Best Premier League U23 Player Rankings: Arsenal dominate; Hope for Chelsea; Don’t sleep on Everton

Here is a ranking of the 10 best U23 players in the Premier League right now during the 2023/2024 season.

10. Everton CM James Garner

Everton may be near the bottom of the Premier League table, but they do have a number of young talents worth betting on for the future, with center midfielder James Garner quietly standing out alongside Amadou Onana.

While Onana is the one getting looks from the likes of Barcelona, Garner has been arguably even better this season with 2.6 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game.

He’s even making a difference offensively with 1.2 key passes and 1.3 fouls drawn per game. At 22, Garner is a young general in midfield for Everton and can become one of the best at his position in the Premier League.

9. Manchester United RW Alejandro Garnacho

Famous for his Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired celebrations and his ridiculous bicycle kick goal, Alejandro Garncho is a young playmaker with all the talent in the world.

When discussing raw talent, Garnacho may be THE prospect to watch in the Premier League right now, and Manchester United do have a number of talents worth betting on if they can just get the right manager in the building.

Garnacho isn’t a true winger, but he is an asset at that position because of his willingness to work for the team and because of his sheer technical quality.

8. Tottenham CM Pape Sarr

Tottenham have improved so much under Ange Postecoglou this season, and Pape Sarr is one of the most important figures in that as a significant upgrade to a previously sagging midfield.

Sarr has five goal contributions this season for Spurs and is an all-around workhorse. At 21, Sarr should be a key figure in North London for years to come.

7. Chelsea CB Levi Colwill

Chelsea have always rated Levi Cowill highly, and the versatile defender continues to win supporters in the building with his raw tools and ever-advancing game.

The Blues are clearly worse off whenever Colwill is unavailable. He has the potential to become one of the elite center backs in the Premier League.

6. Brighton LW Simon Adingra

Brighton seem to always unearth top players, as their scouting can stand toe-to-toe with anyone else’s in world football. It doesn’t hurt that Roberto De Zerbi is a genius-level manager who knows exactly how to maximize a young player’s talents.

Simon Adingra is the latest big breakout star in the attack for the Seagulls, playing a key role in helping De Zerbi’s side weather an ugly injury storm here in 2023/24.

The Ivory Coast international has found the back of the net six times this season while working hard on both ends of the pitch to progress and win possession. He is a special player.

5. Everton CB Jarrad Branthwaite

Everton have arguably the best young center back prospect in the entire Premier League, and you had better believe Jarrad Branthwaite is going to become one of the hottest topics on the transfer market in the coming windows.

Branthwaite is putting up 2.1 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game, allowing just 0.3 dribbles completed against him. That puts the 21-year-old right up there with any central defender in European football.

The Toffees don’t have a lot going right for them, but Branthwaite may be their most important player overall when considering what he’s doing as a center back at such a young age.

4. Chelsea AM Cole Palmer

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has taken on more responsibility since leaving Manchester City, where there was no spot for him to compete. Now, he has been arguably the Blues’ most important player after center midfielder Conor Gallagher.

A clinical presence on a team lacking a real striker, Palmer is pacing the Blues with a whopping 10 goals and 6 assists. There’s a case to be made that he’s Chelsea’s best player right now because of the sheer number of goals he contributes to.

Intelligent beyond his age, Palmer creates chances and brings the Man City-level technical quality to a Chelsea side that has mostly been striking out on its attacking signings. Palmer has the consistency so many others are lacking.

3. Manchester City LW Jérémy Doku

Meanwhile, Manchester City picked up a top-class young attacking player of their own this summer in former Rennes man Jérémy Doku, who just might be the best pure dribbler in world football.

The Belgian has brought a different dynamic to Pep Guardiola’s team with his ability to keep defenders on chaos and produce havoc, destabilizing defenses and opening up even more space for Erling Haaland to roam.

Doku can play on either wing. He is averaging a stunning 3.4 dribbles completed per game as well as 1.8 key passes and 1.3 fouls drawn per match. Doku has been a tremendous wide playmaker and workhorse winger for Guardiola.

2. Arsenal LW Gabriel Martinelli

An inverted left winger with an eye for goal, Gabriel Martinelli isn’t in his best season for Arsenal, but nobody can deny that the Brazilian star is one of the Premier League’s top talents at any age.

Martinelli has 5 goals, 3 assists, 1.5 key passes, and 1.4 dribbles completed per game this season. Even when he’s not at his best, he is still one of the top players at his position in the English top flight.

At his best, Martinelli is capable of scoring 15 goals in a season, which is a number he hit on the dot last season when the Gunners were within arm’s distance of the Premier League title.

1. Arsenal RW Bukayo Saka

Yet there is no disputing that his teammate, Bukayo Saka, is the best U23 player in the Premier League, clocking in at 22 years old (just like Martinelli).

Saka is, once again, cobbling together a Premier Player Player of the Season caliber campaign with 13 goals, 7 assists, 2.5 key passes per game, 2.0 fouls drawn per contest, and 1.4 dribbles completed per match.

The England international just keeps getting better and better as a playmaker, goal-scorer, leader, and overall efficiency monster. Arsenal are in the hunt for another Premier League title, and Saka is the key man in that effort as the main source of end product.