Stars of the future: Premier League U23 team of the season so far | OneFootball

With just eight Premier League games t0 go, eight for some, we’re approaching awards season.

Player of the year, team of the year, golden boot. You know the drill.

But what about the young players? Here’s our young team of the season. You’ll be hearing plenty more from them in the future, we guarantee it.

Here are some quick rules:

GK: Kepa, Chelsea (24)

OK, to get things going we’ve actually broken one of our rules. It’s not our fault nobody is using young goalkeepers!

So we turn to Kepa, the most expensive goalkeeper in the world.

Considering he was burdened with that £71m (€80m) price tag, the potential for calamity was huge. Yet he’s managed to avoid it, which is no mean feat for a goalkeeper.

RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Crystal Palace (21)

No player in Europe’s top five leagues has won more tackles than Wan-Bissaka (109) this season.

He has been dribbled past seven times all season.  The next player in Europe to be dribbled past fewer than 10 times has won just 62 tackles at the same time.

Screw age, Wan-Bissaka is already the best right-back in England.

CB: Davinson Sánchez, Tottenham (22)

Maybe he hasn’t been as impressive as his excellent debut season in England but let’s not hold that against him.

Tottenham have played large parts of the season without Jan Vertonghen and without any real defensive protection in midfield.

Sánchez, though, has helped hold things together. His reading of the game is superb and he’s as quick as any striker in the league. A no-nonsense defender.

CB: Issa Diop, West Ham (22)

Another impressive centre-back, Diop is playing his first season in the Premier League but you’d never know it.

The Frenchman is cool in defence and in carrying the ball out when West Ham win possession.

His performance against Spurs (above) in October illustrated what an all-round talent he is.

LB: Ben Chilwell, Leicester City (22)

First and foremost, Chilwell is an assured defender. He’s rarely dragged out of position and is quick enough to recover when he does get caught out.

Not far behind is his drive on the ball. Whether he’s dribbling or running on the overlap, Chilwell always offers an option to the winger ahead of him.

The left-back has made more sprints than any other Leicester player this season and runs straight into our side.

CM: Declan Rice, West Ham (20)

As far as modern-day holding midfielders go, Rice could have it all.

He reads the game superbly and is uncompromising in his efforts to win the ball. When he has it, he’s calm and considered.

He just had to make it into our side and is the youngest player in our XI.

CM: Rúben Neves, Wolves (22)

People talk about Neves’s ability to shoot from long-range and his superb passing, not to mention the vision that makes those passes possible.

But what’s really impressed is actually his defensive work.

Wolves have the fifth best defensive record in the league and Neves has had a lot of work to do sharing the midfield with 32-year-old João Moutinho for most of the season.

Another all-round midfielder we can’t help but admire.

RM: David Brooks, Bournemouth (21)

Brooks is fun to watch and he’s effective. The best combination in football!

A brilliant dribbler with an eye for a pass and a wicked shot, he’s got everything you want from a wide player.

At his most dangerous cutting in from the right, the Welshman’s first Premier League season has been excellent.

AM: James Maddison, Leicester City (22)

No Premier League player has played more passes leading to a shot than Maddison this season. He’s managed 84, by the way. That’s eight more than Eden Hazard.

And his game doesn’t end there.

Hard-working, a smart dribbler, and a wicked set-piece.

LM: Richarlison, Everton (21)

Richarlison has had an excellent first season at Everton and it’s easy to forget how young he still is.

Playing in an often dysfunctional attack, that hasn’t stopped him from grabbing an impressive 12 Premier League goals.

Neymar is the only Brazilian to score more league goals in Europe so far this season. Not bad going, is it?

Marcus Rashford, Manchester United (21)

Marcus Rashford has now scored more goals (nine) and provided more assists (six) than in his previous Premier League seasons.

Now leading the line under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the England international has come to life.

Maybe some had lost sight of Rashford’s potential under José Mourinho but he remains one of the best young strikers around.