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English clubs are often touted as some of the richest clubs in world football. The average quality of a squad in the Premier League tends to be very high – even when compared to teams competing in other elite leagues, such as the Ligue 1 or the German Bundesliga.
Although most of the talent present in the “Big Six” starting lineups come from abroad, their academies are constantly producing world-class players. These wonderkids often make it into other Premier League sides, even if they don’t manage to break through the ranks of Chelsea or Manchester United.
In any case, English teams have proved the quality of their world-class academies on many different occasions. In this piece, we’ll be taking a look at the top 5 English wonderkids that will most likely lead The Three Lions’ starting XI in the coming years.
Jadon Sancho
Originally an illustrious member of the Watford academy, 18-year old Jadon Sancho moved to Manchester City in 2015. He was touted as one of their brightest academy prospects, but when the time came for contract negotiations, the Citizens were unable to ensure him the minutes he craved for.
Sancho moved to Borussia Dortmund in 2017, where he has recently signed a new contract after registering 5 assists in just over 120 minutes of Bundesliga football. The promising winger has already claimed his move to Germany was exactly what he needed – he looks set to become a starter for the Dortmund side in the coming years.
Angel Gomes
Gomes has been a regular in most underage English international squads, coming all the way from the U16’s to the U19’s. Jose Mourinho handed him his professional debut at Manchester United when Angel was still a 16-year old. He became United’s youngest ever Premier League player as he was subbed on for club legend Wayne Rooney, helping his side see-through Crystal Palace with a 2-0 win.
The young attacking midfielder is touted as Manchester United’s most exciting prospect, even though their academy is currently packed with other talents like Tahith Chong and Callum Gribbin. His dribbling and passing have always been superior to those of his peers – he regularly featured for United’s U18’s despite being a 15-year old boy.
Phil Foden
Foden is one of the most technically gifted players to have come through Manchester City’s academy after Sheikhs Mansour’s takeover. Foden has already featured in several different occasions for Pep Guardiola’s side, and he’s held in very high regard by coaches and fellow players alike. The English press has also been calling for manager Gareth Southgate to call him up to the national team, now that the player seems to be featuring regularly for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
The talented midfielder made his Champions League debut at the age of 17, making him the fourth youngest English player to debut in Europe’s premier competition. He’s currently being chased by Allegri, who are looking to bring the player to Juve, as per reports
Ryan Sessegnon
One-club man Ryan Sessegnon has been a Fulham player since he was eight years old. He’s steadily climbed through the club’s ranks to become one of the most exciting prospects not only in England but in world football. He’s capable of playing as a left winger or left back, having a similar playing style to Welsh wonder Gareth Bale. He became a regular starter for his team at the age of 16, and he helped the Craven Cottage side return to the Premier League with a stellar 2017/2018 campaign.
Sessegnon plays exactly as you would expect from any quality modern full back: aware of his defensive duties, but incredibly supportive of his team’s attacks. His future seems to lay close to the Londoners – he could be set to sign a new contract sooner rather than later, with his side refusing to sell him to Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur when both giants came knocking.
Reiss Nelson
Reiss Nelson is part of Arsene Wenger’s legacy. He made 16 appearances on Wenger’s last season at the helm; even though Nelson didn’t score, it was clear that he had enough quality to succeed at the highest level of the game. He had already managed to score a fair amount of goals at Arsenal’s U23’s, showing a skill set worthy of players belonging to upper age echelons. With the arrival of Unai Emery, Nelson was loaned to Julian Nagelsmann’s
Hoffenheim, where he’s currently spending the 2018/2019 season. Nagelsmann is known for his quality man management skills, particularly when it comes to young players. Nelson’s loan could be crucial in his process to become a world-class talent – not only because of Hoffenheim’s manager but also because of the opportunity to play in the Champions League.
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