The Scottish Premiership is well and truly back following its summer break.
Celtic have made an extremely impressive start to the campaign, Rangers have been hugely underwhelming and Aberdeen have started like a train, having won all three of their opening games under new head coach Jimmy Thelin. It hasn’t been quite as successful in the capital though, with Hibs and Hearts picking up just one draw between them after a worrying start to the 24/25 season for both clubs.
With plenty of games to go though, clubs at the top and bottom of the table will be banking on their highest quality players, including a number of emerging youngsters, to produce the goods on the pitch in order to ignite their seasons.
A number of top youngsters are already showing promise across the league, with Rangers’ Connor Barron starting well in Glasgow, Aberdeen’s Topi Keskinen bagging an injury time winner on his debut and young Celtic defender Matthew Anderson impressing on the Hoops’ tour of America. But which young players will be the ones to keep an eye on this year? Who are the most highly rated teenager stars, and which club has the most exciting prospects?
Using popular statistics site TransferMarkt, we look at the 30 best young players in the Scottish Premiership, aged 21 or oder, ranked in order of transfer value, from lowest to highest.
1. Ben Summers - Celtic
The youngster spent last season on loan to Dunfermline Athletic, featuring 20 times for the Pars in the Scottish second tier. Linked back up with his parent club in the summer and will hope he can make his Celtic breakthrough in 24/25. Valued at £170k by TransferMarkt. | SNS Group
2. Finlay Robertson - Dundee
The 21-year-old broke into the first team as a teenager at Dens Park before moving on loan to Cove Rangers in 21/22. Now a regular member of Dundee's matchday squad in the top tier, he has a reported transfer value of £170k. | SNS Group
3. James Wilson - Hearts
The Gorgie teenager is tipped to be a star of the future and is one of the youngest players on this list at the age of just 17. Wilson is hoping to push himself into Steven Naismith's plans after featuring for Hearts during pre-season. He sees his future in Edinburgh and agreed his first pro-contract last year, rejecting interest from the English Premier League in order to remain at Tynecastle. He has scored 11 times in six B team appearances for Hearts since the turn of the year. Valued at £170k. | SNS Group Photo: SNS Group
4. Macauley Tait - Hearts
Another highly-rated youngster at Tynecastle, the 18-year-old made his first team breakthrough during the last campaign, appearing 12 times in the Scottish Premiership. A former Celtic academy player, his market value stands at a reported £170k. | SNS Group