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Ethan Nwaneri

Myles Lewis-Skelly and the 10 England teenagers Thomas Tuchel should call up


There were audible groans up and down our great nation when Thomas Tuchel's first England squad was announced.

Granted, that was mainly due to his recall of Jordan Henderson but it was also a result of so many of the usual names being called up at the expense of a particularly exciting crop of Young Lions.

A couple of uncapped 22-year-olds, James Trafford and Jarell Quansah, did make the cut alongside rogue inclusion Dan Burn.

The only teenager to join the England seniors was Myles Lewis-Skelly; boy did he make an impression.

Myles Lewis-Skelly

But the Arsenal defender has been far from the only teen to turn heads in the top flight this term, with Premier League XIs all of a sudden littered with under-20s - many of them English.

In fairness to Tuchel he hardly picked a squad of geriatrics, with 13 players aged 25 or younger, seven of those between 18 and 22.

Here are 10 teenagers he should think about including next time.


Myles Lewis-Skelly

Lewis-Skelly deserves top mention for the outstanding breakout season he's had at Arsenal - and that's even before a dream night against Albania saw him become the youngest player to score on their England debut and third-youngest England goalscorer of all time behind only Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.

And he's a left-back.

Not in a dissimilar fashion to Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool, having progressed through academy football as a central midfielder the 18-year-old is finding his feet at full-back, so it's unclear what position he will ultimately settle into it.

His naturally combative nature and ball-carrying ability, compared to Alexander-Arnold's unique role as a playmaker, perhaps opens up more of a possibility for him to play as a modern day number 6 or 8 than his future England team-mate realistically had.

Or he just stays at left-back.


Ethan Nwaneri

Ethan Nwaneri

Ethan Nwaneri is another incredibly exciting Arsenal academy graduate.

He became the Premier League's youngest ever player when aged just 15 years and 181 days he came off the bench against Brentford in September 2022.

The left-footed forward has since been slowing embedded into the first team, and despite only just turning 18 is closing in on 50 Gunners appearances.

Barring injury it's hard to imagine he and Lewis-Skelly, just 176 days his junior, won't be England regulars for years to come.


Kobbie Mainoo

Kobbie Mainoo

An underwhelming 2024/25 for Manchester United and Kobbie Mainoo has led to many quickly forgetting just how fantastic the midfielder was in his debut season for both club and country.

Bursting on to the scene as an 18-year-old, being named man of the match on his full debut in a 3-0 win at Everton, Mainoo ended his campaign with United by becoming the first English teenager to score in the FA Cup final for 43 years, and the youngest since 1964 when he set the club on their way to a shock win over Manchester City.

England manager Gareth Southgate speaks to Kobbie Mainoo

He then forced his way into the England side at the Euros, starting every match in the knockout stage including the final.

This season may have been something of a write-off because of injury, but he'll be back.


Archie Gray

Tottenham's Archie Gray wins a header against Hearts

Perhaps flying under the radar through a combination of Tottenham's terrible domestic season and being played out of position across the back four in his maiden top-flight campaign, it's remarkable what Archie Gray has achieved already.

Only just 19 he is approaching 100 first-team appearances for Leeds and Spurs, most of which have come in the Championship, Premier League and Europa League.

Last term, Gray even spent some time playing as a number 10; this term he's spent all of his time trying to stop them.

It'll be exciting to see what he could achieve next season if given the opportunity to play in his natural midfield role, especially with all of this experience under his belt.


Tyler Dibling

Dibling

There is expected to be a bunfight for Southampton winger Tyler Dibling this summer, with the teenager's performances one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal Saints campaign.

An injury-hit second half of the season has disrupted his progress, and it's probably fair to say the speculation over where he could move next hasn't helped either for a player who has already experienced a failed, short-lived spell at Chelsea.

With Thomas Tuchel known to favour pacy, direct wingers, Dibling could be a player he has his eye on next season.


Jack Hinshelwood

Jack Hinshelwood

Brighton have rightly carved out a reputation for being the best in the business when it comes to unearthing hidden gems, but now they have 'one of their own' to be really excited about too.

In a fiercely competitive, talented squad Jack Hinshelwood has become first choice under Fabian Hurzeler, who could have a job on his hands convincing the biggest shrewdy of them all Tony Bloom not to sell when the vultures inevitability circle this summer.

What harms his chances of a call-up is Hurzeler's seeming preference to use him as an inverted full-back rather than in central midfield, although looking at it the other way that kind of versatility could prove useful at a major tournament.


Lewis Miley

Newcastle's youngster Lewis Miley

Newcastle youngster Lewis Miley took his chance in 2023/24, benefitting from the opportunity that presented itself when Sandro Tonali was banned and several of his team-mates were out injured - both for significant periods of time.

He hasn't quite managed to displace the settled trio of Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton this term, but at just 18 years old a season out of the spotlight may do him good in the long-term.


Mikey Moore

Mikey Moore

Tottenham fans were clutching for anything they could earlier this season when losing week after week with players seemingly getting injured in every game, so when 17-year-old academy graduate Mikey Moore scored a meaningless third goal in stoppage time against Elfsborg in the Europa League, that was all they needed.

He started against Brentford in the Premier League three days later and was substituted at half-time.

In the flashes we've seen he looks like a player of serious promise, but it's far too early to judge.


Ayden Heaven

Ayden Heaven

Talking of far too early to judge and clutching at straws, I give you new Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven.

It's almost too perfect that just when United's season was teetering on the edge of total collapse, on the verge of almost needing [insert groan here] divine intervention, a young left-sided centre back poached from Arsenal showed some promise against his former club.

It's far, far too early to tell if he is a player with England potential, but even from his early showings what we can say is it looks as though United have snagged an absolute bargain for a reported £1.5m compensation fee.


Romaine Esse

Romain Esse

If Crystal Palace's track record for plucking players from the EFL is anything to go by, Romaine Esse is a cast iron certainty to play for England.

Signed from Millwall in January, the midfielder will hope to follow in the footsteps of full internationals Ebereche Eze, Michael Olise and Adam Wharton.

With only a handful of top-flight appearances to his name so far, forecasting his development is tricky, but scoring with your first touch is a pretty good start.


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