Returning academy graduates
The economic realities of the modern game mean that Premier League clubs now have the riches to sign players from all corners of the globe. But there's nothing fans enjoy more than seeing an academy graduate flourishing in the first team.
It doesn’t always work out for youngsters at their first club, however, with many forced to move away in order to establish themselves in the senior game. In this slideshow, we pick out a former prospect (defined as any player training with a club by the age of 17) each Premier League club would take back if they could. Plus those who wouldn't have a choice...
Arsenal (Serge Gnabry)
One of many Arsenal academy products who was unable to nail down a place in the first team, Gnabry has gone on to bigger and better things since departing north London in 2016.
At one point the German was on the cusp of breaking into Arsene Wenger’s first team on a regular basis, before a serious knee injury ruled him out for over a year. An unproductive loan spell at West Brom followed, after which Gnabry returned to the country of his birth with Werder Bremen. The forward was then snapped up by Bayern Munich in 2017 and has made 26 appearances for the Bundesliga champions this term.
Bournemouth (Danny Ings)
Ings returned to boyhood club Southampton last summer, bringing his career full circle having first joined the club as a schoolboy. He wasn’t on Saints’ books for long, though, and instead spent his formative years 30 miles down the south coast at Bournemouth.
The striker played 30 times for the Cherries at senior level, before sealing a move to Burnley – and a personal promotion from League One to Championship – in summer 2011. Bournemouth aren’t short of options up front but Eddie Howe would surely relish the chance to have Ings among his attacking arsenal this season.
Brighton (Steve Cook)
Born in nearby Hastings, former England international Gareth Barry played for Brighton as a child before making the move to Aston Villa. The midfielder is now past his best at 37, though, so Albion would probably prefer to recapture Cook from south-coast rivals Bournemouth.
A reliable performer at the heart of the Cherries’ defence, Cook – one of the players who appeared for Eddie Howe’s side in League One – has continued to defy expectations in the top flight. He might not start given the importance of Brighton’s Duffy-Dunk partnership, but he'd be an able deputy for Chris Hughton’s team.
Burnley (Jay Rodriguez)
The Clarets have gradually established themselves as a Premier League side and hit their peak with last season’s seventh-place finish, but they’ve struggled in 2018/19 all over the pitch.
West Brom’s Rodriguez is a name from the past who could add a touch of class these days; he might never be able to reach his pre-injury best, but the forward is showing in the Championship this term that he remains a handy goalscorer and creator. The local boy played 128 times for Burnley before departing in 2012.
Cardiff (Aaron Ramsey)
Juventus look likely to win the race for Ramsey’s signature, with the Wales international set to leave Arsenal when his contract expires this summer. Needless to say, Cardiff would love the opportunity to welcome back a player who was once their youngest ever player after making his debut at the age of 16.
Ramsey only played 22 matches for the Bluebirds before Arsenal prised him away from his boyhood club, although he did return for a brief loan stint in 2010/11. Neil Warnock would probably find a way to fit him into his team this season.
Chelsea (Declan Rice)
West Ham fans can be forgiven for joyously proclaiming Rice as a prodigee of their own making; he has, after all, been with the Hammers since he was 14. But before that, he belonged to London rivals Chelsea.
Rice’s form in central midfield this season has earned him rave reviews across the board, and his intelligence, composure and style would surely interest Maurizio Sarri right now. If not him, then another top-six chief may well come calling soon enough.
Crystal Palace (Freddie Woodman)
There aren’t too many options for Palace in this realm: Victor Moses’ stock is at its lowest for some time, Jonny Williams has only just departed for Charlton, and Lewis Grabban isn’t Premier League quality.
Perhaps, then, the Eagles would welcome Woodman back to Selhurst Park. The Newcastle glovesman left south London in 2013 but has since won six caps for England’s under-21s and could be one for the future.
Everton (Ross Barkley)
A choice of three for Everton, but narrow defeats and a relative paucity of goals suggest it should be an attack-minded player – so Barkley gets the nod over Shkodran Mustafi and Eric Dier.
Barkley only departed for Chelsea a year ago, but the Toffees would have kept hold of him if they could. At his best the England international possesses the drive, dribbling and goalscoring ability to be a serious threat in the final third, and he would certainly be an asset in this Everton side.
Fulham (Moussa Dembele)
Fulham’s principal problem this season has been at the back: they have conceded a league-high 55 goals and kept a league-low two clean sheets. A little more firepower wouldn’t go amiss, though, which is why the Cottagers would love to still have Dembele knocking around west London.
The striker joined Fulham at 16 and played well over 50 games for the Cottagers before heading to Scotland with Celtic. Now a multimillion-pound forward at Lyon, Dembele has a bright future ahead of him at both club level and with the France national team.
Huddersfield Town (Josh Windass)
The Terriers don’t have too many options to choose from, which means their standout option is a Championship-level player. Sadly for the Terriers, though, that’s where they’re headed.
Windass has come a long way since being released by Town as a youngster, progressing through non-league football and Accrington Stanley to arrive, via Rangers in Scotland, at Wigan. An attacking midfielder with an eye for goal, he might add some much-needed creativity in the final third at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Leicester (Max Gardel)
Leicester's attack has struggled to break down dogged opposition at home this season, and few of Claude Puel's options in wide areas have convinced in 2018/19. Harvey Barnes has been recalled from a prosperous loan spell at West Brom, but another of the Foxes' former kids could also help satisfy a disgruntled home crowd.
Gradel never quite made the impact fans hoped he would at Leicester, but he’s currently thriving at Toulouse and would add something different to Puel’s squad.
Liverpool (Suso)
The obvious answer here is Raheem Sterling: a ready-made alternative to the pacey forwards Liverpool rely on. But given that the oft-levelled criticism of the Reds’ play is a tendency to be predictable and overreliant on the pace and movement of those attackers, perhaps there’s an argument to suggest that Suso might be more useful to Jurgen Klopp's current side.
A scheming, creative threat from central or wide, and a semi-regular scorer to boot, he wouldn’t look out of place swapping Milan for Anfield once more.
Manchester City (Jadon Sancho)
What do you need most when you’re the reigning champions and have all the money in the world? Well, not much really – but Manchester City’s success wasn't enough to keep hold of the most exciting teenager in English football.
Sancho initially made headlines for his move as much as his magic, but his scintillating performances for Borussia Dortmund have comfortably drowned them out. FourFourTwo's March 2019 cover star quickly began to show why he'd backed his talent in search of first-team football with BVB, and so far this season has racked up nine assists and six goals in the Bundesliga alone.
Manchester United (Josh King)
Manchester United have surprisingly few options for this category – Michael Keane is surely not the answer to their problems at centre-back, and the same applies to their popular former right-back Rafael at Lyon.
Bournemouth's King – who played twice for United during his stint at Old Trafford between 2008 and 2013 – has proven himself to be one of the most consistent forwards in the Premier League over the last two-and-a-half years, impressing with his unselfish link-up play and eye for goal. He wouldn’t be a starter at Old Trafford, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would probably find a place for him in his squad.
Newcastle United (Fraser Forster)
Even with the recent acquisition of record signing Miguel Almiron, new arrivals at St James’ Park tend to be few and far between. Few fans would take kindly to homecomings for either Andy Carroll or Nile Ranger, leaving viable alternatives thin on the ground.
Southampton goalkeeper Forster never made an appearance for the Magpies as a youngster, and while his stock has fallen dramatically at St Mary's, so has his price tag – and that, if nothing else, would no doubt appeal to the parsimonious Mike Ashley.
Southampton (Gareth Bale)
Arguably the Premier League club with the most options here – and yet conversely, this is the easiest decision of the lot.
Luke Shaw, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and Adam Lallana have all passed through the Saints' fabled academy, but so too did Welshman Bale, who burst onto the scene with his set-piece prowess in 2006. How St Mary’s regulars would love to see the Real Madrid man add to his tally of 45 Southampton appearances.
Tottenham (Nabil Bentaleb)
Bentaleb initially showed promise at Spurs and racked up 66 appearances for the north Londoners, including in the 2015 League Cup final against Chelsea. The Algerian fell out of favour with Mauricio Pochettino the following year, however, playing only five Premier League games as Tottenham challenged for the title.
Schalke rescued him on loan in August 2016, since when he's grown steadily into his role in Gelsenkirchen. He's even managed six goals this season – all of them penalties. The 24-year-old would be a substitute at White Hart Lane if everyone was fit, but he’s a serviceable talent who could beef up Pochettino's current central midfield options.
Watford (Ashley Young)
Are we allowed Jadon Sancho twice? The Dortmund star began his career with Watford as a youngster, before heading to City aged 14.
The other alternative is the (considerably) more seasoned Ashley Young, who remains a reliable starter and consummate professional for Manchester United. Now used as a full-back at Old Trafford, the Hornets may be tempted to find a more attacking role for one of their best players this century.
West Ham (James Tomkins)
Tomkins joined West Ham aged seven and became a Premier League regular for the Hammers, fulfilling a childhood dream.
His 2016 move to Crystal Palace was perhaps more sideways than forwards, but Tomkins' old club have struggled at centre-back in recent seasons and wouldn't mind having him back among their options right now. The 29-year-old is more mature, experienced and reliable than he was in his younger days.
Wolves (Wayne Hennessey)
Wayne Hennessey played over 150 times for Wolves before joining Crystal Palace, where his fortunes have been up and down throughout his five-year stay.
Nobody at Molineux would want his inconsistency over Portuguese stopper Rui Patricio, but the Welshman would at least be decent competition as the West Midlanders' back-up shot-stopper. It might not be the most glamorous choice, but Robbie Keane has retired and Elliott Bennett was the only real alternative.
