Ranking the 5 youngest debutants in Premier League history
Football has become a very serious business, especially in the Premier League where competition is at its peak. With English clubs paying more attention to results than ever, managers have resorted to playing it safe by prioritizing experience over youth.
Nevertheless, there are certain times when some of these coaches break the pragmatic barrier and give opportunities to the young guns. This has led us to witness a handful of teenagers making history by appearing on the scene at a very tender age.
The likes of Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott are good examples of players who made a huge impression in the English top-flight as young boys. However, there have been a couple of other names that did it even earlier in their careers. In line with that, we look at the top 5 youngest debutants the Premier League has seen.
#5 Jose Baxter – Everton (16 years, 6 months and 7 days old)
The Premier League was in awe when a 16-year-old Jose Baxter came on as a substitute for Everton against Blackburn on the opening day of the 2008/2009 season. The attacker impressed in his 12-minute stint on the pitch and was rewarded with a start in the Toffees' subsequent fixture.
Unfortunately, that was the highest point of Baxter's career. He failed to make a breakthrough at Goodison Park and could only rack up 15 appearances in five years. He later had stints with the likes of Oldham, Sheffield United and Plymouth Argyle but never got his career off the ground.
#4 Aaron Lennon (16 years, 4 months and 7 days old)
Aaron Lennon was signaled as one of the future stars of the Premier League following his appearance in the English top-flight as a 16-year-old kid in August 2003. The forward played his debut match for Leeds United in a 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.
He continued to tread the right path, representing the English club in 11 league games that season. However, a financial crisis forced Leeds to sell their prized asset to Tottenham, where he eventually took off and made a name for himself.
Lennon enjoyed a successful spell with the Spurs, bagging 30 goals and 78 assists for the Premier League side across 10 campaigns. He won the League Cup with the club in 2008 and also represented England at both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.