The 2026/27 League Two season is just around the corner and EFL pundit Gab Sutton has had his say on which prospects he believes can excel.
Walsall loanee Daniel Kanu was the standout talent of the 2025/26 term in the fourth tier of English football, scoring 15 league goals as The Saddlers secured a 13th placed finish.
There is set to be even more talent on show in the forthcoming season -- with numerous clubs making use of the summer transfer window -- and our man Gab Sutton has picked out five hot prospects that he believes can make an impact in the 2026/27 League Two campaign.
Calum Agius
A decade ago, Crewe Alexandra had a left winger coming through the academy in Charlie Kirk, who needed three quiet seasons of modest productivity for the Railwaymen, before catching fire.
In 2017-18, Kirk registered five goals and two assists across 25 games – hardly prolific – but the 61 league games he played between the ages of 17 and 20 gave him the exposure to then become an integral member of the golden generation that won the Alex promotion from League Two in 2019-20, and then a top half League One finish.
It’s tempting to draw parallels with Kirk for Calum Agius, who is 20 having played in 45 league games across the last three seasons, culminating in six goals and two assists last season.
Again, not prolific, and his form in the second half of 2025-26 was a touch subdued by contrast with the first, but it’s the first-team experience that should see him approach a huge spike in his development.
Although a slightly different profile of player – a strong dribbler with an excellent turn of pace, as opposed to somebody who would lean religiously on combination play, although his movement and link-up is impressive as well – the trajectory feels very similar.
The Welshman has already won international recognition with Wales, playing six games for their Under-21s, and a stellar season in League Two could see the wide man even catch Craig Bellamy’s eye. Talent gwych!
Conor Haughey
Perhaps the best news to come out of Fleetwood this year has been that Conor Haughey signed a three-and-a-half year deal with the club, back in February.
The new contract preceded a fair run in the side under Matt Lawlor, with the 18-year-old making eight appearances, of which all bar one were 90-minute outings.
Haughey attracted plenty of excitement across the waters, having become Glentoran’s youngest ever player prior to his move to Highbury, and earning international recognition with the Green And White Army at youth level, captaining the Under-16s.
The prospect has brought that same commanding maturity to the Fylde Coast, displaying intelligence for the Trawlermen, comfort on the ball and a love of the basics of defending.
A big season in League Two, and bigger clubs may lurk with intent in the next two windows.
Rhys Walters
The biggest challenge for Rhys Walters, in his Port Vale career, has been that he’s come of age at a time when the team is stocked with options in midfield.
In 2024-25, for instance, he managed 13 league appearances as an 18-year-old, with Ryan Croasdale, Ben Garrity, George Byers in situ, along with the likes of Rekeem Harper, Tom Sang, Rico Richards and Ethan Chislett in reserve.
You don’t break in with that competition without some talent, and Walters possesses great assurance on the ball, fine vision, and all the ingredients to become a highly accomplished playmaker.
Two years on in his development, including some exposure to the challenges of League One, and Walters could be set for a big season under an excellent manager in Jon Brady.
George Birch
Birch experienced two extremes of English football last season, with National League South loans with Weston-Super-Mare and Chippenham Town sandwiching a wonderful FA Cup strike in front of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
The 19-year-old also looked bright and inventive in his only league appearance for the Grecians that season, off the bench at Northampton in September, demonstrating plenty of energy and tidy link-up play in the final third.
With the Grecians aiming for a cultural and financial rebuild under Matt Taylor this season, they’ll be keen to give youth a chance to raise the value of the squad, ahead of a summer 2027 in which a big sale is crucial.
Birch has demonstrated a great attitude amid the various challenges the last two years have bought – and his ability to shine in a big moment suggests he could be the one…
Harrison Duncan
Rotherham aren’t a club that produces great homegrown talent with particularly metronomic regularity, but Harrison Duncan is arguably the most exciting prospect to come out of their academy for a few years.
The 18-year-old, coming to the end of his time in the youth setup, is yet to commit his long-term future to the Millers, but new head coach Alex Bruce is hopeful an agreement can be reached.
A tall, aggressive centre half with a level of commitment that natives will love, but also a level of talent that alerted West Ham and Man City in 2024, Duncan could be a real individual success story in South Yorkshire, given the right opportunities.
