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I'm kind of extrapolating from the Lookman/Sancho/possibly Hudson-Odoi, where the prospect of getting more run as a young/developing player overcomes the desire to break through into a team which keeps buying developed players in your position.
Also you can say it's worked as you have won trophies in the past, but what if you don't win trophies in the future? Isn't that what the academies are for, to provide a pipeline of talent to the first team, but @WornCleat why would you sign onto an academy, be loyal to an academy if you never get to play for them (first team) yeah you get the cachet of being on their books, but at the first sign of playing time elsewhere you go, no? And some other team gets the benefit of your talents.
cornelius_blackfoot-
I think you’re looking at it the wrong way.
Consider it an internship in a corporate environment. How many grads make it to partner or senior partner at a top 10 law firm?
These players get one of the best foundations to succeed as a professional player and many continue to do so. I doubt that the success of them starting in the first team has a huge bearing on this.
£35m for an unproven player is kind of preposterous but as as long as he insists on leaving than he’ll get his move.
jaw
It’s arguably one of the most successful youth academies in the UK. There’s an article somewhere about the number of ex Chelsea youth products playing in the top 5 leagues in Europe. Failing to break into an elite squad that is expected to win trophies is not easy.
I’d love to have seen KDB, Kakkers, Ake, Solanke, RLC, Musonda, van Aanholt, Bertrand all feature more regularly buy you can hardly say it’s cost us trophies.