It’s safe to say, English academies aren’t what they used to be.
Indeed, 24 years ago Manchester United produced the ‘Class of 92′. Return to present day and Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard are the Red Devils’ only noteworthy academy graduates to speak of.
Likewise, whilst joining the youth set up at United, Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea once guaranteed you half a chance of claiming an England cap, the current Three Lions roster is filled with talents who made their names in the lower tiers, such as Jamie Vardy, John Stones and Dele Alli, before proving equally effective in the top flight.
Our mates at Transfermarkt.com love mulling through the statistics and one batch particularly caught our eye – their table of top flight clubs ranked by the number of goals academy graduates in their current first-team squads have scored for them in the Premier League.
It’s hardly the most scientific barometer of measuring academy efficiency, but nonetheless some very curious information. Here’s a rundown of the top ten…
10. Arsenal
Despite having the most academy graduates of any Premier League side in their senior squad, Arsenal only rank tenth in terms of goals. Indeed, their seven former youth stars have scored just seven times in the Premier League – a paltry one apiece.
9. Leicester City
Leicester City fare slightly better, albeit by just one goal. They’re provided by Jeffrey Schlupp and fan favourite Andy King, who both came through the club’s youth ranks before going on to win a shock Premier League title with the Foxes.
8. Manchester City
Manchester City have often been accused of buying success but their academy is finally beginning to bear some fruit. That being said, all ten Premier League goals from former youth players have been scored by the prodigious Kelechi Iheanacho.
7. Manchester United
Manchester United will be pleased to pip their local rivals but they’ve only managed to by one position, with academy products in their current squads responsible for 13 Premier League nets. The predominant source is a certain Marcus Rashford, whose top flight career has begun with eight strikes in 16 appearances.
6. Everton
Everton’s squad boasts a fantastic cohort of young talent, including homegrown product Ross Barkley. He’s fired the Toffees to sixth in this table almost single-handed, having netted 17 times since his Premier League debut in 2010.
5. Middlesbrough
Credit for Middlesbrough’s surprisingly high ranking belongs to one man – Stewart Downing. Better famed for his stints with Aston Villa and Liverpool, you might have forgotten the former England winger began his career with Boro before returning to his boyhood club in 2015.
4. West Bromwich Albion
Another upper-table shock, Saido Berahino has fired West Bromwich Albion all the way to fourth place with his 23 Premier League goals. He’s one of just three academy graduates currently in Tony Pulis’ first team squad.
3. West Ham
West Ham were once famed for an academy so great it was simply known as ‘the academy’. It’s stopped churning out stellar talent in the same way but nonetheless, Mark Noble’s accumulation of 30 Premier League goals throughout his career has put them in third.
2. Chelsea
Chelsea have notoriously struggled to bring academy products through in recent years but they rank second for one rather hilarious reason – captain John Terry. Indeed, the Blues’ last and most successful youth graduate, famed for being the Premier League’s highest-scoring defender of all time, is responsible for all but one of the 41 goals that have claimed Chelsea the runner-up spot.
1. Tottenham Hotspur
Few would be surprised to see Spurs top this list, with Mauricio Pochettino famed for his faith in young players. Academy graduates currently in their first-team squad have scored 52 Premier League goals – although 51 have been provided by a certain Harry Kane.
