Premier League Preview: 5 teen starlets who could make a name for themselves this season

From Ryan Giggs to Harry Kane via Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, the Premier League has proved a breeding ground for some of European football’s biggest stars.

Ahead of the start of the 2015-16 season this weekend, here are five teenage players seeking to grab a share of the limelight.

Joe Gomez (18, Liverpool)

Gomez only joined Liverpool in June, arriving from Charlton Athletic in a £3.5 million (HK$42 million) deal, but British newspaper reports claim he could feature in the starting XI when Brendan Rodgers takes his team to Stoke City on Sunday after impressing his coaches in pre-season. The England Under-19 international has predominantly played at right-back and centre-back in his career to date, but he has turned out at left-back in Liverpool’s warm-up games. “Ideally, centre-back is my main position, but I’m happy to play right-back or left-back if the manager believes I can help the team there,” Gomez told local newspaper the Liverpool Echo.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek (19, Chelsea)

A tall, elegant central midfielder, Loftus-Cheek was a driving force last season as Chelsea claimed success in the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League. He was also granted a handful of first-team appearances, coming off the bench in a 1-1 draw with Manchester City in January and starting against Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion in May. He was publicly rebuked by Jose Mourinho for a careless display in a post-season friendly against Sydney FC, but that only suggested that the Chelsea manager has bigger plans for him this season. “I listened to what the manager said,” Loftus-Cheek said. “I wasn’t at the level I need to be and I need to do better if I want to play for Chelsea.”