The percentage of club-trained players in English Premier League squads has reached a new low, a study says. Research by the CIES Football Observatory found 11.7% of top-flight players graduatedfrom their club’s academy, down from 13.8% last year. Across 31 top European divisions the figure has dropped below 20% for the first time since figures began in 2009.
Overseas players accountfor 59.9% of English Premier League players, the second-highest figure in Europe behind Cyprus. The percentage of foreign players in the other “big five” European league: Italy (56.5%), Germany(45.9%), Spain (39.9%) and France (30.5%).