Kid hopes shattered

THE number of club-trained players in the Premier League has dropped to just 10 per cent – the fifth lowest across Europe’s 31 top-flight leagues.

That is down almost four per cent on the figure in 2014 and illustrates the reluctance of English clubs to take a punt on youth.

The findings from the CIES European Football Observatory suggest the Premier League has never been so tough for young players to break into.

It’s not only in England where these numbers are falling – it’s a pattern repeated across Europe.

The average number of overseas players in Europe’s top leagues is now 39.7 per cent, but in the Premier League it’s 59.