Max Aarons
The 19-year-old full-back shot to prominence last season, as an integral part of the Norwich team that stormed to the Championship title. In his maiden season as a professional, Aarons won the EFL Young Player of the Year and was impressively named in both the PFA and EFL Championship 2018/19 Team of the Season.
Making his league debut on September 2018, the swashbuckling right-back made 41 appearances in the Championship last season. Producing two goals and six assists, the Norwich starlet was duly rewarded for an outstanding debut season, with a five-year deal in July 2019. Heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer, the top six are already rumoured to be circling for the youngster’s services.
A noticeable asset of the full-backs is the ease in which he can breeze past opponents and get to the by-line. Importantly, Aarons is producing high-quality deliveries and six assists in the Championship is a very impressive return for a teenager.
The London-born Aarons made his England U21 debut last week during the 3-2 away win against Turkey in the 2021 Euro U21 Qualifying. A regular in the opening weeks of the Premier League season, Aarons is certainly a player to keep an eye on this season.
Ben Godfrey
Starting his career at hometown club York City, Godfrey made his debut as a 17-year-old in the clubs 1-0 League Two win over Yeovil Town in August 2015. After making 12 league appearances for the Minstermen, then Premier League side Norwich City snapped up the youngster on a three-and-a-half-year contract in August 2016.
Like his teammate Max Aarons. Godfrey broke into the Canaries first team last season and became a cornerstone of the defence in the successful promotion push. The rise to the Premier League is made even more remarkable given the 21-year-old was playing on loan at Shrewsbury in League One just two seasons ago.
Chipping in with four goals last timeout in the Championship, he has the frame and athleticism to become a real attacking threat from set-pieces as he continues to develop. The centre-back has also shown he is comfortable with the ball at his feet, playing out from the back for both club and country.
Reiss Nelson
Nelson is one of two Arsenal players who were in the latest England U21 squad. Joe Willock was also initially named but he pulled out due to injury.
Usually deployed as a winger, Nelson played in a front two against Kosovo on Monday night. He was at his best when he naturally drifted out wide to the left and came inside onto his right foot.
It is that precise position on the wing where Nelson has been at his best for Arsenal. He was a vital part of last season’s Europa League campaign that saw the Gunners get to final.
With goals and assists in abundance, expect this exciting winger to get a lot of game time for his club this season- whether that be starting in cup competitions or coming off the bench in league games- not least due to Henrikh Mkhitaryan going out on loan to AS Roma.
Eddie Nketiah
The other Arsenal player in the squad is Nketiah. He started both games against Turkey and Kosovo upfront ahead of Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood.
Nketiah is spending this season on loan at Leeds United, who won the race for the youngster thanks to Unai Emery’s Sevilla links with Director of Football Victor Orta.
Though he is yet to start in the league for the Elland Road club, it seems only a matter of time until Marcelo Bielsa picks him ahead of Patrick Bamford.
The striker has been likened to Gunners icon Thierry Henry, with his willingness to participate in build-ups and his pace to get behind defences too.
Nketiah is a clinical finisher in the box and is certainly one to look out for in the Championship this year.
James Justin
Called up to the England U21s squad for the 2021 UEFA European U21 Qualification games against Turkey and Kosovo. Justin replaced Max Aarons in the 2-0 win over Kosovo at the KCOM Stadium.
Despite only coming on for the last 11 minutes, it was clear that the right-back hadn’t last his sharpness and speed from an impressive season at Luton.
Justin is the ideal size for a right-back and with bags of pace to match his powerful presence, he is a nightmare to play against for wingers.
At only 21, there is still some work to be done in terms of his defensive ability, but his ability to get up and down the wing at frightening speed enables a lot of qualities, like tracking back and winning tackles in transition or general defensive positioning to happen more naturally whilst having an effect when his team are in possession.
Morgan Gibbs-White
In starting both the qualifiers against Turkey and Kosovo, the youngster played ahead of Spurs’ Oliver Skipp and QPR’s Eze Eberechi, in a sign of Aidy Boothroyd’s faith in the Wolves starlet.
A product of the Wolves academy since the age of 8, Gibbs-White is very highly rated in the Black Country. A member of the 2017 U17 World Cup-winning squad in India, scoring the second goal in the 5-2 World Cup Final win over Spain.
In the World Cup, the 19-year-old was deployed as an attacking midfielder with the ability to link up play between the front two and the midfield two. Proving his worth in this role by playing a starring role in turning around the final. 2-1 down, Gibbs-White equalised and the rest, they say is history.
Possessing not only the versatility to play several roles in midfield, the young midfielder has shown the guile and technique to take him right to the top of the English game. Expect to see Nuno deploy the Stafford-born wonderkid heavily as the season progresses.
BehindClosedDoors 