England’s under-21 leagues are filled with players whose clubs see no future for them

The article discusses the challenges faced by players in England's under-21 leagues, where many are signed to Premier League clubs but have little chance of breaking into the first team. The author's research, which began in 2012-13, has revealed that the search for talent has led to an overheated market, with a large number of players signed at age 18 but ultimately failing to establish themselves in the top tier. The article highlights the stories of 11 players who were registered as under-21 players in 2012-13, illustrating the false dawn of a contract award at a young age and the lack of benefit many of these players experience. The article suggests that the system is not serving the players well, with many being used to "make up the numbers" rather than being given genuine opportunities to develop and progress.
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