10: World’s Best Player
9: World Class Player
8: Top European Club Regular
7: Elite League Regular
6: Elite League Squad Player
5: Championship Regular
4: League One Regular
3: League Two Regular
2: Vanarama National Regular
1: On the Bubble
0: Unlikely to make it in Professional Game
Fulham
Fabio Carvalho: 6.4 - Probably the most impressive level of improvement from any player I highlighted for this season, Carvalho went from 4 appearances in 20/21 to 38 in 21/22 as Fulham once again earned promotion back to the Premier League. Carvalho was a key figure in this promotion with an exceptional 11 goals and 8 assists. Despite his tender years the attacking midfielder proved himself capable of making it at a higher level and - after a move fell through at the last moment in January - he finalised a move to Liverpool this summer where he will be expected to be a heavily used squad player.
Jay Stansfield: 4.4 - Stansfield continued his recovery from serious injury with a positive campaign, scoring 6 goals at U23s and then getting his first goal at senior level. He’s signed a new contract until 2024 in January but his prospects of game time at Premier League level are limited and a loan wouldn’t be a surprising move.
Ibane Bowat: 2.0 - Bowat is still a very interesting talent for Fulham but he saw his season destroyed by injury. Managed just seven appearances across the campaign.
Leeds United
Crysencio Summerville: 4.5 - Only 232 minutes for Leeds’ first team this season but an impressive season at U23 level has seen Summerville become generally considered the “next in line” to establish himself in the squad. Could yet head out on loan but opportunities will be there in 22/23.
Charlie Cresswell: 5.3 - Just six first team appearances for Cresswell in what was probably a disappointing season for him. Now capped twice at England U21 level, he nevertheless struggled to make an impact on the Leeds United first team with their close shave with relegation likely a factor in the lack of game time.
Cody Drameh: 5.9 - After a being limited to five appearances at first team level in the first half of the season, Drameh demanded to be sent on loan and ended up at Cardiff where he became a firm fan favourite. On the last day of the season Cardiff fans seranaded Drameh with a redition of “We want you to stay” and with Leeds recruiting Leipzig full back Kristensen maybe he will.
Leicester City
Sidnei Tavares: 2.1 - Tavares made his Porto B debut in February and started just four times for the Portuguese side.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall: 7.2 - A brilliant season for Dewsbury-Hall as he made 43 appearances and was directly involved in 6 goals. He’s gone from loaned out to the Championship and straight into a regular - important even - starter at a Premier League club in one season. His performances have been so good that new signing Soumare is already available for sale. Expected to be a player Leicester can build around for many years.
Kamal Sowah: 5.9 - Sowah never got a chance to impress for Leicester as he was immediately sold to Club Brugge. After an unspectacular Brugge stint he was loaned out to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and ended up making minimal impact with only 227 minutes played.
Liverpool
Kaide Gordon: 5.3 - Gordon continued his impressive rise through the ranks by making four first appearances, and scoring once, for Liverpool’s first team at just 16 years old. At youth level he skipped through league play for the U18s, turning out as an U23 player with only cup appearances at the lower level. Injury ended his season before he could make an even greater impact.
Sepp van den Berg: 5.9 - Van den Berg did indeed establish himself at centre back for Preston and had a magnificent season for three Lilywhites, managing over 4000 minutes. Preston fans were impressed with the Dutch youth international, who has now made his debut at U21 level for the Dutch. It remains to be seen if his development will earn him a shot at Liverpool but it has to be noted that the right sided CB is developing nicely at a time when Joel Matip is getting to the end of his peak years.
Leighton Clarkson: 4.6 - The boyhood Blackburn Rovers fan unfortunately struggled to make an impact at Ewood Park with a situation described as poor timing. Over the first half of the season Blackburn were one of the pace setters in the league and Tony Mowbray was not minded to mess with the team. Bizarelly when he was used he was deployed in an attacking role, sometimes even as a false 9. Clarkson thus returned to Liverpool having made just seven appearances. Back at Anfield he played a key role for a strong end of season for the U23s team.
Manchester City
Cole Palmer: 5.7 - Palmer can’t do much more with the opportunities afforded to him. Dominant at U23 level he then got 3 goals and an assist in just 413 minutes for the first team. Palmer is a top talent and at pretty much any team other than Man City he would be an established first team player by now. With Man City bringing in yet more reinforcements with Alvarez, his opportunities will likely remain limited.
Liam Delap: 5.3 - Delap may actually be encouraged by the signing of Erling Haaland, rather confusingly. Up until this point Man City have had no use for a traditional centre forward which has limited Delap’s involvement. With the shape change Haaland will demand then Delap, stylistically similar, could see more opportunities. He’ll be disappointed by just 26 minutes this season though and rumours are he could be going on loan to a Premier League club.
Samuel Edozie: 3.7 - To be honest I probably got carried away with a surprisingly good pre-season for Edozie as he regressed back into the winger lacking end product he had previously shown to be. Just 65 minutes for the first team, all of them coming in the Community Shield, while his lack of goals and assists at youth level are unlikely to drive his way into first team contention any time soon.
Manchester United
Anthony Elanga: 6.3 - Man Utd was not a great club to come through at as a young player this season but Elanga did an ok job all things considered. Playing in all of the forward roles, he grabbed three goals and two assists, mostly as a substitute, while continuing to show himself as a step above U23 football.
Amad Diallo: 5.2 - Yet again Diallo proved himself to be too good at youth level getting 2 goals and 1 assist in 2 games. He headed out to Rangers on loan after being limited to just 68 minutes at Man Utd. He was in and out of the team at Glasgow, often used as a substitute but he did prove his worth towards the end of his time, scoring twice in the final three games of the season. A perceived lack of maturity is holding him back but Rangers may try to re-sign him for the next campaign.
Shola Shoretire: 5.1 - Shoretire only managed two cameo appearances for a struggling Man Utd team but he continued impressive form at U23 level, managing 16 goal involvements from a central midfield position.
Middlesbrough
Nathan Wood: 4.0 - Having barely played at either Hibernian or Middlesbrough, Wood has moved on to Swansea City for next season. Rumours about his behaviour off the pitch may have led to the move as well as his struggles against larger centre forwards who find it easy to pin his slight frame. Technically he has a great amount of talent and pace to play modern style football so maybe Swansea will suit him better.
Hayden Hackney: 2.6 - The midfielder was regularly used for Scunthorpe but the season was an absolute disaster with the Football League stalwarts crashing out of the EFL. It’s fair to say no one came out of the season looking good and Hackney certainly damaged his reputation even more with a six game ban for spitting in January.
Connor Malley: 1.5 - Malley ended the season on loan with Gateshead where he impressed in eleven games, scoring three goals despite only limited minutes. He was released by Middlesbrough at the end of the season.
Newcastle United
Kelland Watts: 4.5 - Wigan fans were split on the impact of Watts this season. Defensively there was no doubt he had a strong season but he came under fire for lacking the technical competancy to bring the ball out from defence.
Elliot Anderson: 5.6 - Anderson had a brilliant second half of the season as he broke into professional football with eight goals and five assists for Bristol Rovers. Currently the star of Newcastle’s academy, it’ll be interesting to see how Newcastle can try to develop him alongside the expected arrivals of expensive players to push for European football.
Stanley Flaherty: 2.5 - Flaherty left Newcastle in January following a successful trial at QPR. Since joining them he has been turning out for their U23 team and, by all accounts, is one of their better players at that level.
Norwich City
Adam Idah: 4.6 - Idah had his first season as a full first team player but managed just one goal before his season was ended through injury. Could be looking at a make or break season as Norwich look to return to the Premier League yet again.
Andrew Omobamidele: 5.3 - The central defender got very close to a full breakthrough, starting six times for Norwich before his season was ended by injury. He’ll expect to be a big player in norwich’s promotion push.
Bali Mumba: 5.1 - Became the subject of some ridicule after he thrown on at home to Man City and was ruthlessly exploited. He was then out of the team for a while due to injury but return at U23 level scoring once and assisting twice in a 5-0 win. Joined Peterborough for the second half of the season but lost his place in the team soon after joining.
Nottingham Forest
Loic Mbe Soh: 3.3 - Soh had an excellent performance on the opening day against Coventry but came off injured and it destroyed his whole season. Recurring niggles and muscle pulls limited him to just 235 minutes at all levels.
Brennan Johnson: 6.4 - A fantastic season by the Welsh international who did indeed provide the pace and trickery this Forest team sorely needed. Johnson fired 19 goals in all competitions as he led the way for Forest’s promotion campaign. Now being linked with a move to Manchester United.
Tyrese Fornah: 5.8 - Mostly used in the U23 team, Fornah headed out to Shrewsbury in January and was the star player by the end of the season. Nottingham Forest’s promotion probably limits his chances of getting into the first team.
Reading
Ethan Bristow: 3.5 - Bristow was a regular early in the season for the Royals but lost his pace through injury and never gained it back, with defensive weaknesses highlighted as a factor in that decision. Out of contract and released at the end of the campaign, he signed for Tranmere Rovers on a free transfer.
Dejan Tetek: 3.9 - Just twelve first team appearances for Tetek and a total of 595 minutes but the midfielder did enough to suggest he will earn more minutes this coming season. With Reading expecting to lose several players, Tetek is pencilled in as a regular starter.
Femi Azeez: 5.0 - Out of contract but Azeez is expected to sign a new deal and be given the freedom of a starting role in the centre forward position. He hit the ground early scoring twice in three games but was limited by injury shortly after and never regained the form.