Best Young League One Players 2026/27
28 under-21s have played at least 225 League One minutes so far this season. Louis Page (17, Leicester) leads on 7.8, ahead of M. Missanga (18, Oxford United, 7.4) and Christian McFarlane (19, Leicester, 7.3).
Each player is scored against his own position, so a defender and a forward can sit side by side. The youngest in the top 20 is Louis Page (17, Leicester).
| # | Player | Score | Pos | Age | Mins | DEF | DUEL | CRE | GOAL | CARRY | PASS | Archetype |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louis PageLeicester | 7.8 | MID | 17 | 544 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 9.6 | 1.7 | 4.9 | 9.7 | Needs 600 mins |
| 2 | M. MissangaOxford United | 7.4 | ATT | 18 | 347 | 8.0 | 2.4 | 8.2 | 4.1 | 9.1 | 6.5 | Needs 600 mins |
| 3 | Christian McFarlaneLeicester | 7.3 | DEF | 19 | 239 | 4.4 | 6.2 | 7.7 | 6.1 | 7.7 | 9.5 | Needs 600 mins |
| 4 | Oliver WhatmuffStockport County | 6.9 | GOA | 18 | 720 | Shot Stopping 5.7 · Distribution 9.7 · Command 9.5 · Match Rating 3.7 | Complete Goalkeeper | |||||
| 5 | Jayden JosephLeicester | 6.7 | DEF | 20 | 441 | 1.5 | 5.6 | 1.8 | 9.6 | 9.1 | 9.5 | Needs 600 mins |
| 6 | Charlie GrayWigan | 6.1 | MID | 20 | 377 | 8.4 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 5.4 | 9.0 | Needs 600 mins |
| 7 | Rory FinneranNotts County | 6.1 | MID | 18 | 495 | 7.7 | 6.5 | 2.4 | 6.5 | 7.7 | 7.0 | Needs 600 mins |
| 8 | Oliver IrowPlymouth | 6.1 | MID | 20 | 572 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 4.5 | 9.6 | 5.0 | 0.6 | Needs 600 mins |
| 9 | Olabade AlukoLeicester | 6.0 | DEF | 19 | 228 | 4.2 | 9.0 | 6.4 | 2.0 | 9.6 | 9.3 | Needs 600 mins |
| 10 | Jake RichardsLuton | 5.8 | MID | 19 | 511 | 3.2 | 5.9 | 8.8 | 6.0 | 7.5 | 5.0 | Needs 600 mins |
| 11 | Hindolo MustaphaNotts County | 5.6 | MID | 20 | 342 | 4.0 | 6.5 | 8.2 | 3.6 | 9.5 | 0.8 | Needs 600 mins |
| 12 | Kai AndrewsOxford United | 5.5 | MID | 20 | 282 | 5.2 | 1.0 | 9.3 | 1.3 | 7.3 | 8.7 | Needs 600 mins |
| 13 | Sam ParkerWycombe | 5.5 | DEF | 20 | 282 | 6.7 | 7.8 | 3.1 | 5.7 | 8.6 | 7.4 | Needs 600 mins |
| 14 | Sulyman KruballyBurton Albion | 5.5 | MID | 17 | 430 | 8.8 | 9.2 | 8.5 | 1.3 | 6.5 | 3.9 | Needs 600 mins |
| 15 | A. KayBarnsley | 5.1 | DEF | 18 | 719 | 9.6 | 3.8 | 7.5 | 3.2 | 8.6 | 3.3 | Wide Defender |
| 16 | Harry GraySheffield Wednesday | 4.9 | ATT | 18 | 307 | 7.5 | 8.7 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 9.3 | 3.3 | Needs 600 mins |
| 17 | Reggie WalshWigan | 4.6 | MID | 17 | 471 | 2.8 | 8.5 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 7.4 | 8.0 | Needs 600 mins |
| 18 | Kieran MorrisonSheffield Wednesday | 4.2 | MID | 19 | 374 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 9.2 | 6.5 | 0.8 | 3.4 | Needs 600 mins |
| 19 | Jonathan BlandBarnsley | 4.2 | DEF | 20 | 394 | 7.9 | 0.7 | 9.1 | 6.7 | 1.4 | 4.7 | Needs 600 mins |
| 20 | Ollie HarrisonAFC Wimbledon | 4.0 | MID | 19 | 444 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 7.6 | Needs 600 mins |
Columns are the six Scout52 composites (goalkeepers use their own: shot stopping, distribution, command and match rating). Hover a column head for its full name.. Every score is out of 10.
How the ranking works
Scout52 Score is a 0–10 rating for how well a player is performing this season. It blends three things: his match ratings (30%), the composites that define his playing style (50%) and the rest of his game (20%). How the engine works.
Every column is a comparison, not a raw stat. Each composite is ranked against players in the same position across third and fourth-tier football such as League One and League Two, so 8.7 means he is ahead of 87% of them. A player in League One is judged against the standard of League One, not the Premier League. Composite scores explained.
Who qualifies: players under 21 with at least 225 League One minutes this season. The bar is a quarter of the league minutes played so far, so it rises as the season goes on. Only league games count. Archetypes appear once a player passes 600 minutes. Player archetypes explained.
The table refreshes every Tuesday. Last updated 13 October 2026.
More rankings
Questions
- Who is the best young player in League One this season?
- On Scout52 Score, Louis Page (17, Leicester) is the top-ranked under-21 in League One in 2026/27 with 7.8, as of 13 October 2026.
- How are young players ranked?
- Players under 21 with at least 225 league minutes are ranked by Scout52 Score, which compares each player with others in his position at the same level of football.
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