Some fans might believe that football teams ‘can’t win anything with kids,’ but that has not stopped Premier League clubs up and down the country from giving it a go. Teams are always on the lookout for bright young talent that can make an impact from the off, and we have seen a whole host of young players on the move in the January transfer window.

A number of stars have made a significant impact for their respective clubs so far this season. So, with a litany of young talent being brought into nearly every club in the top flight, here’s where every team in the Premier League ranks based on their squad’s average age using figures from Transfermarkt.

20

Fulham – 27.7

There are a few players (just seven!) the wrong side of 30 years of age involved in the Fulham squad, including the likes of Tom Cairney, Bernd Leno, and Raul Jimenez. That experience is offset by just a few youngsters. While seven players are aged 25 or younger, the Cottagers do not employ many players under the age of 20: just Josh King and Jonah Kusi-Asare.

The know-how of the more seasoned professionals might come in useful if the capital club, led by Marco Silva, go through tough times. But following the shrewd acquisitions of the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and Joachim Andersen over the last couple of years, the Cottagers continue to push further up the table.

19

Aston Villa – 27.3

What a job Unai Emery has done since taking the job at Villa Park. Under his guidance, the squad managed to qualify for the Europa Conference League in his first season, before then securing Champions League qualification for the 2024/25 campaign – the club’s first taste of the continent’s premier competition since the mid-80s. He has been helped, in part, by the fact that he has an experienced 25-man squad on his books.

Yes, eight of the Aston Villa squad are aged 25 or younger, including summer recruit Harvey Elliott, but goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez (33) and a few others are senior heads in the squad. They also don’t have one extreme old-timer, with Marco Bizot the oldest player at 34 – but in the grand scheme of things, that isn’t too senior.

18

Everton – 26.6

Theoretically, David Moyes’s Everton squad should be at the peak of their powers. Yes, there are a few at the older end of the spectrum in the roster, such as Idrissa Gueye (36) and Seamus Coleman (37), while Michael Keane and James Tarkowski are both aged 33. But, all in all, the best part of the Toffees squad are all in their 20s.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, brought in from Chelsea in the summer, is one of several players in the mid-20s, but then there are talented youngsters too. Jarrad Branthwaite is still only 23 but has good experience under his belt, while all of Tyler Dibling, Tyrique George and Adam Aznou haven’t turned 20 yet. Nevertheless, they aren’t enough to stop Everton being the 17th oldest squad.

17

Burnley – 26.5

Burnley, who bounced back into the big time after one single season in the Championship, haven’t managed to put a run of results together to help them climb away from the relegation places. The Clarets remain among the favourites to go back down, despite signing a host of young talent in the summer.

Bashir Humphreys (22) and Lesley Ugochukwu (21) were both brought in from Chelsea, while numerous players in their mid-20s also ended up signing along the dotted line at Turf Moor. Their average age did climb slightly in January 2026, mainly thanks to James Ward-Prowse making the move from West Ham, but Kyle Walker and Martin Dubravka already had that figure quite high anyway.

16

Newcastle United – 26.4

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United side is brimming with much-needed experience, with eight players 30 or older. Fabian Schar and Kieran Trippier are mature, level heads at the back, capable of guiding younger players through difficult spells in games, though the likes of Lewis Miley and Lewis Hall are there to keep their average age lower than it would be.

Alongside the aforementioned youngsters, there are some other exciting young talents in the Newcastle ranks, though, including Tino Livramento and William Osula – 23 and 22 years of age respectively. Their squad, full of 26 stars, is definitely a case of two extremes, with an eye-catching total of 20 years being between the oldest and youngest members.

15

Leeds United – 26.3

Come May 2026, will Daniel Farke be celebrating? Time will tell, of course, whether Leeds United – who have 26 players in their squad – can survive the prospect of relegation remains to be seen, but a fruitful summer, which included the arrivals of Dominic Calvert-Lewin (28), Noah Okafor (25) and Lukas Nmecha (26), has given them the best chance.

Karl Darlow, Alex Cairns and Sam Byram – all of whom are above the age of 30 – are the club’s triumvirate of oldest players, while teenage Chrlie Crew is the youngest of the bunch. Facundo Buonanotte, signed on loan from Brighton in January, is the second-youngest at 21, while Wilfried Gnonto (22 years of age) is next up.

14

West Ham United – 26.2

Once upon a time, West Ham United took the crown for being the biggest granddads in the Premier League. The Irons’ squad is one full of top division experience, but their average age is significantly raised by the likes of Lukas Fabianski and Callum Wilson, who are 40 and 33, respectively. Adama Traore, Tomas Soucek and Alphonse Areola are all above the age of 30 too.

But there are a litany of youngsters within the team too, including midfielder Mateus Fernandes and left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf, both just 21. It’s a real blend of characters, and the Hammers faithful will be hoping that a mixture of youthful energy and experienced old heads can keep them up this season.

13

Liverpool – 26.1

When Arne Slot adopted Jurgen Klopp’s squad, it was a match made in heaven. A young, tactically astute manager with one of the best rosters in Europe, they won the Premier League in the Dutchman’s maiden campaign and that was with some talented players aged 26 and under in their ranks, including Dominic Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister – but there are plenty of old, wise heads too.

That includes the likes of Liverpool trio Alisson (33), Virgil van Dijk (34), and Mohamed Salah (33). How long each of the star trio can keep plying their trade at the highest level for the Reds, though, remains to be seen, as the Reds could be set for a summer of change considering they’ve been well off the pace in their pursuit of consecutive titles.

12

Crystal Palace – 25.9

Selhurst Park witnessed a changing of the guard in the summer, as Crystal Palace bid goodbye to Eberechi Eze and said hello to exciting winger Yeremy Pino. He’s slotted into an exciting team that also includes England international Adam Wharton, who is still only 21 years old.

The Eagles have made a point of buying talented youngsters over the years who are typically then sold for massive profits, as will likely be the case with Wharton, considering the interest from numerous parties. But with Brennan Johnson, Evann Guessand and Jorgen Strand Larsen all making the switch to south London in January, Palace’s squad remains one stacked with youthful exuberance.

11

Arsenal – 25.6

Mikel Arteta has the youthful spine of his team to thank for Arsenal’s mid-table position in this list. They might have been even lower, had there not been an exodus of academy graduates over the years. That said, they do still boast a surplus of young talent, with summer recruit Christian Norgaard, 31, being their joint-oldest player, along with Leandro Trossard and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

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