On the move – football’s youngest journeymen
This article examines footballers who had represented at least seven or eight clubs before turning 23, using Jhon Duran’s latest loan move to Benfica as the starting point.
– Jhon Duran, 22, has joined Benfica on loan, making it the seventh club of his career. – Former USA prodigy Freddy Adu had joined eight clubs by 22, amid early expectations that he would become a global star. – Croatian goalkeeper Matej Delac played for eight clubs by 22, largely through loan spells while contracted to Chelsea. – Nathaniel Chalobah had represented seven clubs by 22 before joining Watford permanently from Chelsea. – Josh McEachran also reached seven clubs by 22 after several Chelsea loans and a move to Brentford.
- Duran has joined his seventh club aged 22.
- Early loans can quickly create journeyman careers.
- Adu remains the most striking example.
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Some footballers move between clubs far more frequently than their peers, changing teams multiple times before they reach their mid-twenties. These frequent movers, sometimes called "journeymen", accumulate numerous transfers through a combination of permanent deals and temporary loan spells early in their careers.
Loan arrangements have become increasingly common in modern football, particularly with larger clubs using them as a way to develop young talent whilst retaining ownership of the player. Smaller clubs often welcome these loan signings as they gain access to players they could not otherwise afford.
The outcomes for young players who move frequently vary considerably, from some establishing themselves as successful professionals to others failing to achieve their early potential. Such moves can provide valuable playing experience, though constantly changing environments may also affect a player's consistency and development.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Professional football's development pathways naturally involve loan moves that expose young players to competitive experience and diverse coaching approaches across different systems and leagues. Clubs managing large academies must utilise loans to provide their prospects with meaningful match time and developmental opportunities that cannot all be accommodated internally, making repeated moves a routine and often beneficial part of the modern professional pathway.
The case against
The repeated pattern of moves by these young players raises concerns about continuity in development, with young athletes lacking the stable environment and consistent coaching relationships required to build confidence and master core technical skills. Such mobility suggests these players are being treated as transferable assets in a competitive system rather than young people receiving holistic care, potentially compromising their long-term development and wellbeing during formative years.