And here we are again!
The start of a new football season synonymous with joy, sorrow, excitement and disappointment. But always with the same passion.
And as the world of football slowly gets back on track, our journalists at Sports Talk United have set about identifying some of the players who could — and should — be making headlines in the coming months.
Yankuba Minteh
Brighton and Hove Albion — Gambia
Brighton‘s squad depth and quality is no joke, especially in the attacking areas of the pitch, so players need to be hot on their feet or they’ll find themselves stuck on the sideline.
Yankuba Minteh’s feet have certainly been hot in pre-season, showing his qualities and bagging a brace against Southampton in a 2-2 draw. Last season, the electric winger showed glimpses of his qualities in his debut campaign in the south coast, registering six goals and four assists in twenty starts. His work rate and defensive actions as a winger can’t be questioned, and with successful dribbles being in the 86th percentile in the league last season, all that is needed is his goal and assist output to rocket.
If this becomes reality, Brighton will have their next £100 m superstar. His potential is evident to see and with Brighton boss Fabian Huzeler handing over the number eleven shirt to his winger this season, it really could be the season of Yakuba Minteh at the American Express stadium.
Aaron Davoren
Jeremy Jacquet
Rennes — France
If you like modern, fast centre-backs who are comfortable on the ball, then you should love Jeremy Jacquet. A revelation for Rennes in a season that he started playing for Clermont in Ligue 2, the young centre-back quickly won over Brittany.
And Habib Beye, who immediately threw him into the deep end.
Jacquet handled this rapid rise to prominence perfectly, establishing himself at the heart of the Rouge et Noir defence. In this context, you can imagine that several clubs have already taken an interest in him. But Stade Rennais has no intention of letting him go this summer. Much to the chagrin of RB Leipzig, a great admirer of French talent, which has made recruiting French players one of its hallmarks in recent seasons.
However, a good season with SRFC could well open the doors to even bigger clubs for the 1.97m giant. In any case, he has all the qualities necessary to achieve this.
Léo Aschi
Francisco Trincao
Sporting CP — Portugal
My pick goes to Sporting CP and Portugal, jersey 17, Francisco Trincao. The 25-year-old is entering his fourth season with the Lisbon club. Although he mainly plays as a right winger, he can also play on the left wing or as a supporting striker.
During the 2024-25 season, he made 45 appearances, scored 11 goals and provided 19 assists in 4,686 minutes. He was also the most used player in Rui Borges’ squad. Sporting wants to make him one of its star players and has extended his contract until 2030.
It should also be noted that FC Barcelona still has a 50% stake in any future transfer.
Pedro Cortes Pimentel
Michael Kayode
Brentford FC — Italy
With the departures of long-term manager Thomas Frank and several key players, I think it’s certainly a time of transition for Brentford. Michael Kayode is one player who could step up and become a central figure for this new-look Brentford. At just twenty-one, he still has plenty to learn, particularly in his decision-making in the final third, but his defensive intelligence and adaptability on both wings are major strengths.
He has fantastic acceleration and if he can marry this with improved accuracy in crossing then he can pose a real threat. The Italian has impressed since joining on loan in January, and with a five-year deal and a fanbase that have taken him under their wing, this promises to be a good season for Kayode, even with Brentford in a state of flux.
Patrick McKiernan
Chris Rigg
Sunderland AFC — England
If you’re looking for previously unknown or young players to watch out for in the Premier League, then boy are you in for a treat this year.
As well as the biggest clubs having some exceptional youth players coming through (Max Dowman at Arsenal, Rio Nguhoma at Liverpool), you’ll have your usual three or four Brighton players you’ve never heard of, who Chelsea will attempt to purchase in 12 months, as well as yet more young Chelsea players moving away from Stamford Bridge for game time (Lesley Ugochukwu and Armando Broja to Burnley, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Everton, etc).
My choice is actually going to be a player that has come up from the Championship with Sunderland, and that’s attacking midfielder Chris Rigg.
The Black Cats have some excellent young talent in their squad, and Rigg might be the jewel in the crown. At just 18 years old, he’s already made 72 appearances in all competitions for Sunderland, playing over 3,000 minutes in the Championship last season. He has the technical ability to take the ball under pressure, as well as find (and execute) difficult passes into the final third.
Considering how much of this season Sunderland will have their backs against the wall, having a press-resistant midfielder, who can also chip in with important goals (if you have the time, watch his back-heeled winner against rivals Middlesbrough), he could make the difference for Sunderland this season.
Daniel Hames
