It’s becoming increasingly difficult for young players to get an opportunity in the Premier League.
The riches of England’s top flight means clubs are purchasing players from overseas who already have experience, instead of continuing to nurture their own talents.
England’s youth teams enjoyed a brilliant summer, winning the Toulon Tournament and U20 World Cup and reaching the final and semi-final of the U17 Euros and U21 Euros respectively.
Yet there’s no guarantee that these players will be given a chance to impress in the first teams of their clubs.
Dermot Drummy, who heads Chelsea’s academy, summed it up perfectly when he said club’s are putting on-pitch results over their youth players.
“Buying power is the issue,” Drummy said, per the Daily Mail.
“The top clubs can afford to get it wrong. I look at Ryan Bertrand as an example. In my eyes he was always a huge prospect. He felt the opportunity was not there and left Chelsea. Now there's talk about Manchester City wanting him.
“I had Romelu Lukaku at 18 and we worked hard on his finishing and you could see how talented he was but he was sold; it doesn't matter because they can buy him back.
"Look at Paul Pogba at Manchester United.
“It comes from the owners. If Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich said to Antonio Conte, 'Push the youth players, don't worry about results for a few seasons' they would come through. But you won't break the cycle unless that happens.”
So when you scan a list that the Independent published in 2008, of their top 10 teenagers to watch from outside the Premier League, it’s hardly a surprise that many failed to become household names.
Mark Beevers
Then: Sheffield Wednesday
Now: Bolton Wanderers
John Bostock
Then: Crystal Palace
Now: RC Lens
Luke Freeman
Then: Gillingham
Now: Queens Park Rangers
Owen Garvan
Then: Ipswich Town
Now: St Patrick’s Athletic
Dan Gosling
Then: Plymouth
Now: Bournemouth
Chris Gunter
Then: Tottenham Hotspur
Now: Reading
Lee Hills
Then: Crystal Palace
Now: Unattatched
Aaron Ramsey
Then: Cardiff City
Now: Arsenal
Sean Scannell
Then: Crystal Palace
Now: Burton Albion (on loan from Huddersfield Town)
Ben Tozer
Then: Newcastle United
Now: Newport County
Arsenal midfielder Ramsey is the most recognised name to come from the list, with Gosling the only other player currently playing in the Premier League.
Getting to the top has never been harder.