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Breakouts & wildcards - 13 surprise stars for new season

Breakouts & wildcards - 13 surprise stars for new season

bbc.co.uk 18.08.2026 07:49 9 baxış
BBC Sport TV and radio commentators identify the players they think could be the breakout stars of the new Premier League season.

Eli Junior Kroupi, Igor Thiago and Nico O'Reilly were among the breakout stars who made their mark on the Premier League last season - but who will be next? BBC Sport's TV and radio commentators have picked 13 players they believe are worth watching out for over the next few months. Whether they are new signings, wonder kids or late bloomers, here are some unfamiliar faces of all ages who might make a name for themselves in the new campaign.

Age: 18 Position: Centre-midfield Country: Netherlands Steve Bower: There has been a lot of talk this summer about Newcastle players departing, particularly in the midfield area, but here's someone they brought in early on - before Eddie Howe left - in a deal that could be worth up to £23m. I saw Steur play in Europe for Ajax last season, and he made 25 appearances for them in all competitions in the end. He can either play in defensive midfield or a bit further forward, is two-footed and has lovely passing ability.

Obviously it is a big step up, as we know, to come from the Dutch league into the Premier League as a teenager, and also to arrive at a club in transition with a new manager. But Newcastle have got players like Lewis Miley - who has come through in recent seasons - that Steur can learn from being in a similar situation as well. I liked the look of him on first viewing for Ajax and he appears as if he has got the personality to play in the Premier League.

Steur is not someone who necessarily starts initially, or all the time, but he seems pretty fearless and is the type of player who could grab the opportunity if it comes his way. Age: 20 Position: Midfield Country: Ghana John Murray: This looks a potentially shrewd signing for newly promoted Coventry City, even though they have just paid a club record transfer fee of about £25m to sign him from Danish side FC Nordsjaelland. Yirenkyi featured in all four of Ghana's matches at the World Cup and, when I commentated on him during their group match against England, I thought he looked the kind of energetic midfielder who would do well in the Premier League.

Conor McNamara: Coventry City have got themselves a talented and versatile new signing in Yirenkyi - which is pronounced 'yur'INCH-ee', by the way. He started on the right of a back five for Ghana against England at the World Cup, but his favoured position is the centre of midfield. Wales fans will remember him scoring against them in the pre-tournament friendly in June and he got a goal at the World Cup itself against Panama too.

After coming through Ghana's 'Right To Dream Academy', he was named Young Player Of The Year in the Danish Superliga last season with Nordsjaelland. Frank Lampard could be just the right coach to help Yirenkyi blossom further, as a midfielder of Premier League standard. Age: 27 Position: Defender Country: Spain Conor McNamara: Mingueza did not make Spain's World Cup-winning squad, but the standard was incredibly high.

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