With the 2025-26 Premier League campaign due to kick off on Friday, Aug. 15, many clubs are deep into their preseason preparations, having spent the past few weeks limbering up with training camps and a smattering of friendly fixtures.
Some of the top clubs have been in action all over the world, with exhibition games and miniseries taking place everywhere from the United States to Hong Kong and Singapore. Indeed, a key part of this summer's preseason itinerary has been the Premier League Summer Series, which saw Manchester United, Everton, Bournemouth and West Ham competing in New Jersey, Atlanta and Chicago.
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Manchester City and Chelsea are yet to begin their schedules after taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup (though both have friendlies penned in for later this week), but a fair number of Premier League clubs have warmed up with friendlies played home and abroad -- noncompetitive games that often see new signings, recognized senior players and youth team prospects rub shoulders while trying to catch the manager's eye.
The results don't count for much in isolation, but several players have impressed, including a couple of teenage academy prodigies who have created a wave of hype with individual performances that might just rocket them up the pecking order in time for the new season.
10. Harry Wilson, Fulham
Fulham have slogged through friendlies against Aberdeen, Nottingham Forest, Al Ittihad and Sheffield United in recent weeks, with a final fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt next weekend.
While Emile Smith Rowe and Raúl Jiménez have found themselves among the goals for the Cottagers, the standout performer has been Wilson. The Wales international midfielder scored five goals in four games (including consecutive braces against Aberdeen and Forest) while drumming up a bonus assist against Sheffield for good measure.
It's perhaps worth noting that Wilson has also been finding the net in spectacular fashion during preseason. A nifty lob and a curling 25-yard free kick against Forest out in Portugal represent the pick of the bunch so far.
9. Matt O'Riley, Brighton
Danny Welbeck scored four goals in Brighton's opening pre-season friendly against Wycombe Wanderers, but it was O'Riley, a 24-year-old central midfielder, who put in the Player of the Match performance against Spanish side Las Palmas the following week.
The Denmark international featured sparingly for the Seagulls last season but found himself pulling the strings in Marbella as he set up Yasin Ayari for the opening goal and then scored himself with a clever 25-yard effort to seal the 2-0 victory. Brighton then made it four preseason wins in four when they returned to the U.K. They beat Coventry in a friendly at their training complex, with O'Riley once again laying on an assist for Ayari to open the scoring in a routine 2-0 victory over their Championship opponents.
It could be the start of a very productive partnership under head coach Fabian Hürzeler, or it could be the sporting equivalent of a summer holiday romance. We guess only time will tell.
8. Patrick Dorgu, Manchester United
Ruben Amorim's side endured a woeful campaign in the Premier League last time out, but the head coach has already praised his side for looking "stronger and faster," with several senior players like Mason Mount and Dorgu looking sharp out in the States.
Despite the torrential downpour that engulfed MetLife Stadium, Dorgu caught the eye during the Summer Series exhibition game against West Ham out in New Jersey. The nimble full back teed up Rasmus Højlund to head home the opener, before adding the second goal himself after breaking free of the Hammers' defense and forcing a shot underneath the goalkeeper.
7. El Hadji Malick Diouf, West Ham
While established trio Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Füllkrug and Lucas Paquetá have all looked to be in fine fettle for West Ham out in the States during the Summer Series, the surprise package has arguably been Diouf, who was signed from Slavia Prague in July.
Not to be confused with former Liverpool striker and fellow countryman El Hadji Diouf, the 20-year-old Senegal wing back played pivotal roles in several goals. His whipped crosses led to both goals in his side's 2-0 victory over Bournemouth.
6. Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa
Despite near-constant speculation linking him with a summer transfer, Watkins has been laser-focused for Villa, with the England striker scoring three goals in three games during the club's Stateside sojourn.
After sitting out defeats against Walsall and Hansa Rostock, Watkins returned to the fold for the trip to the U.S. and hit the ground running during Villa's opening game against Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring the opener in a 2-2 draw in Louisville. He then scored his second goal in two games in a 2-1 win over St. Louis before adding his third in three in another 2-2 draw, this time heading home against Nashville.
It's also worth mentioning Watkins' strike partner Morgan Rogers, who also found the net against Frankfurt and St. Louis, and Netherlands winger Donyell Malen, who registered three assists and a goal during Villa's U.S. mini tour.
5. Jean-Philippe Mateta, Crystal Palace
Palace have had a busy preseason itinerary, squeezing in six games (including doubleheaders against German sides Mainz and Augsburg) in the past few weeks. They've also scored 10 goals in that duration, with striker Mateta grabbing the lion's share.
Indeed, last season's top scorer appears to be rolling over his form into 2025-26. The 28-year-old forward has scored four goals in four appearances for the Eagles over the summer, also scoring the opening goal for his side in three of those fixtures.
4. Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United
After mixed results during their post-season tour of Asia, Man United got back on track by going unbeaten through the Summer Series in the United States to lift the trophy in Atlanta.
With new signings being introduced and youngsters given valuable minutes, it was the reliable Fernandes who proved the catalyst. The Portugal playmaker scored twice in the opening win over West Ham before burying a penalty in United's third and final fixture against Everton.
3. Pape Matar Sarr, Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham will have to muddle through without club hero Son Heung-Min next season after the South Korea international announced his intentions to move on after 10 years of esteemed service. However, the team might have stumbled upon a new source of goals in the unlikely guise of Pape Sarr.
Despite not being renowned for his goal-scoring prowess, the 22-year-old midfielder chipped in three goals in three games for the club in July, including the winner against Arsenal out in Hong Kong in a match that saw Spurs register their first ever North London derby victory on foreign soil -- albeit in an exhibition tie.
The Senegal international wrestled possession from Myles Lewis-Skelly, looked up, saw David Raya off his line and proceeded to wallop a magnificent long-range effort on the stroke of halftime. Spurs then held on to lift their second piece of silverware in as many months, adding the Herbalgy Trophy to their collection.
2. Max Dowman, Arsenal
While it was Bukayo Saka who proved the difference in Arsenal's opening pre-season friendly against AC Milan in Singapore, it was a fellow Hale End academy product who stole the show against Newcastle just a few days later. Already touted as a potential first-team star by those in the know, 15-year-old Dowman has risen quickly through the youth ranks at Arsenal while skipping age groups. He even became the youngest goal scorer in UEFA Youth League history when he found the net aged 14 while playing for the Gunners' under-19s last season.
In pre-season action, the teenager initially caught the eye with a brief cameo against the Rossoneri before firmly putting himself in the spotlight with impressive performances against Newcastle and Tottenham.
Playing with the kind of poise and composure that belie his youth, the attacking midfielder entered the fray on the hour mark and immediately impressed by holding his own against seasoned senior opposition, then did the same in the closing stretch of the Gunners' defeat against rivals Spurs.
Noncompetitive first-team debuts are one thing, but it certainly feels like bigger things are just around the corner for Dowman.
1. Rio Ngumoha, Liverpool
While Darwin Núñez and new signing Florian Wirtz have been pitching in with multiple goal contributions during Liverpool's pre-season frolics, many of the headlines have been grabbed by a 16-year-old who joined from Chelsea last summer.
After starting in the 3-1 win over Preston at Deepdale, Ngumoha maintained his place for the friendly against Stoke at Liverpool's training facility, and the energetic winger promptly scored his first goal for the senior team in a 5-0 victory.
He was then deployed against Milan in Hong Kong and proved a constant energetic threat down the left flank before capping off his fine run of form with a brilliant solo goal in the Reds' 4-2 comeback victory against Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan to conclude the Premier League champions' tour of Asia in fine fashion.
Back on home soil, Nguhoma maintained his preseason momentum in the first of Liverpool's back-to-back friendlies against Athletic Club on Monday, once again seizing the headlines by scoring the opener with a wonderful solo strike to light up Anfield before creating the second for Nunez.
Nguhoma is already the youngest player to ever start a first-team game in Liverpool's long history after being fielded against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup third round last season (16 years, 135 days). With Luis Díaz out the door and Cody Gakpo in need of a young deputy on the left wing, Nguhoma seems to be primed for a little more game time in 2025-26.