Following a debut campaign in which Eli Junior Kroupi, Igor Thiago and Nico O'Reilly established themselves as fresh faces in the Premier League, attention now turns to which newcomers might make a similar impact in the 2026-27 season. Television and radio commentators have compiled a list of 13 players — spanning new arrivals, academy graduates and emerging internationals — whom they expect to catch the eye across the coming months. The names range from teenage prospects yet to make a senior appearance to established internationals switching clubs for the first time.
Who are the new arrivals already confirmed for the campaign?
Two of the players on this list have already completed permanent transfers ahead of the new season, according to reporting gathered since the original selections were made. Newcastle United's move for Sean Steur was finalised on 9 July 2026, with the Dutch midfielder joining on a five-year contract in a deal that could rise to £23m, according to a national broadcaster's report. Separately, Coventry City completed their club-record signing of Ghana international Caleb Yirenkyi from FC Nordsjaelland on 7 August 2026, agreeing a long-term contract with the newly promoted side, according to ESPN.
1. Sean Steur — Newcastle United
Age: 18. Position: Centre-midfield. Country: Netherlands.
Steur received Ajax's Abdelhak Nouri Trophy in 2025, an honour given annually to the club's outstanding academy graduate. Past recipients of the award include Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart, Christian Eriksen and Ryan Gravenberch.
Steve Bower: Much of the transfer talk at Newcastle this summer has centred on midfielders leaving the club, yet Steur arrived early in the window — before Eddie Howe's departure — in a deal that could ultimately be worth up to £23m.
I watched Steur feature for Ajax in European competition last season, during which he made 25 appearances across all competitions. He is comfortable in a defensive midfield role or slightly further up the pitch, is two-footed, and possesses an elegant range of passing.
Moving from Dutch football into the Premier League as a teenager is a considerable jump, made harder still by joining a club currently adjusting to a change of manager.
That said, Newcastle already have a template in Lewis Miley, whose recent progression through the ranks gives Steur someone to learn from in a comparable situation.
My first impressions of him playing for Ajax were positive, and he seems to carry the temperament required to cope in the Premier League.
He may not be an automatic starter, but Steur appears fearless enough to seize any chance that comes his way.
Additional reporting indicates Steur signed a contract running until 2031 and has taken the number 14 shirt at Newcastle, according to a national broadcaster's report. His background also includes joining Ajax's academy at the age of seven, a detail that formed part of the context surrounding his move, according to a news agency report.
2. Caleb Yirenkyi — Coventry City
Age: 20. Position: Midfield. Country: Ghana.
Yirenkyi scored a stoppage-time winner for Ghana against Panama at the World Cup, netting in the 95th minute.
John Murray: This has the makings of a smart piece of business for newly promoted Coventry City, despite them paying a club-record fee of roughly £25m to prise him away from Danish outfit FC Nordsjaelland.
Yirenkyi played in all four of Ghana's World Cup fixtures, and watching him during their group-stage meeting with England left me convinced he has the energy to thrive in English football's top flight.
Conor McNamara: Coventry have brought in a versatile and gifted player in Yirenkyi — his surname is pronounced 'yur'INCH-ee'.
He operated on the right of a back five for Ghana against England at the World Cup, though his preferred role is in central midfield.
Supporters of Wales will recall him finding the net against them in a pre-tournament friendly in June, and he added another goal at the World Cup itself against Panama.
Having risen through Ghana's Right To Dream Academy, he was named the Danish Superliga's Young Player of the Season while at Nordsjaelland.
Frank Lampard looks well placed to help accelerate his development into a midfielder capable of Premier League standard.
Since the original assessment, Coventry's deal for Yirenkyi has been finalised, described as the club's fifth summer signing ahead of their opening fixture against Arsenal, according to beIN Sports. Some reports have valued the transfer differently, with the fee put at around €27m — potentially rising to €30m with add-ons — according to Flashscore, compared with the roughly £25m figure cited elsewhere.
3. Oscar Mingueza — Crystal Palace
Age: 27. Position: Defender. Country: Spain.
A graduate of Barcelona's La Masia academy, Mingueza made 66 appearances for the Catalan club after his first-team debut in 2020, before moving on to Celta Vigo in 2022. He has been capped four times by Spain but was left out of their 26-man World Cup squad.
Conor McNamara: Mingueza's omission from Spain's World Cup-winning squad reflected the strength of competition rather than any shortcoming on his part. With Pedro Porro established as first-choice right-back, and Marcos Llorente and Marc Pubill also capable of filling that role, Mingueza was squeezed out.
Having let his contract at Celta Vigo expire, he has since joined Crystal Palace on a free transfer — potentially one of the shrewdest pieces of business of the summer. Having called his performances for Spain at last year's Nations League finals, I was struck by his composure in transitioning from defence into attack.
With uncertainty surrounding Daniel Munoz's future at Selhurst Park, Mingueza could step in as a direct replacement for one of Palace's more influential performers in recent seasons.
Should Munoz remain, Mingueza's adaptability means he could feature comfortably in any position across Palace's back line.
4. Brian Madjo — Aston Villa
Age: 17. Position: Striker. Country: England.
Madjo will be sidelined for the opening weeks of the new Premier League season after sustaining an injury on his competitive debut against Paris St-Germain.
John Murray: Villa supporters are already familiar with this teenage forward following his goalscoring exploits in pre-season.
Born in London to Cameroonian parents and raised in Luxembourg, Madjo represented that country's senior national team before switching allegiance to England, for whom he has featured at Under-17 level.
After a dispute over his eligibility was resolved, he made his competitive bow for Villa last week, scoring in the Super Cup against Paris St-Germain.
He carries himself like a big man with an equally big future ahead.
Guy Mowbray: There has been speculation linking Madjo with a loan move, but his run of pre-season goals, capped by a telling contribution against PSG, should be enough to keep him at Villa Park at least until the next transfer window opens.
If he does stay, he will be hard to miss — a powerful centre-forward already equipped with most of the attributes needed to succeed.
Steve Bower: My original inclination was to select Johan Manzambi, whom I flagged in a similar piece before the World Cup after his excellent tournament. Villa ultimately beat Newcastle to his signature.
Rather than name two players from the same club, I opted for Madjo, who was recruited for just over £10m back in January before the well-publicised registration issues that delayed his involvement.
His pre-season form has included four goals — against Walsall, Real Sociedad and Indonesia All-Stars — before Unai Emery handed him his chance against PSG, where he scored again.
His physical stature at such a young age has already drawn early, if premature, comparisons with Erling Haaland — a weighty tag for any teenager to carry.
Without overloading a 17-year-old with expectation, Villa's return to the Champions League and the resulting increase in fixtures should ensure Madjo gets minutes across various competitions this season.
It looks like an ideal environment for his progression, since the presence of established strikers such as Ollie Watkins and Tammy Abraham means Villa can bring him through gradually rather than depending on him from the outset.
Emery's guidance should also suit his development, and I expect him to leave a mark in multiple competitions this term.
5. Lucas Herrington — Hull City
Age: 18. Position: Centre-back. Country: Australia.
Prior to his move to Major League Soccer, Herrington played for Brisbane Roar in Australia's A-League, making his senior debut for the club at 17 years and three months old, in December 2024.
Conor McNamara: I watched Herrington start for Australia at the World Cup and came away impressed by how assured he looked on the ball.
He does not turn 19 until early September, making him unusually young for a Premier League centre-back, and while that will present a steep learning curve, his physical presence at 6ft 4in should help him adjust.
Herrington has only completed a single MLS season with the Colorado Rapids, yet performed well enough to be selected for the MLS All-Star Team. His senior international debut came only in March, but he still became Australia's youngest-ever World Cup starter as the team advanced to the knockout rounds.
It was also Herrington's penalty — struck against the crossbar — that sealed Australia's exit from the tournament in their last-32 shootout defeat to Egypt.
Being entrusted with such a high-pressure kick, and being willing to accept that responsibility, speaks to his mental resilience.
6. Veljko Milosavljevic — Bournemouth
Age: 19. Position: Centre-back. Country: Serbia.
Milosavljevic is already a senior Serbia international and became the youngest player to start a Premier League match for Bournemouth when he featured against Brighton in September.
Tom Gayle: Bournemouth have built a reputation for their so-called 'plug and play' recruitment strategy.
Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi all arrived with relatively low profiles, were quickly given regular Premier League football, and were later sold for substantial fees.
Veljko Milosavljevic could be the next defender to follow that same path.
I was present at Vitality Stadium 11 months ago when the teenager made his debut in a 2-1 win over Brighton. Before kick-off, then head coach Andoni Iraola offered a surprisingly candid assessment, admitting to me he was unsure whether Milosavljevic was ready for top-flight football.
That uncertainty stemmed from the fact Iraola had worked with him for only a couple of days, the defender having just returned from Serbia's Under-21 squad.
He proved ready regardless, adding six further top-flight appearances before a knee injury sustained in December's defeat by Everton ended his season — his most recent Premier League outing to date.
Although the sample of matches remains small, his performances demonstrated the technical quality and physical attributes needed to justify more regular involvement.
A pre-season injury may push back his start to the new campaign, but assuming he is fit, I am looking forward to seeing more of a player Serbian media have called:
one of the biggest talents of Serbian football
7. Trey Nyoni — Liverpool
Age: 19. Position: Centre-midfield. Country: England.
Born in Reading to Zimbabwean parents, Nyoni has represented England at every age level from Under-16 to Under-20 since his first call-up in 2022.
Steve Wilson: This young central midfielder has been among Liverpool's standout performers in pre-season. Having signed from Leicester City in 2023, he made his Premier League debut in late December following several domestic cup appearances.
Arne Slot was sufficiently impressed to hand the then-18-year-old a dozen substitute appearances during the second half of last season.
Andoni Iraola has been struck by Nyoni's performances on Liverpool's uneven US tour, and with central midfield an area lacking depth at the club, there may now be second thoughts about sending him out on loan.
8. Bazoumana Toure — Newcastle United
Age: 20. Position: Left-winger. Country: Ivory Coast.
Among Bundesliga forwards in the 2025-26 season, Toure topped the charts for successful crosses with 39, tied for third in completed dribbles with 48, and ranked fourth for both chances created (45) and big chances created (11).
Steve Wilson: After a challenging summer for the club, Newcastle will hope Toure can produce an immediate impact, mirroring his form when he joined Hoffenheim from Hammarby some 18 months ago.
His return of 15 assists and five goals in the Bundesliga naturally invited comparisons with fellow Ivorian Yan Diomande at RB Leipzig, though 'Bazoumania' proved short-lived in south-west Germany.
Toure, just eight months older than Diomande — now at Real Madrid — favours the left flank, though he is capable on either side.
Blending pace with control is difficult, but Toure has clearly worked to add end product to his acceleration.
His World Cup involvement for Ivory Coast, limited to one start and two substitute appearances, was underwhelming, though competition for wide positions was intense given Diomande and Amad Diallo were also part of the squad.
9. George Hemmings — Aston Villa
Age: 19. Position: Midfield. Country: England.
Hemmings has represented England at Under-16, Under-18 and Under-19 level.
Guy Mowbray: The departures of Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers have left a significant void in Aston Villa's midfield.
Hemmings appears to combine traits of both departed players, and his showing against PSG in the Super Cup impressed me as much as, if not more than, Madjo's. He looked assured and technically composed in possession.
Tom Gayle: Villa's midfield has been further weakened by Amadou Onana's anterior cruciate ligament injury, in addition to Tielemans' move to Manchester United, and Unai Emery may look to Hemmings to help fill the gap.
A regular presence at every England youth level, Hemmings attracted plenty of interest as he came through Nottingham Forest's academy before relocating to the West Midlands at the start of 2024.
I was in the press box back in January for his first senior start, in the Europa League group match against Salzburg. Trailing 1-0 at half-time, the teenager — who by my judgement had struggled — was withdrawn.
My initial assumption was that the substitution reflected his performance, but Emery later clarified that playing 45 minutes had always been the plan.
