#18 Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Anelka started his career at Paris Saint-Germain only to move to Arsenal for a sum of £500,000 when he was just 17 in 1997. After stints at Arsenal and Real Madrid, he returned to PSG for a deal worth £22 million but left the club yet again due to problems with the manager Luis Fernandez.
#17 Peter Crouch
Peter Crouch was re-signed by not one but two former clubs! Crouch signed a senior team contract with Tottenham Hotspur in 1998 after making appearances for their youth team. He never actually made any appearance for Spurs and spent his two years there away on loan.
In 2001, Portsmouth acquired the services of Crouch for £1.5 million from Queens Park Rangers. By the end of the 2007-08 season, Crouch had found his way to Liverpool and in July of 2008, he moved back to Portsmouth only to return to his first club Tottenham Hotspurs in 2009.
#16 Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas grew up playing in Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia, alongside Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique. He enjoyed great success with the youth team but chose to move to Arsenal’s academy in 2003.
He debuted there as a 16 year old, made captain in 2008 and then eventually moved back to Barcelona in 2011. Fabregas returned to his hometown club, Barcelona, for a sum of £29 million and other fees.
#15 Joe Cole
Joe Cole was an integral part of the youth team at West Ham United and made his senior team debut at the age of 17 in 1999. He was made captain at 21 in 2003 only to move to Chelsea 8 months later.
He spent seven very successful years at Chelsea after joining the club for £6.6 million. He eventually made a return to West Ham as a free agent in 2013 on an 18 month deal.
#14 Gerard Pique
A Catalonian by birth, Gerard Pique started playing football in Barcelona’s La Masia youth academy but signed professional contract with Manchester United. He played for United for four years before moving back to Barcelona in 2008 for a transfer fee of £5 million. Since then he has won a total number of 23 titles with the club; going back was a decision that really paid off.
#13 Shaun Wright-Phillips
Shaun Wright-Phillips moved to Manchester City from Nottingham Forest at the age of 17 in 1999. He earned great distinction during his time there until he moved to Chelsea in 2005 for a sum of £21million. After spending three years there, he moved back to Manchester City in 2008 for a sum of £8.5 million appoximately.
