has not been a ball-playing defender, Mengi has still helped his team’s attacking prowess and building from the back with an average of 30 passes per 90 and a pass completion rate of 75.8%.
His defensive contributions for a defender in his debut campaign are extremely good and could prove pivotal in Luton’s fight to survive. He contributes 4.25 tackles and interceptions per 90 with an additional 1.37 blocks and 4.38 clearances per 90.