Premier League clubs looking to EFL for next Semenyo & Eze

Premier League clubs have been increasingly turning to EFL and Scottish academies to find promising young talent, in addition to EFL clubs. Manchester City's recent £12.5m signing of Jeremy Monga from Leicester City is just one example of this trend. Monga broke records at Leicester before becoming their youngest league starter and youngest goalscorer in the Championship.

The Premier League's interest in young domestic talent has led to a significant increase in transfers from EFL academies, with 14 such transfers identified so far this summer, matching the number made across the entire 2025-26 season. This is a marked increase from previous seasons, with only eight transfers in 2024-25 and seven in 2023-24.

Other notable examples include Antoine Semenyo, who was rejected by several academies before being spotted by Bristol City, and Ollie Watkins, who came through at Exeter City. Recruitment departments at Premier League clubs see players from EFL and Scottish academies as valuable assets, as finding the next player capable of following a similar path can be enormously beneficial.

The financial outlay for these players remains relatively small, with nine of this summer's 14 recruits listed as free transfers. The changes in youth development due to Brexit have also played a role, with Premier League 2 producing more British transfers to EU clubs before Brexit than after. Clubs that recruit from EFL academies still benefit from the ability to develop players domestically, as an 18-year-old from such an academy can still qualify as club-trained if they spend three seasons with their new Premier League club.