While the Premier League is a grand stage where a new exciting talent has the opportunity to enjoy a meteoric rise to stardom, they can just as quickly fall off the radar.
Several promising England youngsters have flitted in and out of the spotlight.
Some have opted to leave the country altogether to get their careers back on track.
Here’s a look at five English players who are currently plying their trade abroad.
ADEMOLA LOOKMAN – RB LEIPZIG
The 20-year-old scored on his debut for Everton last January when he came off the bench in a 4-0 win over Manchester City and enjoyed a few promising appearances this season as well. Starved of playing time though, Lookman pushed for a move to RB Leipzig in the winter transfer window even though the Toffees preferred he signed for a Championship side with Derby County the front runners.
He did get his move to the Bundesliga though and scored the winner on his debut as a late substitute away to Borussia Monchengladbach. That remains his only goal for the side having made five appearances so far.
Ademola Lookman
CHUBA AKPOM – SINT TRUIDENSE
The Arsenal youth product made his senior debut for the club back in 2013. Since then, he’s mustered a further 11 appearances for the Gunners and is currently on his sixth loan spell, this time to Belgian First Division A side Sint-Truiden. He’s made four appearances so far, scoring once.
The striker has struggled to make an impact since breaking through the ranks at Arsenal and many view his spell in Belgium at present as his final chance to prove his mettle. Failing to do so could see the 22-year-old slip into obscurity once his time on Arsenal’s books comes to an end.
Chuba Akpom
JADON SANCHO – BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Manchester City may have lost a huge English talent when they allowed Jadon Sancho to join Dortmund last summer for a fee reported to be in the region of £8 million. The German club rated him so highly that he was immediately handed the No7 shirt vacated by Barcelona-bound Ousmane Dembele.
Sancho, who won the U-17 World Cup with England last year, has impressed in his six appearances for the club, bagging one assist. An ankle injury has seen him sidelined of late but the 17-year-old is rapidly approaching a full recovery and should be back in action soon.
Jadon Sancho
RAVEL MORRISON – ATLAS
Rio Ferdinand has called him the best young player he’s ever seen and Sam Allardyce has labeled him the biggest waste of talent he’s ever seen. That tells you all you need to know about Ravel Morrison. Blessed with all the ability in the world, his poor attitude and off-field troubles has rendered him a failure.
After producing rare breath-taking moments at Manchester United, West Ham, Birmingham and Lazio, the Englishman – who is however considering turning out for the Jamaican national team – is currently plying his trade in the Mexican league for Atlas. And of course, he’s recently scored a sublime free-kick. Now we wait for the other shoe to drop.
Ravel Morrison's stunning free-kick for Atlas in their 3-1 defeat against Pumas yesterday. #mufc pic.twitter.com/XMhazxoI5M
— Samiran Mishra (@scoutdesk) January 15, 2018
REECE OXFORD – BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
In July 2015, Oxford became West Ham’s youngest ever player at the age of 16 years and 221 days when he played in a 3–0 win against Andorran club Lusitanos in a Europa League qualifier. His Premier League bow that August – starting in a 2-0 win over Arsenal – made everyone sit up and take notice. In his following appearances, the youngster exhibited his versatility, comfortable playing in midfield or defence. He was quickly touted as one of England’s most promising youth prospects.
He was loaned to Borussia Monchengladbach at the start of this season before briefly returning to West Ham in the winter, only to be returned to the Bundesliga club on loan again at the end of January. He’s made five appearance so far this season.
Reece Oxford
