The carrier belt of brilliant young English talent doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.
And in 2022 – a year that will end with Gareth Southgate’s youth squad as the real contenders to win the World Cup – there is a lot more bubbling up and ready for 12 months.
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Here are six kids—among many others—that have caught my eye and are worth watching this year.
Jobe Bellingham (Birmingham City)
Whatever you do, not to mention that our brilliant young forward is the brother of 18-year-old ‘veteran’ Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder Jude.
Jobe hates those comparisons and just wants to be his own way – and I love that about him.
He’s still in school but he’s training with the first team during the Christmas holidays and I’ve rarely seen such an impressive 16-year-old.
Jobe, primarily a number 10, has been on the Blues’ first team squad several times, he is fast, confident, already 6 feet tall and with the strength of a man and has been able to find his box-to-box feet. For another development with momentum, he is going to be some player.
I love the fact that he’s not afraid to work with senior professionals, he jokes and takes it, and when he tells you he’s revising for a biology exam on his vacation You realize that he has the maturity of football beyond his years.
By the end of 2022, I’m sure we’ll see him impress in first-team football.
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Carni Chukwuemeka (Villa)
This midfielder is ridiculously talented – yet another English teenager who has emerged in Premier League football, looking so comfortable on the ball, technically competent.
I saw him come on as a sub against Norwich and set a target for Ollie Watkins and I was amazed at his assurance.
Like some of these talented Villa kids – and I’m sad to say there are many of them – he’s a big entity but with great feet.
He is box-to-box number 8 and he will certainly benefit from the guidance of his new manager, Steven Gerrard, who is one of the greatest people this country has ever had in that position.
Carney’s older brother, Caleb, is also at the villa and I’ve heard good things about him.
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Ben Johnson (West Ham)
I remember being very impressed with this full-back when he made his first Premier League appearance against Watford 18 months ago.
He seemed so solid, a proper defender, unlike so many modern full-backs – and I’ve seen him develop his all-rounder game since then. He seems to be learning and improving all the time and at 21, he is now a first team regular at West Ham.
Johnson is two-legged and can play from both sides, has great attitude and is already becoming another high quality English right-back.
As the cousin of former England defenders Ledley King and uncle of Paul Parker, there’s some serious pedigree as well.
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Cole Palmer (Manchester City)
When Pep Guardiola announced a youngster so good he’s not going to go on loan, you know he’s going to be a good one – and it’s the 19-year-old following Phil Foden’s path to success at Manchester City Is.
Palmer really impresses me because to make a mark on the first team even as a teenager, he makes football so easy. He doesn’t go out of his way to impress, he plays for the team he knows is good enough to play for City.
He is gracious, he overtakes the players with such assurance and has an eye for the target.
Already a regular with the England Under-21s, for which he scored a stellar solo effort against Kosovo earlier this season, Palmer clearly learned a lot from training with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva Is.
If there’s one player who can make a late entry into England’s World Cup squad, it might be Palmer.
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Cameron Archer (Aston Villa)
There has been a lot of noise about this 20-year-old forward in the Birmingham region for quite some time and after scoring four goals in three Carabao Cup appearances this season, we are likely to see a lot more of Archer this year. – Especially when he recently agreed on a new contract.
He reminds me a lot of Darius Wassel, another bramie kid who emerged as one of those modern forwards who seem to have a little bit of everything.
Archer is quick, he plays on the shoulder of the last defender and gets behind the teams.
Jamaica wants him to play for them but he could end up being square to England.
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Shola Shoretire (Manchester Utd)
A Geordie striker who was Manchester United’s youth player of the year last season, Shortyre could very soon be an excellent loan signing for anyone.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rated him highly and gave him three first-team appearances in his final stint after turning 17.
Ralph Rangnick gave them another run-out against the Young Boys in the Champions League, but Shoretire could really make a name for himself with a championship loan move.
When a United kid comes to your club on loan, they always seem to be a well-grounded person and a confident football player without being overbearing. I hear Shoretire has similar features.
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