A Premier League wonderkid from each ‘big six’ academy with world-class potential

As the biggest teams in England, the so-called big six obviously have some of the best squads, partly due to transfer strategy and partly because of their academies.

There are notable examples from each big six club of players rising through their academies to become household names.

Here, we have looked at one academy player from each of the big six who are being tipped for stardom.

Arsenal – Max Dowman

At 15 years old, players are rarely as good as Dowman, viewed already as a generational talent. The midfielder was directly involved in 20 under-18 Premier League goals last season, as well as bagging three FA Youth Cup goals in as many games.

When he was introduced on Arsenal’s pre-season tour and looked comfortable against men, dancing past them and drawing fouls inside and out of the box, the Gunners knew they could count on 15-year-old Dowman in the senior squad.

An assist on his Premier League debut was proof that their faith is not misplaced.

Chelsea – Jesse Derry

Derry was the subject of multiple reports in regards to his future in the summer as he was leaving Crystal Palace – deciding against penning a new deal with his boyhood club, where in the past two seasons he’d scored 20 goals and assisted six more in academy football.

As many as eight European clubs were said to be vying for the 18-year-old winger’s services, highlighting his bags of potential, and Chelsea won the race.

In five Premier League 2 games so far, Derry has three goals to his name, adjusting well to his move to Cobham.

Liverpool – Rio Ngumoha

Ngumoha’s academy stats might not show much, but what he has already shown on the pitch in senior football suggest he could become one of the best talents in the Premier League.

Last season, the 17-year-old scored twice and assisted four times in academy football.

On his Premier League debut, Ngumoha scored a 100th-minute winner against Newcastle, cropping up in the box and rooting the Magpies keeper to the spot as he curled the ball into the corner of the net.

That Ngumoha has not featured in an academy squad yet this season – spending all his time with the first team – highlights just how highly he’s thought of by Arne Slot, as does the fact it was reported Liverpool didn’t want to sign a new winger so as to not stunt his development.

Manchester City – Teddie Lamb

Lamb was a new signing at City in the summer, joining from Leyton Orient for a reported £355,000.

At Orient, he made an FA Cup squad as a 15-year-old, though he only sat on the bench in the match against Oldham.

Having previously played as a midfielder, City describe Lamb on their website as a ‘centre forward with a brilliant ability to hold up the ball, link up play in forward positions and test opposing defenders to their limits,’ as well as an ‘exciting number nine to watch.’

In five under-18 Premier League games this term, he has five goals and two assists, with two goals and an assist coming in a 7-3 win over Blackburn Rovers.

Manchester United – JJ Gabriel

Every so often, a video surfaces on social media of a prodigiously talented young footballer which does wonders for their reputation, and for Gabriel, alongside a solid body of work in academy football, that’s what’s happened.

A viral video online saw Gabriel rebounding a tennis ball to himself off a wall, only taking one touch at a time as he passed it off the wall and back to himself, before keeping it in the air with kick-ups, walking between two walls to rebound it while still keeping it up, and smashing it from about six feet away, never once dropping it.

This right here is an elite talent, JJ Gabriel 🔥. Hopefully we’ll have a competent manager by the term he’s ready for the first team transition pic.twitter.com/QJX3EXhU20

— Ryan (@Utd_BarryRyan) October 11, 2025

Having that type of close control is clearly a top asset to have, and Gabriel clearly has a lot of other talents, as the 14-year-old is currently the third-top scorer in the under-18 Premier League, with seven goals, along with one assist.

There’s been speculation over a move to Arsenal, but United are seemingly desperate to keep Gabriel at the club, so much so it’s been reported they’ve offered him a box at the new Old Trafford – which opens in 2030 – believing he’ll be a first-team star by then.

Tottenham – Luca Williams-Barnett

Midfielder Williams-Barnett produced a ridiculous return of 19 goals and nine assists in 20 under-18 Premier League games last term, along with one goal and three assists in three FA Youth Cup games.

Moving up to PL2 has been no challenge for the 17-year-old this season – he has six goals and three assists in the league, which includes a hat-trick, along with a goal and an assist from two UEFA Youth League games.

Williams-Barnett also scored and assisted against a senior team in Bristol Rovers this term, playing in the EFL Trophy, while he’s also featured in the League Cup.

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