Breakouts and wildcards: 13 players BBC Sport commentators say to watch in the new season
On 18 August 2026, BBC Sport's TV and radio commentators selected 13 players to watch in the new season, citing names such as Eli Junior Kroupi, Igor Thiago and Nico O'Reilly among their choices. The group spans new signings, academy graduates and late bloomers whom the panel think could make a mark over the next few months.
The list was compiled by BBC Sport commentators and focuses on unfamiliar faces of all ages who might make a name for themselves in the new campaign. Selections include recent transfers, youth prospects and players with recent international exposure, and the package mixes those described as wonder kids, late developers and shrewd signings.
Steur (18), an Ajax academy product and 2025 winner of the Abdelhak Nouri Trophy, joined Newcastle in a deal potentially worth up to £23m; he made 25 appearances for Ajax last season and is two-footed with noted passing ability, according to Steve Bower. Yirenkyi (20) left FC Nordsjaelland for Coventry City for a club-record fee of about £25m after featuring in all four of Ghana's World Cup matches and scoring a 95th-minute winner against Panama. Conor McNamara noted the midfielder started on the right of a back five for Ghana against England, while his preferred role is centrally and he was named Young Player Of The Year in the Danish Superliga last season.
Mingueza (27), a La Masia graduate who made 66 appearances for Barcelona after his 2020 senior debut and moved to Celta Vigo in 2022, has won four caps for Spain but was not included in the 26-man World Cup squad and has joined Crystal Palace on a free transfer. Madjo (17) scored on his competitive debut for Aston Villa in the Super Cup against Paris St-Germain but will miss the start of the new Premier League campaign after sustaining an injury in that match; Villa signed him for just over £10m in January. Herrington (18) played for Brisbane Roar before moving to Major League Soccer, made his senior debut at 17 years and three months in December 2024, earned an international debut in March and became Australia's youngest World Cup starter, with a penalty he took in the last-32 shootout against Egypt hitting the crossbar.
Veljko Milosavljevic (19) became the youngest Bournemouth player to start a Premier League match when he played against Brighton in September and made a further six top-flight appearances before a knee injury in December's defeat by Everton; Tom Gayle reported a pre-season knock may delay his start to the campaign. Nyoni (19), born in Reading to Zimbabwean parents, has represented England from Under-16 to Under-20 since 2022; Steve Wilson said he was one of Liverpool's best performers in pre-season after signing from Leicester City in 2023 and making a dozen substitute appearances in the second half of last season. Toure (20) ranked first for successful crosses (39), joint-third for dribbles completed (48), and fourth for both chances created (45) and big chances created (11) among Bundesliga forwards in 2025-26 and arrived in England after 15 assists and five goals in the Bundesliga.
Hemmings (19), a central midfielder who has represented England across youth levels, was highlighted by Villa commentators after a strong showing in the Super Cup; Emery confirmed his early substitute at Salzburg was planned for 45 minutes, and John McGinn said "it's no surprise to see him as one of the best players on the pitch." Vuskovic (19) broke a five-year record by winning 18 aerial duels in a Bundesliga match against Union Berlin, earning the Hamburg nickname 'Air Vuskovic', and Brighton made his signing a condition of selling Jan Paul van Hecke to Tottenham after a loan season at Hamburg. McAidoo (18) began at Colchester, joined Chelsea in 2019 and moved to Manchester City in August 2024; Guy Mowbray noted the FA Youth Cup-winning winger looked at home on City's Far East tour.
Shea Lacey (19) trained with England's senior set-up in October 2025 while part of the Under-20s and has been involved in Manchester United's first-team preparations, with Steve Bower saying the club expect to give him many opportunities this season. Johan Manzambi (19) impressed for Freiburg late last season, played in their Europa League run and at the World Cup for Switzerland before injury curtailed his tournament in the last 32; commentators outlined his versatility to play centrally, as a number 10 or as a right-sided forward and cited his goals at the World Cup that prompted Freiburg to cash in.
BBC Sport's list identifies a mix of immediate options and longer-term prospects to follow over the next few months of the new campaign; one confirmed near-term development is that Madjo will miss the start of the Premier League season through injury, while several others arrive with recent transfer fees, international experience or standout statistical seasons behind them.
