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Youth players emerging from a club's academy often get the fans excited. These players tend to love the club and are in tune with the kind of football that the club wants to play. Despite that, things often don't go to plan.
Sometimes these players might not get a chance to play but remain at the club with faint hopes of realizing their dreams. This could be harmful to their development in the early stages of their professional football career. These young players need as much game time as possible so they can realize their true potential.
Keeping this in mind, let us take a look at some players who must leave their current clubs this summer to take the next step in their careers.
#5 Reiss Nelson
Reiss Nelson has been at Arsenal since 2007. The English winger made his first-team debut in 2017, yet he is no closer to a first-team spot five years later. He has spent a lot of time either with the reserves or out on loan.
Everywhere he has played, he has been decent, but neither Mikel Arteta nor Unai Emery before him have given Nelson regular minutes. Last season, he managed four goals and seven assists on loan at Feyenoord and played in the Conference League final. Now 22, it is perhaps time for Nelson to try his luck elsewhere.
#4 Antonio Blanco
A couple of seasons ago, it looked like Antonio Blanco was destined to be Casemiro's successor at Real Madrid. He has been super impressive for their B and youth-level Spanish teams. He also did quite well when called upon at the end of the 2020-21 season.
However, since then, Real Madrid have bought both Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga. Both are incredibly talented players who could operate individually or together in a deeper midfield role.
With Casemiro fit and firing and still only 30, it will be tough for Blanco to get a look in. The 21-year-old is a good controller of the ball and has excellent passing range. Plenty of Spanish clubs will be interested in the player, and he should look to continue outside the Bernabeu.
#3 Liam Delap
Liam Delap was touted as Manchester City's eventual Sergio Aguero successor. This was before City went and bought Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland - two of the best young strikers in the world. This means that there is a high chance that Delap won't get minutes again.
Judging by his stats from the last couple of seasons, it is fair to say he has outgrown age-group football. Delap has a whopping 32 goals and seven assists in just 30 PL 2 games. It is time for him to seek a move to a Championship club or a mid-table Premier League club.
#2 Riqui Puig
Riqui Puig was supposed to be the best La Masia graduate since Sergi Roberto. However, things haven't entirely gone to plan. Ronald Koeman didn't fancy him much, and Xavi seems to be the same.
In two seasons where he should have become a regular senior team player, he barely played any minutes. This has undoubtedly harmed his progress, and it's clear to see.
Puig is an enormous talent but needs to develop correctly, which simply won't happen at Barca. He already has the likes of Pedri, Gavi, and Nico Gonzalez ahead of him in the pecking order. So although there is no doubt that Puig loves Barca immensely, it is time for him to find a new club.
#1 Callum Hudson-Odoi
Callum Hudson-Odoi is a great talent, but he barely ever gets to play. He has been a part of Chelsea's squad for about five years but hasn't received regular gametime. This is exacerbated by the fact that Chelsea spend a lot on attackers each summer without giving him a look-in.
Even this year, they are set to acquire Raheem Sterling (as per Fabrizio Romano). It seems like perhaps manager Thomas Tuchel does not appreciate his qualities.
Hudson Odoi has seen compatriots and fellow youth players like Jadon Sancho, Phil Foden, and Emile Smith Rowe move ahead while he is still waiting for a breakthrough season. Unfortunately for him, it is likely that the much-awaited breakthrough season will not come at Stamford Bridge.
