Five exciting academy prospects you might not have heard of yet

The summer is the most exciting time for analysing a club’s academy system. Players are signing their first scholarships or professional deals with a club, while others are leaving the club either for a first senior loan move or to put themselves in the first-team picture. Certain players are already well known to Fulham’s fans due to their limited first team involvements – the likes of Jay Stansfield, Luke Harris, Devan Tanton, Adrion Pajaziti and Martial Godo. But what about the next crop of names that are coming through but are yet to get any limelight?

Seth Ridgeon

Ridgeon is yet to receive much attention due to his age, being just15 years old at the time of writing. However, based on his talent and how highly he is rated by coaches at club and international level, Ridgeon has all the potential to be Fulham’s brightest academy prospect of the 21st century. The versatile midfielder loves to control games from a range of positions in the middle of the park, equally capable of dictating from deep or chipping in with goals from further up the field. Ridgeon made his debut in the U18 Premier League at just 14, stepping up with ease to a group of players multiple years his senior. In February of this year, he was part of an extremely talented England U16 group that won the Football Federations Cup, scoring two goals and helping win England the trophy.

Tom Olyott

The versatile winger, who made his debut for the Republic of Ireland U19s last year against Bosnia and Herzegovina, had a real breakthrough season in 2023/24, which seemingly went under the radar. Olyott joined in summer 2022, and after a year of bedding himself into the system, really kicked on. The Irishman struck an impressive 17 goals and seven assists last season in the U18 Premier League, leaving him with a record of more than a goal contribution a game. That put him as the fourth-highest goal scorer in the country at that age level, only behind the likes of the extremely impressive Chido Obi Martin, whose move to Manchester United has been heavily publicised recently. If Olyott takes that form into a season playing in PL2 this year, he should gain much wider attention from both our own fans and the wider media.

Jonathan Esenga

Esenga’s progress in 23/24 was superb, showing a trajectory that suggests he will be one of the current academy crop with the best chance of making it in the first team set-up. Just last year alone, Esenga went from starting in the U18s to being a regular for Hayden Mullins at left back in U21s at just 16 years old. Now 17, Esenga has been handed a debut for England U17s, gaining international recognition for the vast progress made at Fulham.

Just two months ago at the end of the 23/24 season, Esenga was awarded his first pro deal with the club and will look to kick on in the coming season, especially after spending the summer pre season with the first team. As an athletic left-sided defender who contributes going forward, Esenga will see the gap in Fulham’s first team squad in terms of depth at left back behind Antonee Robinson, and see plenty of opportunities to come in the years ahead.

Callum Osmand

Osmand, like Esenga, started to see a rapid rise through the ranks in 2023/24. After signing a first professional deal in 2022 on the back of multiple caps and a goal for the Welsh U17 side, Osmand has really flourished in the last 12 months. Starting the season scoring goals for the U18 side, the attacker was another that quickly graduated to Mullins’s U21s in PL2, continuing to score frequently in both league and cup competitions. By the end of 23/24, Osmand had netted more than 30 times in all competitions at youth level. The season concluded with the Premier League Cup final, where Fulham’s U21s swept Tottenham aside 4-0, with Osmand scoring an unbelievable first half hat-trick to help his side lift the trophy. Following this ascendency, Osmand will be looking to make himself the main man in Mullins’s side in 2024/25, gaining him more first team recognition and chances in the Wales set up, too.

Lemar Gordon

Gordon feels like a slightly younger version of Olyott. A pacey winger, capable of contributing to goals on a frequent basis. Hayden Mullins must be extremely excited at the goalscoring options he possesses going into the coming season, with Osmand, Olyott and Gordon all progressing nicely and gaining experience in graduating from U18s football to the U21s last year. Gordon also shot into the international picture last year too, featuring three times for the England U18s. After joining from Brentford two years ago, Gordon has the potential to be a real fan favourite were he to accelerate to the first team in the coming years.