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Not too long ago, Manchester City’s comeback win against Aston Villa on the final day of the 2021-22 Premier League season powered Pep Guardiola to a fourth Premier League title in six years.
Since that victory, City have signed Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund and rivals Liverpool have brought in Darwin Nunez from Benfica to replace Sadio Mane as the new season draws closer.
The Premier League is the best league in the world. The physicality and intensity of the English top tier is unmatched by any of the other top four leagues. Most incoming transfers, especially young players, struggle to adapt to the demands of the Premier League. Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne were victims of this during their spell at Chelsea.
It doesn't matter what club you play for in England, the pressure is always on young players to deliver. With that said, here are five Under-25 players who must impress in the 2022/23 Premier League season.
#1 Erling Haaland
When Manchester City march out in the first game of the season, all eyes will be on Erling Haaland. Football fans worldwide are eager to see the 21-year-old Norwegian striker hit the ground running at City. Haaland completed a move from Borussia Dortmund earlier in the transfer window for £51 million. He signed a five-year deal at the club that will keep him in Manchester till 2027.
In 67 league games at Dortmund, Haaland scored 62 goals and guided the German club to a DFB Pokal Trophy in 2021. Haaland has drawn comparisons to PSG star Mbappe, with experts predicting a rivalry as big as the Ronaldo-Messi rivalry to develop between the two. He has now made the move to the Premier League, and everyone is keen to see him perform.
#2 Darwin Nunez
The gig is simple. If you move to the Premier League for €100 million, pressure is on you to perform. Darwin Nunez arrives at Liverpool as a replacement for Sadio Mane after the Senegalese attacker’s departure to Bayern Munich. Nunez joins Liverpool following a stellar season at Benfica, where he recorded 26 goals in 24 starts and averaged 0.9 goals per game.
The 22-year-old is regarded as the next generation Uruguayan striker, following in the footsteps of his compatriot Luis Suarez to join Liverpool. Nunez combines speed with good off-the-ball movement and ball control. Jurgen Klopp would be looking forward to utilizing his pressing intensity and speed in the Reds' attack.
#3 Kai Havertz
When Havertz signed for Chelsea, he was the club's record transfer. The hope was that he, alongside Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, would lead the Chelsea attack for years to come. Two years later, Chelsea are still yet to see the best of the German international. Although his winning goal in the 2020-21 Champions League final still lives in the hearts of Chelsea fans, there are still doubts over his consistency.
Last season, Havertz recorded his best return in a Chelsea shirt, scoring eight league goals from the striker position. For a forward at a top-six club in England, the numbers are very underwhelming. For Havertz, there is progress and a platform to build on. Romelu Lukaku's departure to Inter Milan might imply that Thomas Tuchel will stick with Havertz as his main striker.
#4 Jadon Sancho
Last season, Manchester United let fans down as the club finished with their worst points tally in the Premier League era. Jadon Sancho, who was signed last summer from Dortmund, was one of the key players who produced subpar performances consistently. The England international did not score his first league goal until November and only managed two more after that.
His six goal contributions (three goals, three assists) were disappointing considering his €85 million transfer fee. Sancho’s performance can be blamed on a lack of tactical plan under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Ralf Ragnick. However, this season, he will work with one of Europe's brightest young coaches in Erik Ten Hag, and he is expected to improve.
#5 Marcus Rashford
Last season was one to forget for Marcos Rashford. The winger managed only four goals and two assists in the Premier League. His poor run of form saw him replaced by teenager Anthony Elanga in the Starting XI. Rashford also had issues off-field, clashing with fans after the 1-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. United fans will hope last season was a blip and that Rashford will be back to his best when next season begins.
