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

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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