Development/Youth Squads 2025/2026 Thread - U18/U21

[Shane]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

Jayden Joseph is next Leicester City wonderkid on brink after Van Basten goal and loan 'speedbump' | Leicestershire Live

 

Jayden Joseph is next Leicester City wonderkid on brink after Van Basten goal and loan 'speedbump'
Inside Jayden Joseph's loan spell at League Two side Tranmere Rovers after going from being part of Ruud van Nistelrooy's training group to scoring volleys like Marco van Basten

 

Josh Holland Leicester City correspondent
07:00, 04 Jun 2026
Tranmere Rovers' 3-1 victory over Cheltenham on April 21 proved to be pivotal in keeping the club in the Football League. Their saviour, Leicester City youngster Jayden Joseph.

The 20-year-old joined the League Two side in August after impressing City during pre-season. Joseph was used by Andy King in the friendlies against Peterborough United and OH Leuven prior to Marti Cifuentes' arrival 12 months ago.

After training with the first-team with the club in the Premier League, as well as being selected by Ruud van Nistelrooy to travel to Bournemouth and Newcastle United, Joseph, who joined City from Manchester City four years ago, moved to Prenton Park for his first experience of senior football.

Joseph played 35 times for Tranmere, including 30 league appearances. He scored in his third game against Newport County before an ankle injury in January forced him to return to Seagrave for rehab.

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Speaking to LeicestershireLive, Tranmere first-team coach, Andy Parkinson, provided an insight on how the Foxes youngster enjoyed life away from City. "Where we’re from, our fans demand hard work, application and appetite and Jayden displayed all of them,” he said.

 

"We knew that when we brought him in because of the work we did behind-the-scenes, speaking to people that have worked with him and his family, we knew he would be ready for the challenges to put full application in his first loan - which he did.

“We struggled, particularly towards the end of the season for results, there was also a change of manager. JJ [Joseph] picked up an injury which meant he had to go back to Leicester for his rehab and then [he] came back to the club.

"He was really challenged with the things that he faced last season so that’ll be really good for his development. There’s a few, I would call them, speed bumps in the road for him to navigate and challenges that will lay in front of him that he’s got to get past and overcome. He’ll be stronger and better for that."

He added: “We played a back five in the early parts of the season and he played as a right wing-back. He can also play as a right-back in a back four, off the left, he did that with Leicester U21s, and as an inverted full-back as well.

"His best form for us was towards the end of the season as a right winger/right midfielder when he was playing slightly more advanced and able to do his best work in the final third. He scored a couple of goals towards the end of the season, so he did his best work higher up.

"He does have the capabilities to defend 1v1, he’s got great pace, a good engine and he’s developing the physical side of the game which he’s going to need to have a long career.

Matt Jones, author of two Tranmere Rovers books and broadcaster for talkSPORT, joined Parkinson in praising Joseph's application during the loan.

“I was really impressed with Jayden at Tranmere," he said. "He got forward well, got the ball into the box and brought pace into the side, which was crucial because it was something they didn’t really have in other areas.

"When he was out of the side in the early spring/late winter, it was really noticeable and how much of a lack of dynamism that was in the side."

When Joseph returned to Merseyside, the club were facing a possible relegation out of the National League. In the final seven games, he started them all and the victory at Cheltenham proved to be vital.

"When he came back in towards the end of the campaign, he was absolutely pivotal in a 3-1 win at Cheltenham when he scored, if he meant it, an absolute worldly goal," Jones added.

"I’m not sure that he did, but if he did it was sensational. A dipping Marco van Basten-like volley at the back post. He grabbed himself an assist or two as well and if they hadn’t won that game, Tranmere would have gone down.

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"Him coming back into the side played a big part in that result. It’s a shame that he couldn't play more due to the injuries that he had in the campaign. Hopefully in the future he can use the experience to help him kick on."

After that goal against Cheltenham, Joseph appeared to confirm he did mean it. "I seen it [the ball] coming over and I knew I didn't have much time, so I hit it and it went well," he said.

"I had the goal in my eyeline so didn't necessarily look. I just hit it."

Inside the club, the feeling was that Joseph found his best form upon returning from the setback. “His best form was post-injury, so when he came back he found some real consistent performances and helped the club stay in the division," Parkinson explained.

"That happens with a lot of young players, they get used to the environment, meeting new people and playing with new players. He’s got from playing with the Under-18s and 21s to playing with men, which is another challenge as well.

"The physicality is more difficult when you’re playing in the EFL. So all of these things make it difficult, initially, for these players, but also, if they’ve got the right application and attitude, these are the challenges that they overcome and you tend to see their performances come strong towards the end of the season."

The question City fans will want to know is if Joseph is ready to stake a claim at the King Power Stadium next season. Following their relegation to League One, several academy stars are expected to be integrated into the first-team as part of the club's revival.

 

“I think he’ll stand out at that level. He’s ready," Jones explained. "I definitely think he’s ready to step up to League One level and I’ll be really intrigued to see how he does up there." For Parkinson, confidence should be high in the wing-back's mind to prove himself.

When asked if Joseph is ready to be a regular at Leicester, he answered: “[It’s] difficult for me to say because I’m not in the Leicester environment and I don’t know what they’ve got in their squad, what their standards are and all these things.

"In terms of me being a developer of young people and players over the last 15 years, he’s definitely got the credentials to play higher, that will be up to him if he achieves that. But the situation at Leicester with them dropping to League One might just play into his hands and allow him an opportunity.

"Whether that would have happened had they been in the Championship, I’m not sure, but there’s probably an opportunity for him to stake his claim when he goes back for pre-season to have some improvement.

"That might not be the case for him just yet, he might need another loan, but he’s probably ready for another challenge and to see if he’s got the capabilities to play up a level."

Ricardo Pereira's exit means City will look for a new right-back. Bade Aluko is a strong contender, but Joseph will be another looking to represent the Foxes in League One.

Hopefully him and Aluko are our two RB options for next season. Choudhury will have to move to midfield if he’s staying. 

[Rubbersoul]

With Aluko & Joseph showing promise I look forward to Choudhury starting all 46 games at RB next season 

[Kilworthfox]

On 02/06/2026 at 10:58, Clever Fox said:

Who decides who we keep and who we release. Is it the dame people who signed the senior players. Genuine question.

No.

 

Players are released by coaches 

 

Signings are made by recruitment.

[Grebfromgrebland]

5 hours ago, Shane said:

Hopefully him and Aluko are our two RB options for next season. Choudhury will have to move to midfield if he’s staying. 

Aluko will probably be poached by the start of the season 

[lcfc sheff]

JJ looked really good at RM last preseason, can’t remember which friendly but he got 2 assists. Certainly offers flexibility 

[Clever Fox]

5 hours ago, Kilworthfox said:

No.

 

Players are released by coaches 

 

Signings are made by recruitment.

So it's a collective decision by the Coaches.  Whereas recruitment is by Rudkin and Top. 

[Kilworthfox]

18 hours ago, Clever Fox said:

So it's a collective decision by the Coaches.  Whereas recruitment is by Rudkin and Top. 

No. You will have 2 coaches generally per age group with a Lead & Assistant. The Lead is the main decision maker. 

 

In Recruitment there is a department which Identifies targets and will get a few reports on players. Recruitment is more of a collective decision.  I'd be shocked if Top actively was involved in either. JR however is involved in every facet of the club operations.

[lcfc sheff]

Perhaps, when before it was about selling one important player a year, it is now about using the academy to try and sell one of them.

 

play them in the team for a year, hope they get decent exposure and cash in.

 

Monga going for 10-15m with a sell-on,

surprisingly no talk about Page or Evans leaving, who could be at least 5-10m players if not more if they have a decent season, and potentially more to come through. 
 

sad that we aren’t in the prem as they’d be even higher fees but now we’ve got to play with the cards we’re dealt 

[BigGibbo]

I, for one, wait with baited breath to find out which mercenary or complacent old head is going to keep Aluko, Braybrooke, and, whichever other young talent we are lucky enough to keep, out of the team.

[Claudio Fannieri]

Will Alves has just changed who represents him 👀

[Ric Flair]

Realistically we the following players ought to be involved with the 1st team next season if they all remain here:

 

Bade Aluko

Jayden Joseph

Tom Wilson-Brown

Kevon Gray

Sammy Braybrooke

Henry Cartwright

Louis Page

Logan Briggs

Will Alves

Jake Evans

Lorenz Hutchinson

Kirsten Otchere 

 

Then be interesting to see the likes of Riley Carr, Tommy Neale, Mirsad Ali and Hugo De Lisle may well come through and challenge, some of them still very young and others 19/20 but if we are ravaged squad wise from senior players (hopefully most of the current lot go) then many are going to be needed.

 

Might even be others from U16/18s we aren't yet too familiar with. Sadly I think Motsi won't be here.

[ronnup]

Does Brussell have any track record developing youth?

[thegaffa]

25 minutes ago, ronnup said:

Does Brussell have any track record developing youth?

Yes mate he had 3 children with his ex and I’m sure he’s enjoying himself by trying to knock up his new wife 👍

[CloudFox]

2 hours ago, ronnup said:

Does Brussell have any track record developing youth?

I think he oversaw Tyler Dibling coming through? A few other young players like Shea Charles too, although he was bought from Man City rather than coming through the academy.

[Ric Flair]

4 hours ago, ronnup said:

Does Brussell have any track record developing youth?

To be fair, this might be one of his few redeeming qualities.

[ramadaone]

Load of younger players not signed their contracts now.

Man City etc mopping up as usual but at least one rumoured to be going abroad

 

[Merchant_Banker]

On 06/06/2026 at 17:46, Ric Flair said:

Realistically we the following players ought to be involved with the 1st team next season if they all remain here:

 

Bade Aluko

Jayden Joseph

Tom Wilson-Brown

Kevon Gray

Sammy Braybrooke

Henry Cartwright

Louis Page

Logan Briggs

Will Alves

Jake Evans

Lorenz Hutchinson

Kirsten Otchere 

 

Then be interesting to see the likes of Riley Carr, Tommy Neale, Mirsad Ali and Hugo De Lisle may well come through and challenge, some of them still very young and others 19/20 but if we are ravaged squad wise from senior players (hopefully most of the current lot go) then many are going to be needed.

 

Might even be others from U16/18s we aren't yet too familiar with. Sadly I think Motsi won't be here.

You could make a fair L1/L2 side from Academy players who were on loan or who played for us in the Championship.

 

Stolarcyk

 

Aluko

Nelson

Wilson-Brown 

L. Thomas

 

Braybrooke

Cartwright

 

Joseph

Page

Alves

 

Evans

 

Might even avoid another relegation!

😀

 

[Lesta Legend]

25 minutes ago, ramadaone said:

Load of younger players not signed their contracts now.

Man City etc mopping up as usual but at least one rumoured to be going abroad

 

If accurate (it is Rama after all) yet another ominous sign, consequences starting to catch up due the ineptitude of the long term strategy employed by our board.

[LCFCCKEANO]

On 06/06/2026 at 17:46, Ric Flair said:

Realistically we the following players ought to be involved with the 1st team next season if they all remain here:

 

Bade Aluko

Jayden Joseph

Tom Wilson-Brown

Kevon Gray

Sammy Braybrooke

Henry Cartwright

Louis Page

Logan Briggs

Will Alves

Jake Evans

Lorenz Hutchinson

Kirsten Otchere 

 

Then be interesting to see the likes of Riley Carr, Tommy Neale, Mirsad Ali and Hugo De Lisle may well come through and challenge, some of them still very young and others 19/20 but if we are ravaged squad wise from senior players (hopefully most of the current lot go) then many are going to be needed.

 

Might even be others from U16/18s we aren't yet too familiar with. Sadly I think Motsi won't be here.

Tbf with those could see Joseph, Braybrooke, Page, Alves, Briggs and Evans all doing fairly well in Martin’s set up, maybe Aluko too if he goes with a back 3. Sort of players he uses are in their style, Evans especially could be the Armstrong of this side

[Lambert09]

https://www.instagram.com/stories/will.alves10/3915973673278629406?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=MTFlMjA2aHFmdDZ1bg==
 

it’s time! 

[TheLittleBigMan]

Considering how desperate the club is going to be to get out of league 1 straight away, I worry they will be less interested in playing youth in favour of signing more proven players. Hope i'm wrong.

[Stadt]

14 hours ago, TheLittleBigMan said:

Considering how desperate the club is going to be to get out of league 1 straight away, I worry they will be less interested in playing youth in favour of signing more proven players. Hope i'm wrong.

They don’t have the competence/bandwidth to sign 12 players so thankfully we will have to play some young players 

[Ric Flair]

On 07/06/2026 at 19:36, ramadaone said:

Load of younger players not signed their contracts now.

Man City etc mopping up as usual but at least one rumoured to be going abroad

 

Elo Onuchukwu?

[Kilworthfox]

8 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Elo Onuchukwu?

Tip of an iceberg 

[Holly B]