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The Premier League is arguably the toughest and most competitive footballing league on the planet. Making it big in the division is no walk in the park, even for the most revered names in the business. The task gets even tougher when one is a youngster who is still trying to learn the ropes.
Today, we will be taking a look at some young footballers who have beaten the odds to enjoy early success in England’s premier footballing division. These attack-minded players have breached the league’s best defenses at will, creating goals for their teams.
Here are the only four footballers who have registered more than 25 assists in the Premier League before turning 22:
Stats via: OptaJoe
#4 Dele Alli – 26 assists
Much has been said about Dele Alli’s performances lately. The Englishman, who joined Everton from Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day of the January transfer window, has become a shadow of his former self, incapable of making the impact he used to.
His current state is undeniably bleak but fortunately, there is plenty of room for salvation.
Alli, who made his Premier League debut in the 2015-16 season, had the world at his feet when he was only 19-years-old. The teenager featured in 33 matches for Spurs that season, adding 10 assists to his name.
The following season, the attacking midfielder upped the ante and added 18 more goals to his tally. Before turning 22, Alli had 35 goals and 26 assists to his name, outperforming most of his contemporaries in that time frame.
#3 Trent Alexander-Arnold – 27 assists
Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has announced himself as one of the most revered footballers in Europe.
The Englishman is the ideal definition of a modern-day full-back, capable of being equally effective on either end of the pitch. When defending, Alexander-Arnold uses his acute sense of positioning to cut out passing lanes. When pushing forward, he uses his pace to leave the opposition in the dust.
Alexander-Arnold, who is the leading assist provider (10) in the Premier League this season, is an expert at whipping in crosses into the opposition box. His deliveries tend to have the perfect balance of power and swerve, which often leaves the opposition dumbfounded.
Rising through Liverpool’s youth system, the youngster made his first English top-flight appearance in the 2016-17 season. His first assist in the division came the following season in a 5-0 win over Swansea City.
Since then, the 23-year-old has added 42 more assists to his tally, with 27 of those coming before he turned 22.
As one would expect, he produced his best football in the 2019-20 season, providing 13 assists as Liverpool ended their Premier League drought after three decades.
#2 Wayne Rooney – 31 assists
One of the best strikers in the history of the Premier League, Wayne Rooney was always destined for great things. Rising through Everton’s youth academy, Rooney made his Premier League debut in the 2002-03 season when he was only 16-years-old.
Even as a teenager, he was as headstrong as they come. He was always prepared to put in a good shift for his team and rarely back-peddled in front of a daunting defense. Rooney, for all intents and purposes, was a complete English striker.
The teenager played 33 games for Everton in his debut season, scoring six times. He stayed put for one more season at Goodison Park before Manchester United came calling.
Under Sir Alex Ferguson, Rooney took his game a couple of notches higher and improved his passing in the final third. The Englishman emerged as a dependable outlet for the Red Devils, always prepared to lend a helping hand.
By the time Rooney turned 22, he was already an established name in the Premier League. Between Everton and United, the English marksman had 60 goals and 31 assists to his name.
He also celebrated his first Premier League title win with the Red Devils before his 22nd birthday.
#1 Cesc Fabregas – 46 assists
Many hail Cesc Fabregas as one of the best midfielders in the history of the Premier League and for good reason. Despite leaving his native Spain and having to adjust to new surroundings in England, Fabregas produced exceptional performances for Arsenal under Arsene Wenger.
The Spaniard was Wenger’s star pupil, always managing to exceed the Frenchman’s already sky-high expectations.
Only 17, Fabregas made 33 appearances for Arsenal in the 2004-05 Premier League season. Competing against some of the best in the business, Fabregas held his own that season, registering two goals and five assists in the English top-flight.
The midfielder remained in the thick of things the following season but could not vastly improve his tally. His breakthrough ultimately came during the 2006-07 season, when he bagged a whopping 11 assists in 38 appearances.
Having turned 20 in the 2007-08 season, Fabregas took the next obvious step and added goals to his game. He had scored seven goals and provided 17 assists in 32 Premier League games that season, enjoying his best-ever season for the north Londoners.
Before turning 22, the Monaco midfielder registered 17 goals and 46 assists in the Premier League but couldn’t bag the coveted league title.
