BBC Sport research has identified 14 players recruited from EFL or Scottish Premiership academies for Premier League development squads so far this summer, with 11 of them being 18 years old. League One has also become fertile ground, providing seven of this summer's 14 recruits, compared with just two last season. Nine of the 14 moves identified this summer are listed as free transfers, with the other five for undisclosed fees.
The appeal of recruiting young domestic talent is easy to understand, as seen in the cases of Antoine Semenyo, who was rejected by several academies before Bristol City spotted him playing college football, and Eberechi Eze, who rebuilt his career at Millwall and QPR after being released by Arsenal. Jeremy Monga, who joined Leicester City at the age of eight, became Leicester's second-youngest Premier League player in April 2025, and also became Leicester's youngest league starter and surpassed Jude Bellingham as the Championship's youngest goalscorer.
Ollie Watkins came through at Exeter City, Adam Wharton at Blackburn Rovers, and Eberechi Eze rebuilt his career at Millwall and QPR after being released by Arsenal. The economics of academy recruitment have also become a wider issue, with the Premier League approaching the EFL over potentially capping compensation paid when young players move between academies.
Brexit has also affected players moving between the UK and EU, with about 60,000 professional players in Europe potentially available to British clubs before Brexit, but only about 5,000 would be likely to qualify for a permit. Liverpool's Ifeanyi Ndukwe is a good example of a player affected by Brexit, as he cannot play competitive matches for the Reds because he does not qualify for a work permit.