Under the spotlight: Who will be the loan stars of 2023/24?
Transfer season is well underway and, with just a few weeks until the new campaign begins, clubs throughout the English football pyramid will be looking to add to their squads.
For teams in the Championship, League One and League Two, loan deals for budding Premier League stars are often an attractive proposition.
With a host of talented youngsters potentially available from England’s top flight, we’ve used the Twenty3 Toolbox to take a look at some of the players who could impress on temporary deals in 2023-24.
Carl Rushworth
Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Carl Rushworth caught the eye on loan at League One side Lincoln City last season.
The 22-year-old kept 17 clean sheets, the third-most of any keeper in the division.
Perhaps unsurprisingly – given his Brighton background – he impressed with his ability to play out from the back, completing 913 passes, ranking fifth among League One goalkeepers.
He is proactive, too, with a total of 82 goalkeeper exits suggesting he feels confident rushing off his line.
Rushworth has been linked with a loan move to Swansea City, which would provide him with an opportunity to test himself at a higher level at a club who play a passing style of football not dissimilar to that of his parent club.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi
A quick and skillful winger, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi excelled during his loan spell at Charlton Athletic from Crystal Palace last season.
The 20-year-old scored 15 goals in League One and looked every bit a future Palace star in the making.
Given the competition for places with the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Eberechi Eze, though, another loan is the most likely outcome for Rak-Sakyi.
And there will be plenty of suitors. Championship sides Cardiff City and Ipswich Town have been linked with a player who ranked high in League One for progressive runs (3.27) and attacking duels won per 90 (5.48).
“He’s just an incredible one-vs-one player in terms of his dribbling ability. He can get knocked off the ball and be unbalanced but he’ll have an awareness of where the space is,” Charlton boss Dean Holden said.
“He’s not selfish either. He’s not someone who will do five step overs to look good for the sake of it, he’s very effective. So if there’s a player to be played in on goal, he’ll make that pass.”
Josh Wilson-Esbrand
After a short loan spell at Coventry City last season, Manchester City wing-back Josh Wilson-Esbrand will be aiming for consistent game time this season.
The 20-year-old is still a raw talent and relatively inexperienced at senior level, but he could be an exciting addition for another Championship outfit.
Wilson-Esbrand’s foremost qualities lie in his ability to go forward and, as such, a wing-back role in a system utilising three central defenders suits him best.
Last season, he ranked eighth in the Championship for completed dribbles per 90 (4.44) and 13th for successful attacking duels per 90 (5.96).
Coventry might look to bring the England U20 international back, but any side playing with a back five would likely benefit from the City man’s attacking attributes.
Cesare Casadei
Chelsea midfielder Cesare Casadei is heading into 2023-24 off the back of a superb U20 World Cup campaign with Italy.
He scored seven goals at the tournament, helping his side to the final, though they were beaten by Uruguay.
After a spell on loan at Reading last season, the 20-year-old is likely to be sent out again by Chelsea to further his development.
Newly relegated Leicester City are reportedly interested in Casadei, who proved himself an accomplished player at Reading even though the Royals failed to avoid the drop.
Casadei is a forward-thinking midfielder – he averaged 2.16 attempted dribbles and 6.79 attempted attacking duels per 90 in the Championship last term.
At 6ft 1in, he is physical enough to deal with the rough and tumble of the second tier, too, winning 2.31 aerial duels per 90 last season — ranking in the top 10 Championship midfielders.
Paris Maghoma
Brentford midfielder Paris Maghoma’s 2022-23 campaign was certainly an unusual one.
He started it on loan at League Two side AFC Wimbledon before moving up a division to join their bitter rivals MK Dons in January.
The latter were relegated, but Maghoma stood out as a technically gifted and skillful young player capable of operating as either a six or an eight.
Maghoma attempted the second-most dribbles per 90 of any central midfielder in England’s third tier (4.15) and ranked high for progressive runs per 90 as well (2.22).
The 22-year-old will surely be targeting a loan to a Championship club in 2023-24.
All visualisations in this article were produced with the Twenty3 Toolbox. For more information, please get in touch below.