2025–26 Professional U21 Development League

2025–26 Professional U21 Development League

The 2025–26 Premier League 2 is the 14th season of the Professional Development League system. It continues to use the same format as the previous 2 seasons with a change from places 17 to 24. The sides finishing in the top eight positions of the Professional U21 Development League 2 at the end of the season will progress to a playoff stage against teams 17–24. 29 Category One Academies are competing this season, the most in league history. Three teams joined with Category One status with Birmingham City U21s, Burnley U21s returning after a three-season absence and Ipswich Town U21s playing in the Premier League 2 for the very first time.

Premier League 2

Table

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>D</th><th>L</th><th>GF</th><th>GA</th><th>GD</th><th>Pts</th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Chelsea U21s (Q)</td><td>19</td><td>14</td><td>1</td><td>4</td><td>51</td><td>23</td><td>+28</td><td>43</td><td>Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs and Premier League International Cup</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Manchester United U21s (Q)</td><td>18</td><td>12</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>40</td><td>22</td><td>+18</td><td>40</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Manchester City U21s (Q)</td><td>18</td><td>12</td><td>1</td><td>5</td><td>56</td><td>20</td><td>+36</td><td>37</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Southampton U21s (Q)</td><td>19</td><td>10</td><td>6</td><td>3</td><td>36</td><td>28</td><td>+8</td><td>36</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Fulham U21s</td><td>19</td><td>10</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>46</td><td>31</td><td>+15</td><td>35</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Liverpool U21s</td><td>20</td><td>11</td><td>2</td><td>7</td><td>49</td><td>36</td><td>+13</td><td>35</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Ipswich Town U21s</td><td>18</td><td>11</td><td>2</td><td>5</td><td>38</td><td>37</td><td>+1</td><td>35</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>West Ham United U21s</td><td>19</td><td>8</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>42</td><td>32</td><td>+10</td><td>30</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Brighton & Hove Albion U21s</td><td>19</td><td>8</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>38</td><td>25</td><td>+13</td><td>29</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Leicester City U21s</td><td>19</td><td>8</td><td>4</td><td>7</td><td>45</td><td>40</td><td>+5</td><td>28</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Crystal Palace U21s (S)</td><td>18</td><td>8</td><td>4</td><td>6</td><td>34</td><td>29</td><td>+5</td><td>28</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Sunderland U21s (S)</td><td>19</td><td>8</td><td>4</td><td>7</td><td>40</td><td>38</td><td>+2</td><td>28</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Tottenham Hotspur U21s (S)</td><td>17</td><td>8</td><td>2</td><td>7</td><td>36</td><td>30</td><td>+6</td><td>26</td><td>Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Arsenal U21s (S)</td><td>18</td><td>7</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>27</td><td>31</td><td>−4</td><td>26</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Middlesbrough U21s</td><td>19</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>35</td><td>28</td><td>+7</td><td>24</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>Aston Villa U21s</td><td>16</td><td>7</td><td>3</td><td>6</td><td>29</td><td>32</td><td>−3</td><td>24</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Nottingham Forest U21s (S)</td><td>19</td><td>7</td><td>2</td><td>10</td><td>21</td><td>23</td><td>−2</td><td>23</td><td>Qualification to the PDL Playoffs</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>Reading U21s (S)</td><td>19</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>9</td><td>25</td><td>35</td><td>−10</td><td>22</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Stoke City U21s</td><td>18</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>8</td><td>28</td><td>41</td><td>−13</td><td>22</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s (S)</td><td>18</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>8</td><td>29</td><td>43</td><td>−14</td><td>22</td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td>Everton U21s</td><td>18</td><td>6</td><td>3</td><td>9</td><td>24</td><td>31</td><td>−7</td><td>21</td></tr><tr><td>22</td><td>Norwich City U21s</td><td>19</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>9</td><td>32</td><td>39</td><td>−7</td><td>20</td></tr><tr><td>23</td><td>Newcastle United U21s</td><td>18</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>8</td><td>26</td><td>33</td><td>−7</td><td>20</td></tr><tr><td>24</td><td>Leeds United U21s</td><td>18</td><td>5</td><td>3</td><td>10</td><td>25</td><td>35</td><td>−10</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td>25</td><td>West Bromwich Albion U21s</td><td>19</td><td>5</td><td>3</td><td>11</td><td>26</td><td>40</td><td>−14</td><td>18</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>26</td><td>Birmingham City U21s</td><td>18</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>10</td><td>25</td><td>48</td><td>−23</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td>27</td><td>Derby County U21s</td><td>17</td><td>3</td><td>5</td><td>9</td><td>22</td><td>39</td><td>−17</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>28</td><td>Burnley U21s (E)</td><td>19</td><td>3</td><td>4</td><td>12</td><td>22</td><td>40</td><td>−18</td><td>13</td></tr><tr><td>29</td><td>Blackburn Rovers U21s</td><td>17</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>12</td><td>24</td><td>42</td><td>−18</td><td>11</td></tr></tbody></table>

Top goalscorers

<table><thead><tr><th>Rank</th><th>Player</th><th>Club</th><th>Goals</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Shumaira Mheuka</td><td>Chelsea U21s</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Kieran Morrison</td><td>Liverpool U21s</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Keyrol Figueroa</td><td>Liverpool U21s</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>Nicholas Oyekunle</td><td>Southampton U21s</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Chido Obi</td><td>Manchester United U21s</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>Farhaan Ali Wahid</td><td>Fulham U21s</td></tr><tr><td>Matthew Warhurst</td><td>Manchester City U21s</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Dani Ángel</td><td>Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>Bradley Burrowes</td><td>Aston Villa U21s</td></tr><tr><td>Braiden Graham</td><td>Everton U21s</td></tr><tr><td>Shea Lacey</td><td>Manchester United U21s</td></tr><tr><td>Aaron Loupalo-Bi</td><td>Fulham U21s</td></tr><tr><td>Zach Marsh</td><td>Crystal Palace U21s</td></tr><tr><td>Tudor Mendel-Idowu</td><td>Ipswich Town U21s</td></tr><tr><td>Sean Neave</td><td>Newcastle United U21s</td></tr><tr><td>Nehemiah Oriola</td><td>Brighton & Hove Albion U21s</td></tr></tbody></table>

Hat-tricks

<table><thead><tr><th>Player</th><th>For</th><th>Against</th><th>Result</th><th>Date</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Shane Nti</td><td>Brighton & Hove Albion U21s</td><td>West Bromwich Albion U21s</td><td>0–4 (A)</td><td>17 August 2025</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Shumaira Mheuka</td><td>Chelsea U21s</td><td>Manchester City U21s</td><td>3–1 (H)</td><td>18 August 2025</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi</td><td>Sunderland U21s</td><td>Tottenham Hotspur U21s</td><td>3–5 (H)</td><td>18 August 2025</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Zach Marsh</td><td>Crystal Palace U21s</td><td>Tottenham Hotspur U21s</td><td>2–3 (A)</td><td>22 August 2025</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Luca Williams-Barnett</td><td>Tottenham Hotspur U21s</td><td>Leicester City U21s</td><td>3–6 (A)</td><td>19 September 2025</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Josh Landers</td><td>West Ham United U21s</td><td>Brighton & Hove Albion U21s</td><td>3–3 (H)</td><td>26 September 2025</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Gabriele Biancheri</td><td>Manchester United U21s</td><td>Tottenham Hotspur U21s</td><td>4–1 (H)</td><td>25 October 2025</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Keyrol Figueroa</td><td>Liverpool U21s</td><td>Everton U21s</td><td>4–1 (H)</td><td>26 October 2025</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Shumaira Mheuka</td><td>Chelsea U21s</td><td>Crystal Palace U21s</td><td>4–1 (H)</td><td>10 January 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Kieran Morrison</td><td>Liverpool U21s</td><td>Arsenal U21s</td><td>7–0 (H)</td><td>17 January 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cruz Ibeh</td><td>Middlesbrough U21s</td><td>Ipswich Town U21s</td><td>6–1 (H)</td><td>18 January 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sean Patton</td><td>Reading U21s</td><td>Blackburn Rovers U21s</td><td>4–1 (H)</td><td>19 January 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Kadan Young</td><td>Aston Villa U21s</td><td>Ipswich Town U21s</td><td>5–4 (H)</td><td>24 January 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Floyd Samba</td><td>Manchester City U21s</td><td>Stoke City U21s</td><td>1–6 (A)</td><td>30 January 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Demiane Agustien</td><td>Arsenal U21s</td><td>Leeds United U21s</td><td>0–4 (A)</td><td>1 February 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Shea Lacey</td><td>Manchester United U21s</td><td>West Bromwich Albion U21s</td><td>1–4 (A)</td><td>2 February 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Matheos Ferreira</td><td>Newcastle United U21s</td><td>Aston Villa U21s</td><td>3–4 (A)</td><td>6 February 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Reece Evans</td><td>Reading U21s</td><td>Stoke City U21s</td><td>3–0 (H)</td><td>7 February 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Chido Obi4</td><td>Manchester United U21s</td><td>Leicester City U21s</td><td>1–4 (A)</td><td>23 February 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Jack Daley</td><td>Middlesbrough U21s</td><td>Stoke City U21s</td><td>6–1 (H)</td><td>13 March 2026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Jack Bray</td><td>West Bromwich Albion U21s</td><td>Birmingham City U21s</td><td>4–0 (H)</td><td>13 March 2026</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Awards

Player of the Month

Month	Player	Club	Ref.
August	Shumaira Mheuka	Chelsea U21s
September	Lucá Williams-Barnett	Tottenham Hotspur U21s
October	Brandon Powell	Blackburn Rovers U21s
November	Farhaan Ali Wahid	Fulham U21s
January	Kieran Morrison	Liverpool U21s
February	Joshua Ajala	West Ham United U21s

Professional Development League

2025–26 Professional U21 Development League

The Professional Development League, sometimes known as the Professional Development League 2, is Under-21 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status. The league, previously split regionally into north and south divisions, is now a single table with teams playing a geographically aligned fixture schedule. The sides finishing in the top eight positions at the end of the season will progress to a playoff stage against Premier League 2 opposition. Brentford U21s are the defending champions.

20 teams compete in the league this season, two fewer than the previous season. Three teams joined with Category One status with Birmingham City U21s, Burnley U21s returning after a three-season absence and six total seasons and founding member Ipswich Town U21s playing in the Premier League 2 for the very first time after 13 seasons. However, Huddersfield Town U21s returned after being granted Category Two academy status after 7 years.

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Sheffield United U21s	26	15	6	5	55	35	+20	51	Qualification for #PL2/PDL Playoffs
2	Brentford U21s	25	17	2	6	60	31	+29	50
3	AFC Bournemouth U21s	24	14	2	8	55	39	+16	44
4	Peterborough United U21s	26	13	5	8	63	50	+13	44
5	Huddersfield Town U21s	25	12	5	8	54	48	+6	41
6	Watford U21s	25	11	7	7	63	49	+14	40
7	Swansea City U21s	22	12	3	7	56	42	+14	39
8	Cardiff City U21s	24	10	6	8	44	31	+13	36
9	Charlton Athletic U21s	24	10	6	8	52	41	+11	36
10	Wigan Athletic U21s	26	10	5	11	64	54	+10	35
11	Millwall U21s	27	10	3	14	44	51	−7	33
12	Hull City U21s	24	8	7	9	43	45	−2	31
13	Barnsley U21s	24	8	7	9	43	49	−6	31
14	Bristol City U21s	25	8	5	12	39	48	−9	29
15	Queens Park Rangers U21s	26	7	8	11	45	58	−13	29
16	Coventry City U21s	23	9	2	12	36	53	−17	29
17	Fleetwood Town U21s	25	5	8	12	34	51	−17	23
18	Colchester United U21s	23	6	4	13	36	62	−26	22
19	Sheffield Wednesday U21s	24	5	6	13	39	61	−22	21
20	Crewe Alexandra U21s	24	4	7	13	33	60	−27	19

Top goalscorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Adam Moseley	Wigan Athletic U21s	22
2	Morgan Bates	Swansea City U21s	16
3	Cole Simms	Wigan Athletic U21s	14
4	Devlan Moses	Sheffield Wednesday U21s	13
Josh Pescatore	Swansea City U21s
6	Jonny Day	AFC Bournemouth U21s	12
Amin Nabizada	Watford U21s
8	Ethan Laidlaw	Brentford U21s	11
9	Louie Marsh	Sheffield United U21s	10
Nickson Okosun	Watford U21s
11	Jevan Beattie	Sheffield United U21s	8
Makise Evans	Colchester United U21s
Kaion Lisbie	Colchester United U21s
Hugh Parker	Hull City U21s
Troy Perrett	Cardiff City U21s
Tom Woodward	Swansea City U21s

Hat-tricks

Player	For	Against	Result	Date	Ref.
Jevan Beattie	Sheffield United U21s	Watford U21s	0–5 (A)	5 September 2025
Adam Moseley4	Wigan Athletic U21s	Swansea City U21s	5–2 (H)	16 September 2025
Louie Marsh	Sheffield United U21s	Barnsley U21s	5–2 (H)	14 October 2025
Adam Moseley4	Wigan Athletic U21s	Coventry City U21s	0–9 (A)	21 October 2025
Cole Simms	Wigan Athletic U21s	Coventry City U21s	0–9 (A)	21 October 2025
Adam Moseley4	Wigan Athletic U21s	Barnsley U21s	2–7 (A)	17 November 2025
Jaydon Thomas-Smith	Millwall U21s	Colchester United U21s	0–6 (A)	9 January 2026
Conrad Ambursley	Coventry City U21s	Hull City U21s	2–4 (A)	20 January 2026
George Sebine	Huddersfield Town U21s	Peterborough United U21s	2–4 (A)	3 February 2026
Nickson Okosun	Watford U21s	Queens Park Rangers U21s	5–0 (H)	3 February 2026
Devlan Moses	Sheffield Wednesday U21s	Huddersfield Town U21s	6–8 (H)	20 February 2026
Kaheim Dixon	Charlton Athletic U21s	Swansea City U21s	6–0 (H)	24 February 2026
Morgan Bates	Swansea City U21s	Queens Park Rangers U21s	3–1 (H)	2 March 2026
Devlan Moses	Sheffield Wednesday U21s	Fleetwood Town U21s	3–3 (A)	10 March 2026
Ethan Laidlaw	Brentford U21s	Fleetwood Town U21s	6–1 (H)	31 March 2026