Premier League academies are notoriously sink-or-swim environments, such is the dense hotbed of talent accumulated by those looking to unearth the next big thing, and that often means only a fraction ‘make it’.
Some flourish, most falter, and that uncompromising policy can often mean that even the best fall through the cracks. Roy Keane once had a trial cancelled at Brighton because he was deemed ‘too small’; Antoine Griezmann was snubbed by a host of French clubs; while Harry Kane was dubbed “a bit chubby” for Arsenal.
With that we’ve had a look at every Premier League club’s biggest academy regret, those who were once on the books during their formative years but didn’t make the grade for one reason or another, only to come back and fulfil their potential.
Arsenal
Academy regret: Harry Kane
This one is not really a surprise. Other shouts in this category could include Serge Gnabry and Eberechi Eze, but Kane is a three-time Golden Boot winner, England’s second-highest scorer and, perhaps the most pertinent point: he is the all-time highest scorer in competitive North London derbies, with 14 goals.
It will certainly come as no surprise that Kane relishes match-ups against the Gunners, as he has admitted in the past to having a “chip on his shoulder” after being released by the club. According to Arsenal’s former academy director Liam Brady, Kane was snubbed because he was “a bit chubby” and “not very athletic”.
Aston Villa
Academy regret: Daniel Sturridge
Sturridge’s career trajectory may have nosedived in recent years, but there will always be a feeling of ‘what-if’ at Villa Park had he stuck around. Still only 33, the once burgeoning Brummie could still be playing at the highest echelon of the sport were his recent career not buffeted by persistent injury problems.
There was a time where Sturridge was bracketed with the very best forwards in the game. His cold-eyed calculation in the final third flourished alongside Luis Suarez as Liverpool came within a photo-finish of winning the Premier League. Unfortunately, Villa fans were not afforded the luxury of seeing their academy jewel in action, as he left the club for Coventry City at the age of 11.
Bournemouth
Academy regret: Alex Dobre
Maybe a name not familiar to many, Alexandru Dobre made just one cup appearance for the Cherries during his time at the club, instead spending most of his existence in England out on loan. He subsequently joined Dijon in 2020 and has since been capped by the Romania national team this year. His performances on loan at Portuguese side Famalicao have made him stand out for the nation.
Brentford
Academy regret: Tyrick Mitchell
When Brentford shut down their academy in 2016 in favour of launching a more cost-effective B team, their financial issues left them ripe for poachers, and Mitchell ultimately ended up joining Crystal Palace, where he is starting to have an Aaron Wan-Bissaka-esque impact at Selhurst Park. The 23-year-old missed just two Premier League matches under Patrick Vieira last season, playing with a top-flight maturity that belies his years, and he was handed his first caps for England last year.
Brighton
Academy regret: Viktor Gyokeres
Brighton have developed a knack for picking up some of the most insane young talent across the globe, and in 2018 they signed an unheralded Viktor Gyokeres from the Swedish second tier. The teenage forward had all the attributes to thrive, but under Chris Hughton, he found playing time hard to come by. A couple of loan spells followed before he joined Coventry permanently in 2021 — and he hasn’t looked back since. He is now spearheading the club’s promotion ambitions — scoring the second-most Championship goals in 2022/23 — and he will look to fire Coventry into the Premier League when they face Luton in the play-off final this weekend.
Chelsea
Mason Mount and Declan Rice are living the dream.
From the Chelsea academy to the final at #EURO2020.
Best friends since 8-years-old in England's biggest game since the 1966 World Cup Final.
What a moment.
More on #OptusSport | https://t.co/N1W3lHpRoA pic.twitter.com/9ASUdgEBoq
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) July 11, 2021
Academy regret: Declan Rice
“He bolted up to his bedroom. He was broken-hearted, crying,” said Declan’s father, Sean, after he just told his 14-year-old son that Chelsea were letting him go. It was a heart-rending moment for Rice, the feeling that he would never represent his boyhood club, but if anything, that rejection stoked the flames of motivation within him. He would go on to join West Ham, where he has gone from strength to strength since breaking into the first team, subsequently earning the nickname ‘Basmati Busquets’. At 24 he is already the club’s captain and continues to shine for England. Chelsea will need to reach deep into the transfer kitty to lure him back.
Crystal Palace
Academy regret: Freddie Woodman
The Crystal Palace academy link is strong in Freddie’s family. His father, Andy, honed his craft with the Eagles as a youngster in the late 80s/early 90s, while his godfather, none other than England manager Gareth Southgate, also earned his corn as a teenager at Selhurst Park. Woodman Jr started as Newcastle’s No.1 goalkeeper last season before injury dropped him out of the team, and he is now at Preston. Nevertheless, he has shown his worth between the sticks, winning the Championship’s Golden Glove accolade in 2020/21 while on loan at Swansea City.
Everton
Academy regret: Eric Dier
Born in Cheltenham, raised in Portugal, Dier has not had the most conventional of routes in football. He progressed through the Sporting CP academy in Lisbon, but spent a year as a teenager at Everton, though he ultimately returned to the Estadio Jose Alvalade and went on to break through in green and white. Such were Dier’s performances in Portugal that Tottenham eventually moved for his signature, and he has been a mainstay in north London ever since.
Another regret may also be Real Sociedad forward Mohamed-Ali Cho, who joined the club from Angers last summer and has really started to blossom in the Basque region. The 19-year-old Frenchman recently started as the club produced a famous 2-1 win over Barcelona. He was in the Everton academy for five years between 2015 and 2020. Oh how they could have done with his skill and endeavour in their relegation battle this season.
Fulham
Academy regret: Eberechi Eze
As mentioned, Eze could have also made it onto Arsenal’s list having been released by the club in his early teenage years, but it’s perhaps Fulham who will regret his release the most. The Londoner turned out for the Cottagers between 2011 and 2013 before eventually going on to join Reading, Millwall and then QPR, making it at the latter, who earned nearly £20m for his signature from Crystal Palace. He has gone from strength to strength at Selhurst Park and was recently rewarded for his fine form with a first England call-up.
Leeds United
Academy regret: Tom Cairney
Released by Leeds United at 16 for being ‘too small’, Tom Cairney has gone on to become a fully-fledged Scotland international and captained Fulham back to the Premier League where, last season, he boasted a 91.99% passing accuracy, the second-best of any midfielder in either the Premier League or Championship with at least 900 minutes played.
Leicester City
Academy regret: Calvin Bassey
Born in Italy, Calvin Bassey joined Leicester City’s youth set-up at the age of 15 after a succesful trial and rose through the academy ranks, appearing regularly for the U18s and U23s. However, in June 2020, Bassey signed a pre-contract with Rangers having never appeared for the Foxes, and just three years later, the 23-year-old has emerged as one of the game’s leading full-backs, completing a £20m move to Ajax last summer after helping the Gers reach last season’s Europa League final.
Liverpool
Academy regret: Jack Harrison
Jurgen Klopp loves direct, goal-hungry ‘wingers’ and Jack Harrison is cut from that same Mohamed Salah cloth, in terms of playing style. The Leeds inside forward started out at the Liverpool academy, but moved across to Manchester United just a year later, before jumping the pond and establishing a name for himself stateside.
Manchester City
Academy regret: Jadon Sancho
Sancho’s story is well-documented. Unsure whether Pep Guardiola would afford him playing time given the wealth of talent at his disposal, Sancho gambled and relocated to the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. For the Westphalians, the England international enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence and eventually encouraged Man Utd to offer a king’s ransom for his signature in 2021. Perhaps a cautionary tale, Guardiola ensured the crown prince of City’s expensively recalibrated academy, Phil Foden, would not up sticks in a similar fashion, and the buzz-cut gem is now a key member of the English champions.
Manchester United
Academy regret: Dwight McNeil
At this point McNeil’s call-up to the England set-up seems inevitable. Under the gravel-voiced tactical musings of Sean Dyche, McNeil flourished at a club not necessarily renowned for its policy on youth development. However, McNeil’s visceral talents could not go unnoticed and he was eventually blooded in by Dyche, having been released by Man Utd at the age of 14. He remains under Dyche’s tutelage at Everton, where he has been key to their survival bid.
Newcastle United
Academy regret: Shola Shoretire
The 18-year-old has already racked up three Premier League appearances for Man Utd and is the club’s youngest player to make an appearance in a European competition, having come on against Real Sociedad in 2020/21, subsequently beating Norman Whiteside’s record set nearly 40 years prior. He also won 2020/21’s illustrious ‘Jimmy Murphy Young Player’ award, which has famously been collected by the likes of Marcus Rashford and Paul Scholes among others.
Nottingham Forest
Academy regret: Patrick Bamford
Patrick Bamford joined the Forest academy at the age of eight and even managed to rise up to first-team level, making two Championship appearances for the club in 2011/12. That naturally alerted Chelsea to his talents, and the west Londoners paid £1.5m for his services. Unable to break into the first team at Stamford Bridge, Bamford became a victim of Chelsea’s infamous loan revolving door, before eventually finding his way to Leeds United, where he has gone on to establish himself as a Premier League household name and an England international.
Southampton
Academy regret: Jamal Musiala
Southampton has been one of football’s more productive hotbeds for wonderkids since the turn of the century, and Musiala is another who was once on the books at St Mary’s. The teenage sensation seems destined for a future Ballon d’Or having risen to prominence at Bayern Munich and the Germany national team, but in a parallel universe he’s wearing the colours of Southampton and representing England.
Having moved to England with his family at the age of seven, Musiala joined the Southampton academy but only lasted a year before Chelsea swooped in. He would represent The Three Lions at U15, U16, U17 and U21 level, but eventually opted for Germany at senior level. Oh what could have been.
A special mention to Ben White, as well. He was released by the club at 16, snapped up by Brighton, loaned to Leeds, and purchased by Arsenal for £50m. A costly release by the Saints.
Tottenham
Academy regret: Marcus Edwards
Marcus Edwards was once likened to Lionel Messi by former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino. There was no disputing the raw talent. However, he couldn’t quite nudge his way to the front of the queue in north London and eventually left for Portugal in 2019, first with Vitoria de Guimaraes and now Sporting, where he scored against Spurs in this season’s Champions League. Talk about biting the hand that once fed you.
West Ham
Players' Player of the Season ?
Fans Player of the Season ?
Josh Cullen, what an incredible player ? pic.twitter.com/V3IIY5GXRb
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) May 9, 2023
Academy regret: Josh Cullen
If Declan Rice is to leave West Ham this summer then fans will be scratching their heads thinking: What now? Well, the club could have had a ready-made replacement to slot in had Josh Cullen stuck around. A perennial fringe player at the club, Cullen was always tidy and professional when handed a fleeting chance — but he was never given a consistent look-in.
The midfield metronome ultimately upped sticks for Anderlecht in search of playing time in 2020 and joined Vincent Kompany at Burnley following his move last summer. The Republic of Ireland international was immense this season as The Clarets sealed promotion, winning the Fans Player of the Season award and the Players’ Player of the Year award.
He will take on The Hammers next season showing them what they missed out on.
Wolves
Academy regret: Pedro Goncalves
When Pedro Goncalves — or Pote — left Wolves for Famalicao in 2019, fans barely batted an eyelid. The unknown Portuguese youngster played just one cup game, where he was a 62nd-minute substitute for Elliot Watt in the EFL Cup second round, and few probably thought they would hear his name again.
Well, as it turns out, Wolves had quite the player on their hands; they just didn’t have the foresight to nurture him correctly. Back in his native Portugal, Pote has risen to prominence, now turning out for Sporting CP and has earned two caps for the national team. Links to elite clubs have naturally developed since.