Ranking the Top 5 Young Players in the EPL

The Premier League isn’t all about aging veterans returning for one last shot at glory. For every Paul Scholes and Thierry Henry, there’s a young player trying to make his mark in the most competitive league on the planet.

For this list, I’ve concentrated on players 22 and under, which rules out the likes of Juan Mata and Sergio Aguero, but still provides room for five players most clubs in Europe would love to get their hands on.

 Starting the list is Manchester United’s 21-year-old striker Danny Welbeck, who has broken into Sir Alex Ferguson’s team this season and could be the man to lead England’s attack at Euro 2011.

Daniel Sturridge is in the running for a place alongside him. The 22-year-old Chelsea forward has scored freely for Andre Villas-Boas’ team and provides a real threat coming in from wide areas.

At No. 3 on the list is a player who’s missed most of the season due to injury. Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere proved himself in the Champions League last time around, and at 20, he is already one of the most technically proficient young midfielders in football.

Manchester City’s Mario Balotelli comes in as a runner-up—his madcap antics off the pitch shouldn’t detract from his performances on it. The 21-year-old Italian has all the physical attributes necessary to succeed in English football, and will be key to City’s title aspirations.

The man at the top of my list is arguably the most-wanted young player in the Premier League, Tottenham’s Gareth Bale. Lightning fast, technically immaculate and with a great reading of the game, the 22-year-old Bale will surely not be at White Hart Lane for too much longer.

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