England stars find new opportunities outside Premier League

The growing number of England internationals playing for top European clubs is creating fresh opportunities for the national team, with the Football Association describing the trend as a boost to players’ development.

From Harry Kane at Bayern Munich to Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid and Anthony Gordon at Barcelona, several of England’s leading players are now developing their careers outside the Premier League.

Seven members of England’s initial 25-man squad play their club football abroad, while about 43 English players are being monitored by the Football Association across Europe.

The FA’s technical director, John McDermott, said exposure to different football cultures, European competitions and training methods could help players improve their technical ability and tactical understanding.

He described the growing presence of English players abroad as a “huge positive”, arguing that it offered benefits beyond those available in the domestic game.

“The exposure they get in those leagues, playing Champions League or European football, where you're not necessarily having to bang out 55 games, but you still have got time to do your weight training and your gym work,” McDermott told BBC Sport.

He said players in England’s domestic competitions could face demanding schedules that leave fewer opportunities for additional training and technical development.

McDermott also believes moving abroad can help young players develop independence and adapt to different cultures.

“I think being in another changing room and learning another language just puts you under the pressure to adapt,” he said.

The trend has gained momentum since Jadon Sancho moved to Borussia Dortmund as a teenager in 2017, with players such as Kane, Bellingham and Gordon now establishing themselves at some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Gordon, who joined Barcelona from Newcastle United in the summer, believes his move has helped people recognise qualities in his game that he felt were previously overlooked in England.

The forward has scored three goals and provided five assists in 15 appearances for the Spanish club across all competitions.

“I always felt in England, people respected me because I was fast and I pressed, but they never actually respected the quality and IQ that I play with,” Gordon said in an interview with ITV.

He added that playing a different style of football at Barcelona had brought greater attention to his technical qualities.

“Now I'm at Barcelona and I play a different style, those qualities are highlighted much more and people are actually starting to take notice that I'm not just quick,” he said.

England manager Thomas Tuchel has also welcomed the contribution of players based abroad, particularly Kane, Bellingham and Gordon.

“Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane were decisive for us in the World Cup and I see no reason they won't be in the future,” Tuchel said.

He added that Gordon had also stepped up to become an important player for the national team.

England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin described the presence of top English players at major European clubs as beneficial to the national side.

“The fact that we've got top-level English players playing abroad now at top European clubs, I think it's only good for English football and us as a national team,” he said.

McDermott, however, cautioned against assuming that moving abroad was the only route to development, pointing to the quality of English players competing in the Champions League with domestic clubs.

He said only about 26 to 27 per cent of Premier League players were English-qualified, while the country had between 40 and 50 players competing at Champions League level or in European football.

He added that the challenge for Tuchel was to combine the different experiences players brought from Spain, Germany, Italy and England into a coherent national team.

“The different cultural experiences they get, the different exposure they get to play in different types of football is fantastic,” McDermott said.

“But still, the England manager has got to try and find that singular blend when they come back.”

The growing overseas presence comes as England seek to build on their run to the World Cup semi-finals, with players’ experiences across different leagues potentially adding new dimensions to the national team.