Academy football - who are the biggest prospects?

Bastian

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Recently heard Lawro talk about City's academy being by far the best out there, saying there were a number of serious prospects there. What's the general level these days? Is it City > Chelsea > the rest? Where do we feature?

On the back of that, I thought (as I've suggested here a number of times :cool:) that were City seriously in for Kane, Spurs might greatly benefit from demanding a number of those prospects + a pot of gold.

Who are the biggest prospects in the various academies?
 

Dave_MUFC

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Carney Chukwuemeka and Louie Barry at Villa have been making waves at u23 level, especially the former, who's linked with the elite clubs this summer.

Fulham have Jay Stansfield who's only 17 and should get some decent playtime in the championship next season, while Fabio Carvalho has already broken through this season and looks settled in.

Liverpool seem to have struck gold with Harvey Elliot, who's looked perfectly at home at Blackburn this past season, scoring and assisting a fair amount. Will be interesting to see how he develops.
 

rotherham_red

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I think it depends on the criteria upon which you're judging the academies by. Is it trinklets and honours? In which case, Chelsea and then City are far ahead. Is it sales and loans and a way to get around FFP/financing first team purchases? In which Chelsea, again, win out. Or is it how many players from the academy make into the first team? In which case, from the three we're considering, it's Utd who win out, notwithstanding the efforts Lampard made to make use of the kids he had at his disposal for the short period of time he was in charge.

It's totally up to the individual what they prefer to see, but IMO, I like watching the kids play with more than an eye on whether they'd be suiting up for the first team, than just watching them play for the sake of it. Even if they're not as wildly successful at academy level as the other clubs mentioned.
 

duffer

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Recently heard Lawro talk about City's academy being by far the best out there, saying there were a number of serious prospects there. What's the general level these days? Is it City > Chelsea > the rest? Where do we feature?

On the back of that, I thought (as I've suggested here a number of times :cool:) that were City seriously in for Kane, Spurs might greatly benefit from demanding a number of those prospects + a pot of gold.

Who are the biggest prospects in the various academies?

I guess there's a few ways you can judge how good an academy is (in no particular order):

1, Players making it into the first team.
2, Players going on to to have top careers at other clubs.
3, Money made from selling academy players.
4, Trophies the academy sides win.

If you look at long term or short term, the Man City academy is certainly not "by far the best out there".
 

Ekkie Thump

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I think Leeds have a few U23s that might excel and they're all still teenagers. Crysencio Summerville (RW), Joe Gelhard (ST), Sam Greenwood (ST) and Cody Drameh (RB) are the ones that stood out for me this season and I think they've all warmed the first team bench at some point. Summerville would already be mint but he's absolutely tiny. There's also a 16/17 year old midfielder called Charlie Allen who seems to be holding his own in the U23's. Folk reckon he's got great prospects.
 

sun_tzu

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I'll take our chances with:
Greenwood
Mcneil
Hughil
Elanga
Diallo
Shoretire
Mejrib
Forson
Garner
Laird
Mengi

Cant be many teams with a better bunch of U21 players... could easily see 5 or more of those make it at the very top level and would be surprised if all of them didnt carve out a decent professional career ...
 

pascell

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I'll take our chances with:
Greenwood
Mcneil
Hughil
Elanga
Diallo
Shoretire
Mejrib
Forson
Garner
Laird
Mengi

Cant be many teams with a better bunch of U21 players... could easily see 5 or more of those make it at the very top level and would be surprised if all of them didnt carve out a decent professional career ...
Hansen-Aaroen looks an amazing talent too, then the likes of Kambwala, Garnacho, Fernandes and the young lad we got from Barca are all just starting out too.
 

Bastian

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Thanks for the replies - great information here. I wasn't really thinking which academy is the best, just more thinking about the individual prospects where I'm not clued up at all. It was just Lawro saying City were way ahead, and I think he was talking in terms of the number of prospects, and again, if memory serves, was referring to the younger age groups.

With United, it does feel like there's been a shift for the better. Quite a number of prospects. Just made me realise I know absolutely nothing about City's prospects, or anyone else for that matter.

So all the info here is much appreciated.
 

sun_tzu

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Hansen-Aaroen looks an amazing talent too, then the likes of Kambwala, Garnacho, Fernandes and the young lad we got from Barca are all just starting out too.
yeah I mean Rashford was technically eligable for the U23 in the season just gone even - we have some great young players coming through and inevitably all wont make it but equally Id be shocked if at least a handful didnt go on to be really important players in years to come - actually bringing them through, finding the right loans at the right time and ensuring they have opportunities is potentially going to be the biggest challenge particularly as we have so many attacking / creative players coming through at once ... as my old boss used to say its a quality problem to have
 

Dave_MUFC

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Thanks for the replies - great information here. I wasn't really thinking which academy is the best, just more thinking about the individual prospects where I'm not clued up at all. It was just Lawro saying City were way ahead, and I think he was talking in terms of the number of prospects, and again, if memory serves, was referring to the younger age groups.

With United, it does feel like there's been a shift for the better. Quite a number of prospects. Just made me realise I know absolutely nothing about City's prospects, or anyone else for that matter.

So all the info here is much appreciated.
With City, I think Liam Delap is quite close to the first team, a striker who's had a few sub appearances for them this season. Gavin Bazunu in goal is also highly rated, only 19 and already starting games for the Ireland national team.

Of course, with City, you never know if they'll actually make it through there or elsewhere. They did have Brahim Diaz to has now gone on to become a starting player for Milan.
yeah I mean Rashford was technically eligable for the U23 in the season just gone even - we have some great young players coming through and inevitably all wont make it but equally Id be shocked if at least a handful didnt go on to be really important players in years to come - actually bringing them through, finding the right loans at the right time and ensuring they have opportunities is potentially going to be the biggest challenge particularly as we have so many attacking / creative players coming through at once ... as my old boss used to say its a quality problem to have
I think good, successful loans are key. Look at how Chelsea managed to bring through Abraham, Mount, Tomori etc. by loaning them to lower leagues who gave them chances. Even guys like Courtois were loaned to Atletico for a bit.
 

duffer

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I'll go by age for Chelsea academy products and who I think has the most potential:

20 - Billy Gilmour, Marc Guehi second.
19- Tino Anjorin or Armando Broja
18 - Musiala :mad: If it's players AT Chelsea, Tino Livramento or Lewis Bate
17-Jude Soonsup-Bell or Harvey Vale.

16 and under it's kinda guess work as those games are rarely televised.
 

The holy trinity 68

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I'll take our chances with:
Greenwood
Mcneil
Hughil
Elanga
Diallo
Shoretire
Mejrib
Forson
Garner
Laird
Mengi

Cant be many teams with a better bunch of U21 players... could easily see 5 or more of those make it at the very top level and would be surprised if all of them didnt carve out a decent professional career ...
Diallo definitely doesn't count. The club signed him at 18 years old and he has made several first team appearances. He has been playing in the Under 23's mainly so he can keep progressing. He is not a United academy player in the slightest.
 

Champagne Football

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Would be great to see us get Ben Grist and Liam Gibbs of Grimsby and Ipswich over the line.
The club seems to be trying hard to get back to what we used to do best.
 

Ekkie Thump

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BTW I've really enjoyed watching the Leeds U23's this season and it's always been free to air on youtube (barring away at Palace). Is that the same in PL2 Division 1 or is it all subscription based to the various club websites?
 

Dancfc

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I'll go by age for Chelsea academy products and who I think has the most potential:

20 - Billy Gilmour, Marc Guehi second.
19- Tino Anjorin or Armando Broja
18 - Musiala :mad: If it's players AT Chelsea, Tino Livramento or Lewis Bate
17-Jude Soonsup-Bell or Harvey Vale.

16 and under it's kinda guess work as those games are rarely televised.
I was hoping Jude makes the squad next season but the noises are it will be Broja instead.

I like Mando but from what i see JSB is a potential top tier talent.
 

Sultan

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Fulham have Jay Stansfield who's only 17 and should get some decent playtime in the championship next season, while Fabio Carvalho has already broken through this season and looks settled in.
A very impressive performance tonight. He'll have a lot of suiters.
 

Walrus

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In the fantasy football league I do with some mates we are always trying to look out for the next Foden or Kane (we have persistent squads and enough space for academy players). Here are a few prospects I have signed that I have hopes for. These are the less well known names I have;

Thomas Cannon
Diamond Edwards
Joe Gelhardt
Luke Mbete
Tyler Onyango
Kane Taylor
Jimi Tauriainen

very interested in any other ones to keep an eye on - preferably around U16 level or so (that sounds so dodgy).
 

Champ

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Georginho Rutter is a talent, in bundesliga now, had a cracking first game of the season, 19 years old.
 

Dave_MUFC

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A very impressive performance tonight. He'll have a lot of suiters.
Yep, being a focal point of the team at 18 is quite impressive. Only issue is that he's in his last year of his contract I think, while Fulham are really trying to push him to sign. Don't want another Harvey Elliot situation!
 

Classical Mechanic

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In the fantasy football league I do with some mates we are always trying to look out for the next Foden or Kane (we have persistent squads and enough space for academy players). Here are a few prospects I have signed that I have hopes for. These are the less well known names I have;

Thomas Cannon
Diamond Edwards
Joe Gelhardt
Luke Mbete
Tyler Onyango
Kane Taylor
Jimi Tauriainen

very interested in any other ones to keep an eye on - preferably around U16 level or so (that sounds so dodgy).
Alex Scott - Bristol City
Carney Chukwuemeka - Villa
Thiery Small - Everton
Charlie Patino - Arsenal
Miguel Azeez - Arsenal
Liam Delap - City
Cole Palmer - City
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens - Dortmund
 

Mogget

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I think Leeds have a few U23s that might excel and they're all still teenagers. Crysencio Summerville (RW), Joe Gelhard (ST), Sam Greenwood (ST) and Cody Drameh (RB) are the ones that stood out for me this season and I think they've all warmed the first team bench at some point. Summerville would already be mint but he's absolutely tiny. There's also a 16/17 year old midfielder called Charlie Allen who seems to be holding his own in the U23's. Folk reckon he's got great prospects.
I hope he makes it purely because I love his name
 

Ekkie Thump

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I hope he makes it purely because I love his name
Been excellent all preseason, was on the bench against Man Utd on Saturday and scored this against Palace U23's on Monday (1.12, think I cued it up right).


Pretty sure he'll see first team football at some point this season. Seems to be coming on leaps and bounds.
 

Classical Mechanic

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In the fantasy football league I do with some mates we are always trying to look out for the next Foden or Kane (we have persistent squads and enough space for academy players). Here are a few prospects I have signed that I have hopes for. These are the less well known names I have;

Thomas Cannon
Diamond Edwards
Joe Gelhardt
Luke Mbete
Tyler Onyango
Kane Taylor
Jimi Tauriainen

very interested in any other ones to keep an eye on - preferably around U16 level or so (that sounds so dodgy).
Another one for you

 

11101

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Recently heard Lawro talk about City's academy being by far the best out there, saying there were a number of serious prospects there. What's the general level these days? Is it City > Chelsea > the rest? Where do we feature?

On the back of that, I thought (as I've suggested here a number of times :cool:) that were City seriously in for Kane, Spurs might greatly benefit from demanding a number of those prospects + a pot of gold.

Who are the biggest prospects in the various academies?
I'm not sure i believe that, and Lawro is pretty clueless at the best of times.

We've been hearing for almost 10 years about how wonderful the City academy is and so far they've got a single player (Foden) to show for it and just recently coaches and top prospects are beginning to leave. Doesn't strike me as the best at anything.
 

Sea-Cow

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In the fantasy football league I do with some mates we are always trying to look out for the next Foden or Kane (we have persistent squads and enough space for academy players). Here are a few prospects I have signed that I have hopes for. These are the less well known names I have;

Thomas Cannon
Diamond Edwards
Joe Gelhardt
Luke Mbete
Tyler Onyango
Kane Taylor
Jimi Tauriainen

very interested in any other ones to keep an eye on - preferably around U16 level or so (that sounds so dodgy).
Do you mind sharing additional details like club and position?

I know I could google them myself but just curious if you have them readily available. Thanks
 

lefty_jakobz

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I'll go by age for Chelsea academy products and who I think has the most potential:

20 - Billy Gilmour, Marc Guehi second.
19- Tino Anjorin or Armando Broja
18 - Musiala :mad: If it's players AT Chelsea, Tino Livramento or Lewis Bate
17-Jude Soonsup-Bell or Harvey Vale.

16 and under it's kinda guess work as those games are rarely televised.
Gilmour was bought from Rangers so would he be classed as an academy product? I do think he will go on to be a great player wether thats at Chelsea I dont know, would love him at Utd
 

duffer

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Gilmour was bought from Rangers so would he be classed as an academy product? I do think he will go on to be a great player wether thats at Chelsea I dont know, would love him at Utd
We didn't buy him. He signed for us a week after his 16th birthday and then spent a few years in the academy.

I guess it depends where you draw the line but if Gilmour is not a Chelsea academy product then the likes Mejbri aren't Man United products either.
 

lefty_jakobz

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We didn't buy him. He signed for us a week after his 16th birthday and then spent a few years in the academy.

I guess it depends where you draw the line but if Gilmour is not a Chelsea academy product then the likes Mejbri aren't Man United products either.
Would that make him an academy prospect?

Genuine question.
 

Sea-Cow

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The Guardian just released their list of 17 and 18 year old's. I think there is a list of 60 worldwide, and then they also pick one from each of the clubs in the Prem.

I always look forward to this and also appreciate how they will provide updates each year for all of the selections.
 

Thunderhead

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The Guardian just released their list of 17 and 18 year old's. I think there is a list of 60 worldwide, and then they also pick one from each of the clubs in the Prem.

I always look forward to this and also appreciate how they will provide updates each year for all of the selections.
Yeah I like this, I like looking back through the years to see who has broken through and where certain players are now
 

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On a side note it's incredible how Nuno Travassos from Portugal has missed 95% of his predictions since 2014 or 2015.
 

Lash

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The Guardian just released their list of 17 and 18 year old's. I think there is a list of 60 worldwide, and then they also pick one from each of the clubs in the Prem.

I always look forward to this and also appreciate how they will provide updates each year for all of the selections.
Yeah, I like they don't just focus on Europe and do truly worldwide.

On a side note, Pinyaev being on there was nice to see a little update on him. I'm pretty sure if he keeps progressing he'll be over here pretty quickly when he's eligible.
 

GhastlyHun

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I'll go by age for Chelsea academy products and who I think has the most potential:

20 - Billy Gilmour, Marc Guehi second.
19- Tino Anjorin or Armando Broja
18 - Musiala :mad: If it's players AT Chelsea, Tino Livramento or Lewis Bate
17-Jude Soonsup-Bell or Harvey Vale.

16 and under it's kinda guess work as those games are rarely televised.
Thank you kindly :angel: