A transfer dispute involving 15-year-old Manchester United striker JJ Gabriel has highlighted the growing importance of teenagers in football’s transfer market. Gabriel wants to leave after concerns about his development, while the wider trend reflects intense competition among elite clubs to secure promising players earlier and reduce future financial risk.

This summer, all six of England’s wealthiest Premier League clubs have either signed or lost a highly rated academy player to a rival. Brexit has restricted English clubs from signing EU-based academy players under 18, increasing domestic competition, while data analysis and video scouting identify more prospects. Young players are also financially attractive because they do not count towards squad-cost rules and future sales can appear as pure profit.