Why Wolves' Morgan Gibbs-White Is Set to Be the Premier League's Breakout Star This Season
After a string of brief cameo appearances, 18-year-old Morgan Gibbs-White was handed his first Premier League start for Wolverhampton Wanderers when Chelsea travelled to Molineux on Wednesday. However, he certainly did not shy away from the occasion.
He was given 72 minutes against Maurizio Sarri's men, and was instrumental in turning a potential defeat into a breathtaking 2-1 victory, offering the assist for Raul Jimenez's equaliser.
The youngster has been highly thought of by those at Wolves for several years now, but Wednesday's starring performance against Chelsea has now propelled the midfielder into the spotlight.
It was a complete performance from Gibbs-White. He offered speed and creativity, and was prepared to put his teammates on his back and carry them to victory. His form will almost certainly earn him an extended period in the starting lineup, and Gibbs-White has the potential to become the breakout star of the campaign.
For those who follow England's youth teams, they will know that Gibbs-White has been one of the standout performers of his age group for several years. He netted twice as the England Under-17's lifted the Under-17 World Cup in 2017, and has also been starring for Wolves' academy sides for years.
His attributes allow him to feature in a variety of positions. Primarily a central midfielder, Gibbs-White is able to make an impact as both an attacking midfielder and as a winger, meaning he will be given plenty of chances in Wolves' senior side.
With these opportunities, Gibbs-White will only improve. At just 18, he still has a lengthy career ahead of him, but Gibbs-White can become a star of Wolves' side right now. Nuno Esperito Santo's side have occasionally been guilty of lacking creativity, but including Gibbs-White in his squad is an immediate fix for this issue.
If he continues to offer his side this urgency and excitement, he will soon become a household name. Youngsters need a breakout season to establish themselves as a Premier League player, and this will be Gibbs-White's year.
Gareth Southgate has proven that he is willing to include talented youngsters in his England side. The likes of Jadon Sancho and Mason Mount have both been given chances to shine, and all the signs suggest that Gibbs-White will be following in their footsteps in the near future.
Remember the name, you'll be hearing it for years to come - Morgan Gibbs-White.