Chelsea’s Disposition to Youth in the Transfer Market Sees Them Rank With the Youngest Team in the Premier League

Rarely do teams at the highest level find value in investing in players nearing the narrow end of their careers, which has led to an obsession with unearthing youthful hidden gems. Below we walk through the youngest teams in the Premier League to see which clubs have mastered this trend.

Youngest Teams in the Premier League By Average Age

=4. Brentford – 25.1

For a side who were tipped to struggle near the foot of the table this season, Brentford’s commendable start sees them knocking on the door for a top-half spot.

The average age of the Bees squad dropped slightly after now-ex-captain Ivan Toney departed for the riches of Saudi Arabia, and in doing so concerns over where goals would come from at the Gtech were exacerbated.

Fear not, for the likes of Yoane Wissa – who is a relative senior amongst a team of young gems – and the enigmatic Bryan Mbeumo have more than filled the void.

The summer arrivals of Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg, Gustavo Nunes and Jayden Meghoma – all of whom are 22 and under – have laid strong foundations for an exciting future at Brentford.

For a club who have been forced to operate on the breadline, they have remained typically sangfroid in their youthful, algorithm-led approach.

=4. Bournemouth – 25.1

After a turbulent start to life in the Premier League for Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth were one of the surprise packages of 2023/24.

Iraola’s jaunty character has been infectious on the south coast, and Las Vegas-based owner Bill Foley was more than happy to invest considerably over the summer.

€104m to be exact, with all but one of the six arrivals aged 23 or under.

This only adds to an eclectic mix of blossoming youngsters who are slowly transforming Bournemouth into one of the most compelling attacking units in the top-flight.

The likes of Alex Scott (21), Dango Ouatarra (22) and Milos Kerkez (20) are all fulfilling their potential so far this season, and find themselves in an environment that nurtures individuality.

3. Brighton – 24.8 

Although Brighton only find themselves in third in of the lowest average age in the Premier League, there are few better examples of returns on investment in youth.

Not only have Brighton been one of the few sides to consistently report a positive uncharacteristically expensive summer by their standards – but their ability to shed their skin and promote a new wave of young players is unmatched.

Lucrative departures in the shape of Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Leonardo Trossard and Alexis Mac Allister threatened to derail a side who strictly operate within their means.

However, a frighteningly effective scouting network in South America has continued to churn out effective replacements – namely Pervis Estupiñan and Julio Enciso.

Add to that frivolous investment in youth in the transfer market over the summer, second only to Chelsea, Brighton’s capacity to compete with a low average age continues to challenge the status quo.

Their disposition to invest in youth even stretches to the bench, with Fabian Hurzeler the youngest manager to ever take charge of a Premier League side at 31.

It’s taken Georginio Rutter no time at all to show his ability. He’s an entertainer, unselfish, capable of moments of magic and one of the most likeable characters.

Inevitable that he’ll be a fan favourite at Brighton instantly.pic.twitter.com/MIzDt7VICM

— Ben Mattinson (@Ben_Mattinson_) October 21, 2024

2. Tottenham – 24.4

Tottenham’s approach over the summer window was clear to see, even if the ambitions of the club are somewhat fuzzy.

Shed the old guard – i.e. the likes of Eric Dier, Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg and Ivan Perisic – and fill the void with raw but ready high-potential players.

Teenagers Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert, Lucas Bergvall and Min-hyeok Yang all arrived in the summer with bundles of promise, and have so far offered an auspicious glimpse into the future.

The squad is undoubtedly being shaped in Ange Postecoglou’s vision, with just three of Spurs’ 26-man squad aged 30 or above.

For a club who have relied on short-term investments on the pitch with no real scope for the future, seeing Tottenham second on this list is something for fans to embrace.

1. Chelsea – 23.4

The inevitable march towards Chelsea claiming top spot is complete.

No team has invested more heavily than the Blues in the transfer market since Clearlake Capital’s takeover two years ago.

Nearly all of that money has been funnelled into a clear transfer policy; the brightest and best young talents in world football.

While the vision is starting to take shape, the sheer volume of arrivals, coupled with a relative lack of experience at the very highest level, has given way to an extended settling-in period.

As recent history has shown, quantity doesn’t necessarily equal quality – in fact, quite the opposite. Boehly’s first season in charge resulted in Chelsea’s lowest ever points tally in the Premier League era, finishing all the way down in 12th.

Astonishingly, Chelsea’s only 30+ player is third-choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettellini, while seven of their 29-man squad are aged 21 and under.

Whether the latest man to steer the Blues in the right direction – Enzo Maresca – can piece together a jumble of talents and egos remains to be seen, but this season appears far more positive than the unrest in recent campaigns.