May I add us buying these 3 young and obvious talented players. Is it because we can't deliver these from the academy? Is it more competition between young and coming players? Is it because we can't develop all youngsters in the academy so we need to buy them? Is it because the media says our squad is too old with many on here copying this opinion? Or do I miss something ...
Academies are no different from the senior squad. If they see a great player at another academy, they'll try and bring him in. Some get bought at a younger age than others, but not many top players are genuinely trained at a single club's youth system. Look at some of our most successful examples:
Shaun Wright-Phillips - from Forest
Micah Richards - from Oldham
Sir Joseph of Barton - from Everton
Stephen Ireland - from Cobh
Daniel Sturridge - from Coventry
Nedum Onuoha - Man City original
Kieran Trippier - Man City original
Admittedly most of those were brought in at a much younger age than Roberts, but it seems that a successful academy is as much about successful scouting of youth as it is about training them. Hence why the academy at Barcelona does so well. Because they can guarantee that even kids initially trained outside their system have probably been getting good quality coaching. The same can't be said in England, hence why we don't produce as many technically gifted players, and why it's foolish to expect one academy, however amazing, to make a world class England team for you.
But given how few players make it to the very top level, it doesn't hurt to get as many talented players as possible.
