Premier League clubs : New report (with table) shows average age of this season’s teams – Intriguing | OneFootball

A new report has been published on Premier League clubs

The CIES Football Observatory report, looks at the average age of the teams put out so far this season.

Indeed, this new report looks in total at 851 teams in 53 top divisions worldwide, however, we are concentrating on the 20 Premier League clubs.

The report includes (see table below) the percentage of minutes by player age category (21 or under, 22 to 25, 26 to 29, and 30 or over).

Average age of the line-ups fielded for Premier League clubs this season, up to and including 8 October 2023:

As you can see, Newcastle United coming out with an average age of 27.76 this season, only West Ham and Fulham having a higher average age when it comes to players used this season in the league.

So Newcastle United have an old / ageing team then… well, yes AND no.

I think we need to look at the split of Newcastle United players (including those who haven’t played in the Premier League this season) when it comes to each of these age groups:

21 or under

22 to 25

Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman, Sean Longstaff, Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, Joe Willock

26 to 29

Miguel Almiron, Joelinton, Jacob Murphy, Jamaal Lascelles, Matt Targett, Emil Krafth, Javier Manquillo,

30 or over

Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Fabian Schar, Callum Wilson, Nick Pope, Mark Gillespie, Paul Dummett, Loris Karius, Martin Dubravka, Matt Ritchie

So when you look at the Newcastle United squad overall and drill down into the reality, it is anything but a negative situation with regards to an ageing team / squad.

You look at all those players aged 25 and under, the future of Newcastle United is looking very good.

In the 26-29 category, most are squad players, with only Almiron and Joelinton competing regularly for a first team place at the moment.

As for 30 and over…

On the surface, having ten squad members in this age bracket isn’t good.

However, four of the ten are goalkeepers, where age to a large extent is pretty immaterial, at least compared to say outfield attacking and midfield players.

Whilst of those aged 30+ who aren’t keepers, we are looking at mainly defenders.

Indeed, this is where the big disparity is in reality when it comes to the age of the current first team.

If everyone is fit, then four (Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn) of the back five are aged 30+.

Then when it comes to the main midfield and attacking options, the vast majority are aged 25 and under – Isak, Anderson, Miley, Gordon, Bruno, Longstaff, Tonali, Barnes, Willock.

In terms of attacking / midfield first choice competitors, only 31 year old Callum Wilson is feeling the clock really ticking, Joelinton is only 27, Jacob Murphy 28, whilst Miggy is 29.