Ranking the Best Premier League Debutantes in the 2023/24 Season 

A few players deserve to be given more credit for their top form in their Premier League debuts.

The Premier League 2023–24 has ended with the usual dramatic finish we have come to expect. On top, Manchester City retained their title from the Gunners. Pep Guardiola’s men lifted the trophy with Martin Odegaard and Co failing again to secure another push towards the title that eludes them.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa have sealed their UCL spot. Unai Emery’s men finishing ahead of Spurs who dropped too many points in the latter stages of the season, ending it in the opposite form of how they started their own campaign.

Newcastle United lost out to Mauricio Pochettino’s men and had European football snatched from them when Manchester United surprisingly beat Man City in the FA Cup final. Regardless of this, no away days on the continent might allow Eddie Howe’s men to focus on another Top Four raid which means Newcastle United tickets will be in high demand next season with their loyal fans expecting another assault on the top.

With the season done and the summer kicking in, with the transfer window and the EUROS, this would also be the best moment to rank which players have made their best season debut so far. Plenty of new signings were made by several EPL clubs, from Josko Gvardiol in Etihad to Justin Kluivert in Vitality. Some have done better than others. The key factors are not merely relying on statistics but also the facts about their clubs, their squad, and the players’ histories. It is considerably easier to play better with high-profile teammates in a big team with a winning mentality than to carry the mid-table team on the shoulders due to the lack of squad depth. Here are the top five Premier League debutantes this season.

Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City)

The 22-year-old versatile centre-back is definitely on the list. He arrived from RB Leipzig last summer as one of the most promising talents in the backline. One thing is for sure: his season debut has not been disappointing but not very impressive either. He has only featured in 27 games but scored four goals plus set up one. His goal is even greater than that of his attacking teammate, who is also another new signing from the Citizens, Jeremy Doku. 

The Croatian international has had 64% tackle success but made one crucial error leading to a goal. It is not something to expect from a world-class defender, but on the contrary, he has also contributed to big-chance creation twice this season. Gvardiol’s style of play suits his role as a defender who is involved in the attacking build-up. 

Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham)

The former Empoli man has been a revelation at Spurs between the sticks. Many had doubts about whether he was capable of being Hugo Lloris’ successor. Yet he has proven that he deserves to be in the Premier League. He has been playing in Spurs’ every game and contributed heavily to Spurs’ rise to the top, especially earlier in the season.

Overall, Vicario has made 63.91% saves and has kept clean sheets six times. It might be less than that of his fellow debutant, Manchester United’s Andre Onana. Yet, his transition from a goalie from the Serie A mid-table team to the mainstay of the elite side has been remarkable. What’s more, Tottenham was at the top of the table for several weeks. The Spurs are currently sitting fifth, two spots higher than the Red Devils. Onana’s performance is more expected given his experience in the top teams with Ajax and Inter Milan before. Thus, the 27-year-old shot-stopper deserves higher credit for what he has done so far.

Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea)

The Senegalese forward has done fairly well after his slow start at Stamford Bridge, where he only bagged twice in the first ten games. He has made 34 appearances this season in the EPL alone, contributing 14 goals and five assists so far. The former Villareal man has proven that he could also be instrumental in the big games. He netted four times against Tottenham, including a hattrick in a 4-1 rout on the road, one goal and one assist in both fixtures versus Manchester City, and another tally while beating Newcastle United. Jackson’s future with the Blues seems bright, provided he can be consistently in form. 

Mohammed Kudus (West Ham)

Another African who has made the list is the Hammers’ versatile midfielder, Mohammed Kudus. He arrived from Ajax last summer and has made quite an impact on the team, not only for West Ham’s domestic campaign but also the continental one. In the Premier League, the Ghana international has made 32 appearances this season and scored seven goals and provided six assists, whereas, in the Europa League, he bagged five goals in nine games. 

Kudus is mainly deployed as the right winger, but he can play on both flanks or as a frontman when necessary. He has been able to make an impact in big games too, as he netted once in a 2-0 victory over Manchester United. He also provided an assist while holding Liverpool to a 2-2 draw in an away match, plus he scored twice and set up one goal in both fixtures versus Newcastle United.

Micky Van de Ven (Tottenham)

Finally, a new star might have been born in Tottenham. The 23-year-old defender has been impressive in his season debut. Spurs signed him from Wolfsburg last summer, and it surely paid off, especially in the games before he picked up an injury versus Chelsea in early November. 

Van de Ven appeared in 26 games and netted three times. Compared to Gvardiol, the Dutch international has had a higher tackle success, 71 %, and a higher clearance, with 71 compared to Gvardiol 26. The former Volendam man has made more clinical contributions on the back line too, with four last-man tackles and one clearance off-line, something the Croatian has not done this season. No wonder Spurs fans can forget about Eric Dier already.