Premier League: Ones to Watch Next Season (Part 1)

*This article does not include players who have already put on consistent performances, such as Kevin De Bruyne and Virgil van Dijk. The stats in parentheses are Premier League stats from the 19/20 season.

Richarlison (13 goals and 3 assists last season)

One of the best prospects in the Premier League, the Brazilian striker proved himself to be the one that Everton can rely on. Unlike usual prospects that come out of Brazil, Richarlison plays like a European striker with strong adaptability to the modern game. His core strength, pace, strong headers, positioning, and movement around the penalty area make him a threat to any team’s backline. Don’t get me wrong. Richarlison still has the dribbling skills of a typical Brazilian attacker. Yet the traits mentioned above help him more in the Premier League. Everton recently signed a new contract with the Brazilian striker, raising the release clause to 143 million pounds. Under Carlo Ancelotti, Richarlison has the potential to become one of the best in the league.

Marcus Rashford (17 goals and 7 assists last season)

As Manchester United’s “one of our own”, Rashford is often being compared to Cristiano Ronaldo. At the same time, high expectations and pressure did not bring the English star down but pushed him to improve to a new level. Rashford is a versatile attacker. However, playing as a striker made him struggle a bit, especially when he’s facing strong center backs. Luckily, the switch to left-winger turned out to be a correct decision for him, given that he can better use his dribbling and pace against the defenders. Moreover, playing as a left-winger largely improves his running efficiency. Rashford used to struggle against strong center backs. The new position gives him more freedom to make runs from the left side and catch the defenders by surprise, which saves the body contact with the center backs. With a more comfortable position and an expanded arsenal, Rashford is approaching the expectations put on him. In fact, his free-kick goal against Chelsea in last season’s FA Cup does remind me of Ronaldo.

Hakim Ziyech (Transferred to Chelsea from Ajax)

Ziyech is one of those players who can be described as “magicians”. His pitch vision and long passes were essential for Ajax’s attacking system and helped the team reached semi-finals in 18/19’s UEFA Champions League. With flair and elegance, Ziyech is simply fun to watch in the midfield. He will be a crucial element for Chelsea’s midfield, where he can provide smooth transitions to the offense with his accurate passes and flair in dribbling. On the other hand, Ziyech’s defensive contributions should never be ignored. He’s a relentless runner and often provides strong support to help full-backs cover the wing. The only worry now is whether he will endure the physical nature of the Premier League. Other than that, Ziyech is a promising add to Chelsea’s squad.

Christian Pulisic (9 goals and 4 assists last season)

The new “Captain America” has proved himself to be one of the most talented players in the United States’ history. No one expected Pulisic to fully replace Eden Hazard’s contributions. Yet the American has done well. The hat-trick against Burnley last season largely boosted his confidence while he continues to show his potential to become one of the best wingers in the league. Dazzling skills, shot precision, pace, and high work rate, Pulisic has all the traits to be the next great thing. There’s no doubt that he will be an important part of Frank Lampard’s plan.

Martinelli (3 goals last season)

Martinelli is proof that Arsenal might have the best scouting network in the world. Before Arsenal, Martinelli played fifth division football in Brazil. Now he is one of the most promising youngsters in the league. Martinelli only played 14 games in the Premier League last season and only started for 6. Yet his performance has turned some heads, especially when he scored a sensational goal against Chelsea. Moreover, his performance in the Europa League is also promising. 3 goals in 7 games are good enough for a young player who was in Brazil’s fifth division just a year ago. Don’t forget. Martinelli is only 19. He has a bright future lying in front of him.

Son Heung-min (11 goals and 10 assists last season)

Son is arguably the best Asian player in history. Although Son has already become one of the crucial players at Tottenham, he still has plenty of space to improve. Like what Jose Mourinho said, Son is probably the best player in counter-attacks on this planet. Burnley players know Son’s deadly pace at best since Son ran through 8 of them to score the goal of the season. Son also has well-balanced feet, which means he can fire shots at nearly every angle. Yet Son still has certain weaknesses, such as dribbling in smaller spaces and jumping for headers. If Son can improve on these aspects, he can certainly move towards the best of the league.

Dele Alli (8 goals and 4 assists last season)

After the explosive start at Tottenham, Alli experienced a few disappointing seasons. It seems that he does not fit Pochettino’s requirement in a 442 formation. Luckily for Alli, Jose Mourinho’s tactics and 4231 are perfect for his traits. Alli is best when he plays as the second striker behind Harry Kane. His great performance in the matches against Man United and West Ham proves the point. It’s like that Mourinho’s system is specifically designed for him. There’s no doubt that Alli has flair. If he can solve the problem of inconsistency, next season will be a potential breakthrough for the young star of England.

Wilfried Zaha (4 goals and 3 assists last season)

Zaha might be the most underrated player in the Premier League. In terms of dribbling, he is on the same level as players like Neymar. Some might argue that playing at Crystal Palace has limited his potential. One problem of Zaha is that he often carries the ball too long to an extent the flow of the whole team slows down. It works for a team like Crystal Palace, where other players rely on Zaha in the offense. However, it won’t work in top teams. If Zaha wants to raise his career potential to a higher level, he needs to change his playing style a bit and work on shooting as his shot accuracy is rather low compared to top players. Nevertheless, Zaha is still a player to watch for crazy skills and dribbling.

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