When Arsenal play Manchester United in the Premier League this weekend, they could encounter several familiar faces on the opposite bench.
Aydan Heaven made his senior debut for the Gunners earlier in the season, but he moved to United in the January transfer window. And Danish striker Chido Obi-Martin had a record breaking season for the Gunners under-18 side, including seven goals in a game against Norwich but he too left the club for United, after pricing himself out of a new deal.
Arsenal have their own teenage stars in the case of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, but, in the case of Nwaneri, they had a major struggle convincing him to stay at the club amidst strong interest from Manchester City.
Since Brexit has denied English clubs the opportunity to sign talented youngsters from Europe, and with FIFA rules having tightened around signing under-18 players from other parts of the world, the top clubs are increasingly casting envious eyes at the academy systems at other clubs, and are looking to pluck the best of the fruit for themselves.
And with players not able to sign full professional contracts until they turn 18, there is little in the way to stop this trade, especially as players and their families can be tempted with six figure deals to switch clubs.
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