3 Teenagers Poised for a Breakout 2024-25 Season

As the 2023-24 season kicks off, a new wave of teenage talents is ready to take the football world by storm. These young stars have already shown glimpses of their potential and are poised for breakout seasons that could see them become household names.

A quick side note: teenagers who have already made waves last season will not be included on this list. So, teenage stars like Lamine Yamal, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Arda Guler aren’t included in the list. With that out of the way, here’s the list (in no particular order) of three teenagers that could have a breakout season. 

1) Mikey Moore (Tottenham Hotspur) 

In recent years, the academy at Hotspur Way has produced several top-class talents like Harry Winks, Oliver Skipp, Kyle Walker-Peters, Noni Madueke and Marcus Edwards. However, the jewel in the crown was Harry Kane. He made his big break in the 2014/15 season, and his career has skyrocketed ever since. Kane became Tottenham’s and England’s all-time leading scorer. However, he left Spurs last year to join Bayern Munich in his quest for trophies. 

Now, Tottenham fans hope that Mikey Moore is the player that can fill Harry Kane’s boots. Tottenham fans have already serenaded Moore as “one of their own” (a chant Spurs’ fans sang for Kane for the past 10 years). So, young Mikey Moore has big boots to fill. The 16-year-old winger featured heavily in Spurs’ preseason. And with Tottenham playing in the Europa League this season, Ange might decide to hand him minutes.  

Furthermore, Moore’s impressive dribbling skills and direct style will suit Ange’s tactics, which allows wingers freedom to take on their man in 1v1 duels. Hype surrounding Moore is unparalleled. Last year, Chelsea launched a bid in the region of 10-million pounds for him. However, Spurs have managed to keep hold of their gem, as they have agreed a three-year contract with Moore. If Moore grabs the opportunity, then he can become a regular for his boyhood club because Ange desperately needs a player of Moore’s profile on the wing. 

2) Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham Hotspur) 

Yes, another Tottenham player on this list. Spurs are currently undergoing a youth revolution. They’ve recently added 18-year-olds Archie Gray and Yang Min-Hyuk to their squad. But let’s focus on Bergvall for now. The exciting 18-year-old Swede chose Spurs over Barcelona, and it looks like he made the right choice.  

Spurs will hand more minutes to the teenager. Moreover, under Ange Postecoglou’s leadership, Tottenham have looked menacing going forward. With Postecoglou’s track record of nurturing young talent, it’s easy to see why Bergvall preferred Spurs to the more unpredictable situation at Barcelona. 

The Aussie head coach has handed Bergvall plenty of minutes in Spurs’ preseason tour of Japan and Korea. He has predominantly played as a creative No.10 in the preseason, often replacing James Madison in games. But Bergvall can also play as a box-to-box No.8, if needed. The 18-year-old Swede would have to compete with the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr, Archie Gray and James Madison for a place in the starting 11. However, with a long and arduous season ahead, Bergvall will surely get the minutes to create an impact. 

3) George Ilenikhena (AS Monaco) 

Remember the name. George Ilenikhena has the potential to go right to the very top. The 17-year-old has all the attributes to become a world class striker. Ilenikhena plied his trade for Belgian side Royal Antwerp last season. However, eight goals in 37 Belgian Pro League games attracted interest from several clubs around Europe. And oh, did I mention he also scored a Champions League goal against Barcelona last season? 

After impressive performances for Royal Antwerp, Ilenikhena decided to join French side AS Monaco this transfer window for a fee of approximately 20-million euros. The competition will be of a much higher standard in Ligue 1. But with the talent and skills that George possesses, he could thrive in Ligue 1. Other Pro League exports like Lois Openda and Jeremy Doku also made a name for themselves in the French first division.  

A self-proclaimed Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United fan, George Ilenikhena dreams of playing in the Premier League. And if Ilenikhena impresses in his first with AS Monaco, don’t be surprised if the truly elite clubs of European football come calling.