Premier League clubs are increasingly recruiting teenagers from EFL and Scottish academies, seeking to identify future stars before they become established senior players. Manchester City’s £12.5m signing of Leicester winger Jeremy Monga, who was also wanted by Arsenal, illustrates the competition for elite domestic talent and the potential value of early recruitment.

BBC Sport identified 14 such moves this summer, matching the total for the whole of 2025-26, with 11 recruits aged 18 and seven arriving from League One. Nine were free transfers, making the approach relatively low-risk compared with buying established players; successful examples including Antoine Semenyo, Eberechi Eze, Ollie Watkins and Adam Wharton demonstrate the possible rewards. The Premier League has also discussed capping academy compensation paid to EFL clubs, reflecting concerns over the financial impact on clubs losing young prospects.