With the Premier League season having kicked off this weekend, fans will once again feast their eyes on some of the best talent the game has to offer. Star studded names such as Paul Pogba, Eden Hazard, and Mo Salah will look to hit the ground running and have commentators drool over their excellence. However, with the addition of three newly promoted teams and unpredictability being one of the selling points of the league itself, unfamiliar players will look to become household names. Lets take a look at five fresh faces that could have breakout seasons and achieve superstar status come May 2019.
Ryan Sessegnon
The 18 year old sensation began the 2017/18 season playing at left back for Slavisa Jokanovic’s Fulham, but finished the season with 16 goals and 8 assists playing as a left winger. Young English talent will always carry an overwhelming amount of hype, but there’s plenty of reason to believe Sessegnon is no joke. In May he became the first player outside of the Premier League to be nominated for the PFA Young Player of The Year award, and was named in the EFL Team of the Season. Most impressively, the young star was crowned the Championship Player of the Season. Sessegnon has expressed his desire to continue play at the highest levels of the English pyramid with Fulham, and we will most likely see his incredible pace and technical skill deployed further forward, with Fulham signing left sided defender Maxim Le Marchand to further fortify the rear. Playing alongside a familiar striker in Alexander Mitrovic and World Cup winner Andre Schurrle will also alleviate some pressure on the young Cottager, but don’t be shocked if this young star dominates transfer chatter at this time next year.
Jorginho
Chelsea’s midfield acquisition this offseason may be unfamiliar to some, especially given Italy’s absence at the 2018 World Cup this summer. Opting to move to London from Napoli, instead of joining Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, could prove to be a coup for a stuttering Chelsea as the midfielder will look to add some silky skill alongside N’golo Kante and an aging Cesc Fabregas. The midfielder showed his class in pre season where in one game he averaged a completed pass every 27 seconds, an unbelievable statistic for any midfield general. Playing under Maurizio Sarri, who managed Jorginho at Napoli last season, will be invaluable, as Sarri ball is already ingrained in his muscle memory. He made his presence known in Chelsea’s 3-0 thumping of Huddersfield, where his awareness and precision propelled the Blue’s to victory. The Brazilian turned Italian even showed his composure from the penalty spot. Jorginho will be a vital cog in the Sarri machine this season, as Chelsea look to shake off a 12–month funk as dreary as the London weather.
Diogo Jota
The loan signing of the 21 year old forward proved to be the kick starter Wolves’ Portuguese revolution needed to dominate the championship. The former Atletico Madrid youngster scored an impressive 17 goals as “Los Lobos de Wolverhampton” waltzed to a Championship title playing some of the most attractive football the division has ever seen. Jota is an attacker suited to the Premier League, as his quick feet and ball control provide a stellar contrast to his feisty, tough guy attitude on the pitch. Wolves summer additions will lessen the attacking burden on Diogo; Adama Traore will be a pacy presence on the wing, and Joao Moutinho will get right to work on linking up with his young compatriot. Of all of the hype surrounding this new look Wolves, Jota is a terrier to keep your eyes on this term.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh
The merry go round of talent from the Eredevisie to the Premier League made its way to Brighton and Hove Albion this summer, after the Seagulls acquired impressive Iranian winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh. While his brief 20 minute cameo in Brighton’s 2-0 loss to Watford on opening day was disappointing, the Eredevisie’s top goal scorer has all the potential in the world to impress if given time. The Iranian scored an astounding 21 goals and assisted 13 times last season for AZ, while maintaining a pass completion rate of over 70 percent, displaying a lethal combination of an eye for goal as well as having a steady creative mind. Jahanbaksh also has the distinction of playing at the highest level of the game, as he was one of Iran’s brightest performers at this summer’s World Cup. There, he stared down the likes of Spain and almost upset Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. With Brighton only scoring a measly 34 goals last campaign, look for Jahanbakhsh to send the Seagulls sky high this season or at least to safety.
Felipe Anderson
After being linked with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United for multiple seasons, the former Lazio attacking midfielder finally got his move to the Premier League with West Ham as part of Manuel Pellegrini’s expensive rebuild of the historic London franchise. While the new era got off to a rocky start against Liverpool at the weekend, Anderson was a bright spot for the Hammers, showing his quality on both flanks, and always making himself an option for his teammates. Anderson has experienced success from a young age as he won the Copa Libertadores at just 17 with Santos, being a key member of their team with the likes of Neymar Jr. In Italy, Anderson was always on the brink of success with Lazio, going far in the Europa League and narrowly missing out on Champions League play. Perhaps his greatest achievement was bringing home the 2016 Gold Medal at the Olympics with Brazil. His creative nature and forward thinking will provide a spark to the Londoners, and his link up play with the likes of Arnautovic and Chicharito will be key to his success. At age 25, the time for hype is over: it’s time for Anderson’s potential to become production.
Corner Kick 