The Premier League is, without a doubt, one of the best football leagues that the beautiful game has to offer. While many players are at the peak of their powers in the English top flight, some young players have proven the old adage that if you are good enough, you are old enough.
But who are the players who have appeared in the Premier League at the youngest age? Here are the top ten youngest players that have appeared in the Premier League era:
Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal, 15 years, 05 months and 28 days)
The diminutive midfielder made his top-flight debut for the Gunners in a 3-0 win over Brentford on September 18th 2022, coming off the substitutes bench having made just one appearance for Arsenal in the Premier League 2. With the appearance, he became the youngest player ever in the Premier League.
Nwaneri’s cameo appearance also made the midfielder the youngest player to ever appear in any competition for Arsenal. In the summer of 2023, he was linked with a move to Arsenal’s London rivals Chelsea.
Harvey Elliott (Fulham, 16 years and one month)
The highly-midfielder made his Premier League debut for Fulham at the age of just 16 years and one month, as he appeared as a substitute in a 1-0 defeat against Wolves on May 4th, 2019.
Elliott’s talent had been well documented, and in July 2019, the midfielder joined the club he supported as a boy, Liverpool, for an undisclosed fee.
He has since gone on to play at every underage level for England up to under 21 level, making nine appearances for the u-21. Elliott has also made 40 Premier League appearances for the Reds.
Matthew Briggs (Fulham, 16 years, 02 months and 07 days)
Fulham gave The young defender his Premier League bow in a late-season 3-1 defeat by Middlesbrough on May 13, 2007. Briggs came on as a 77th-minute substitute to make his top-flight debut.
Unfortunately for the left-back, things didn’t really pan out at Craven Cottage. He went on to make just 13 Premier League appearances for the Cottagers before leaving in 2014. Briggs went on to have a bit of a journeyman career, with spells at Millwall, Colchester and even Danish clubs HB Koge and Vejle.
Izzy Brown (West Brom, 16 years, 03 months and 27 days)
The forward made his Premier League debut with West Brom on May 4, 2013, in a 3-2 home defeat by Wigan Athletic. Brown was regarded as a bright young prospect and joined Chelsea for a compensation fee settled by a tribunal in the summer of 2013.
Despite his promise, Brown never really hit the heights expected of him during his career, mainly due to injury issues. He spent most of his career on loan at clubs such as Huddersfield Town, Luton Town, Leeds United and Brighton Hove Albion.
Brown had to retire from playing in April 2023 due to those aforementioned injury issues. He was just 26 at the time of ending his career.
Aaron Lennon (Leeds United, 16 years, 04 months and 07 days)
The winger enjoyed an illustrious playing career, including representing England internationally 21 times. However, his Premier League career started at just 16 years, 04 months and 07 days, as he came on as a substitute for hometown club Leeds in a 3-2 defeat at Tottenham on August 23, 2003.
Lennon made 38 top-flight appearances for the Whites before playing for Tottenham, Everton and Burnley in the English top flight. The Yorkshireman ended his playing career in November 2022.
Jose Baxter (Everton, 16 years, 06 months and 09 days)
The attacking midfielder made his Premier League bow as a substitute in a 3-2 home defeat by Blackburn Rovers on the opening day of the 2009/10 season. Despite being highly rated by the Toffees, Baxter would make just seven further top-flight appearances. In the summer of 2012, the attacking midfielder rejected an offer of a new contract and left Everton.
Baxter went on to play for Oldham Athletic and Sheffield United. However, in 2015 while playing for the latter, he received a five-month suspension after failing a drug test. He later returned to Oldham and even Everton, only to play under-23 games. He ended his playing career in England at Plymouth Argyle before a brief stint in the second-tier USA soccer at Memphis 901.
In August 2021, Jose Baxter retired from playing football at the age of just 29.
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (Aston Villa, 16 years, 06 months and 14 days)
The forward made his Premier League debut as a substitute in a 4-0 win at Sunderland on Mar 14th 2015. The appearance made him the second youngest-ever player to feature for Villa in any competition.
Hepburn-Murphy struggled to make an impact with the Villans, making just 13 Premier League appearances for the men from the Midlands and was released in the summer of 2020. Hepburn-Murphy has since played for the Greek team Patos and joined Swindon Town in 2022.
Reece Oxford (West Ham, 16 years, 07 months and 24 days)
The defender debuted on the opening day of season 2015/16 in a 2-0 away win at Arsenal. Unlike most players on this list, Oxford made his debut from the start and earned rave reviews for his display.
The versatile star made just eight top-flight appearances for West Ham before leaving for German club Augsburg permanently in the summer of 2019 after an initial loan spell at the club. Before the switch to Augsburg, Oxford had also had loan spells at Reading and Monchengladbach.
Jack Robinson (Liverpool, 16 years, 08 months and 07 days)
The left-back made his top-flight debut as an 87th-minute substitute for Liverpool in a 0-0 draw at Hull City on May 9, 2010. The full-back made just three Premier League appearances for the Reds before leaving the club in the summer of 2014.
Robinson had to wait until the 2019/20 season before he again played in the Premier League, as he made six appearances for Sheffield United. The following season he played 11 times in the English top flight for the Blades before their relegation in 2021.
Jack Wilshere (Arsenal, 16 years, 08 months and 12 days)
The Arsenal midfielder was regarded as of the brightest young English talents of his generation. Wilshere made his Gunners Premier League debut as a substitute in a 4-0 away win at Blackburn on September 13th, 2008.
Unfortunately for the midfielder, Wilshere’s career in north London was blighted by injuries. His struggles meant that in ten years, Wilshere made just 125 top-flight appearances for the Gunners. During his decade career with Arsenal, the midfielder also made Premier League appearances for Bolton Wanderers and Bournemouth in loan spells.
Wilshere left Arsenal in the summer of 2019 and joined West Ham as a free agent. However, he made only 16 league appearances for the Hammers, leaving in 2020. He later returned to Bournemouth and played for the Danish team AGF before finally succumbing to retirement due to injuries in July 2022.