04 Sep 2026 14:47:53
Well, well, another Welshman from the Academy is on his way.
Louie Bradbury has signed for Stoke City on a permanent deal. Another striker who did O.K. last season.
Interestingly, he only signed his first professional contract on 12th August!
It seems pretty clear there is quite some culling of the Academy going on, giving the number of exits through sales, loans and releases.
It seems to be the right thing to do if they do not see these lads as likely to succeed. No point in keeping them, as it benefits nobody. Let them try elsewhere.
Again, no details of the deal.
Wish him well.
04 Sep 2026 17:53:06
As far as producing great talent that later benefits the club's first team is concerned, the record over the last decade and a half is quite patchy. Rashford is probably the most successful. Pogba had his moment in the sun, elsewhere. McT has done incredibly well at Napoli. Garner's looked decent at Everton. Cleverley never remotely lived up to the next Paul Scholes hype. Lingard was a flash in the pan. Greenwood sabotaged himself, as did Ravel Morrison. Mainoo looks like he could truly make it. Maybe Lacey, of the more recent grads, will come through.
One of the things that's struck me is, all too often, the players coming through the academy look quite small and physically ill suited to the rigours of the EPL.
Not only have we not developed too many real stars useful to us, we really haven't been able to generate much serious cash from the academy either. Maybe, like the bloated payroll that was allowed to develop under the Woodward regime, the academy needed an overhaul. There's no point in keeping players who are not going to make it. The earlier you can recognize it, the better.
04 Sep 2026 21:37:02
I think it is precisely that. The realisation that they are not going to reach the hoped for level has instigated a significant clear out.
I agree about the physicality. Indeed, watching the recent FA Youth Cup final against City, I thought that exact same thing. We were very much secondary in that respect.
I also think the same when we play Chelsea, both U18s and U21s. They are successful both on the pitch and also when it comes to the selling of players to raise funds. Their players all seem to be that much bigger.
City and Chelsea are clearly the front runners when it comes to obtaining significant fees for their academy players.
Remember that many of them have had a fair amount of first team opportunity. It would be interesting to see how much Chelsea have actually raised over the last 10 years.
Also needs to be remembered that Jason Wilcox is widely recognised as playing a significant role in building City's academy.
It is pleasing that changes have already started, with all the new youth signings of the last 18mths or so, and this clearing the decks should further augment the hoped for renewal.
Time will tell!