Five Prem teenagers wanted by European giants: Hudson-Odoi, Gomes…
The Premier League may be awash with money, but young players are now starting to look elsewhere for opportunities to broaden their horizons and play more first-team football.
Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson are notable examples this season of English teenagers thriving on the continent after challenging themselves to shine outside their comfort zone.
We’ve taken a look at five teenagers currently playing at Premier League clubs who are also wanted by some of the biggest teams in Europe.
Callum Hudson-Odoi
We know we should stop being surprised at transfer fees these days, but Bayern Munich bidding £30million for Hudson-Odoi really does seem a lot of money.
And yet Chelsea seemingly want more for the 18-year-old, reportedly turning down the offer from the German giants.
The winger has just 69 minutes of Premier League football to his name after making his debut last season but did show his quality by providing two assists after being handed a rare start in the FA Cup victory over Nottingham Forest.
Hudson-Odoi assists Morata who gets brace. This is why Hudson-Odoi NEEDS more game-time 🙌 #CFC #CHEFOR pic.twitter.com/2mL9foXDSS
— CFC-Blues.com (@CFCBlues_com) January 5, 2019
Phil Foden
Foden is facing a similar problem to that which faced Sancho and continues to face Hudson-Odoi.
The midfielder is clearly prodigiously talented but has illustrious names ahead of him in his club’s pecking order, playing just 138 minutes of Premier League football across the last two seasons.
In October, The Daily Mail reported Borussia Dortmund, PSG and RB Leipzig are all monitoring Foden, who recently signed a new long-term deal at City, while The Sun suggested Juventus are also interested.
Emile Smith-Rowe
“I used to watch that Barcelona team – Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, when they were in their prime,” Smith-Rowe told Sky Sports in December.
“So when I found out that they were interested, I was very happy but I can’t explain to you how much I feel Arsenal is the right club for me.”
Barcelona haven’t been the only club the Arsenal youngster has had to field interest from, with PSV, Tottenham and Chelsea all also admirers of the 18-year-old.
While he is yet to make his Premier League debut, Smith-Rowe has been afforded opportunities by Unai Emery this term, scoring three goals in six appearances in the Europa League.
Ryan Sessegnon
Give he is now into his third season as a Fulham regular, it seems wrong that Sessegnon can still be a teenager, and yet he is still just 18.
With over 100 first-team appearances already under his belt, the England youth international has been linked with more or less every big club in the world, with Barcelona, Real Madrid and PSG reportedly among his most notable enthusiasts.
READ: Ryan Sessegnon: A thinker, a controller, a player who doesn’t make mistakes
Angel Gomes
Before Gomes put pen to paper on his first professional contract at Manchester United in December 2017, both Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona were credited with an interest in the midfielder by The Sun.
Still only 18, Gomes has been handed a senior solitary appearance for the Red Devils in each of the past three seasons, but the Manchester Evening News report Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has blocked plans for the youngster to be sent out on loan amid suggestions he is set for increased first-team involvement.