If you had told a Manchester United supporter back in 2023 that Scott McTominay would three years later be one of the best midfielders in the world and the reigning Serie A player of the season, they would have thought you had lost your mind. In reality, McTominay’s meteoric rise since swapping Manchester for Naples is not an isolated case. Jadon Sancho, for example, looked like a world class player in both of his Dortmund spells, but has never found his feet in England, consistently disappointing fans of Manchester United, Chelsea, and Aston Villa. So, can leaving the Premier League really save your career?
In days gone by, it was rare to see British players leave the Premier League. Considered the pinnacle of domestic football, moving anywhere other than Barcelona or Real Madrid was seen as a step down in their career. Recently, however, more and more players are making the move across the channel after struggling in England. A prime example is Angel Gomes. Once seen as an exciting prospect from United’s academy, he never managed to break into the first team. Then came a move to France, where he has impressed with Lille and Marseille, and is finally playing regularly for top sides. Another example is Fikayo Tomori, who was forced out of Chelsea in 2020, and has since become a star defender for AC Milan.
On the other hand, you need only to look at the England squad to realise that Brits playing in Europe are not as highly regarded as those in the Premier League. With the exception of Bellingham, Kane, and Rashford, practically every player in the England team plays in the Premier League. Players like Tomori have hardly got a look in, while niche domestic talents such as Taylor Harwood-Bellis get selected regularly. Within the sphere of British football, players who could not shine in the Premier League are often overlooked unless they are a generational talent like Jude Bellingham.
Ultimately, many players just aren’t suited to the physical nature of the Premier League, and have therefore seen an upturn in fortunes after moving abroad. However, this often comes with the sacrifice of losing respect and recognition from fans and pundits back home. As the past week’s reports around Tammy Abraham’s potential return to Aston Villa show, the pull of English football often proves too strong for British players to resist for long.