Exeter remains a production line for top talent

Sam Richards
Authored by Sam Richards
Posted Monday, February 3, 2020 - 6:45am

Exeter City are becoming a pipeline for some of the major clubs in the country, producing elite talent from their academy. The League Two outfit are beginning to be plucked with regularity by teams in the Premier League and the Championship, although it has not affected their performances on the pitch this term with the Grecians on course for promotion to the third tier.

The exodus of young quality began with Ollie Watkins in 2017 when he completed a switch to Brentford for a fee in the region of £1.8m. Watkins had come through the Exeter ranks after beginning his career with the team at the age of nine. He made his debut in the 2013/14 campaign before heading out on loan to Western-super-Mare for the following campaign.

The forward made serious strides forward in his development, but still had to wait for a first-team opportunity under Paul Tisdale at St James’ Park. However, when Watkins got his chance he grasped it with both hands and never relinquished his place. He scored eight goals in 20 appearances in his first taste of League Two before enjoying a breakout year in the 2016/17 season, notching 18 in 48 games as the club narrowly missed out on promotion.

Watkins was on the move anyway to Brentford and after two solid years in the Championship, he has hit his stride in the 2019/20 term, and is on pace to find the net at least 25 times in the league alone. That form has caught the attention of Premier League clubs with the forward being linked with a move to Chelsea, which could see Watkins playing Champions League football this term and beyond, with the Blues being backed in the Premier League betting odds at 1/2 to finish in the top four again.

A move to the Blues would see the forward link up with former Grecian Ethan Ampadu. The Wales international joined the club in 2017, although it took a tribunal to agree a fee with Exeter. Ampadu had only played 13 times for City in League Two, but it was enough to convince Chelsea’s hierarchy to make the move. Ampadu has been a regular for Wales since making his debut in 2016, although opportunities have been harder to come by at Stamford Bridge. He has spent the 2019/20 season on loan at RB Leipzig where game time has been sparse, to say the least. Ampadu has not had a breakthrough yet, even though he has plenty of time to develop.

That is the danger for young players emerging through the ranks. Watkins has enjoyed a steady rise and at the age of 24 seems to be ready for the Premier League. Ampadu could have perhaps spent a few more seasons developing his game in the lower leagues before making the move upwards. It’s a tale that current youngsters may be approaching with interest. It did not stop Jay Stansfield from transferring to Fulham at the age of 16 and it could well be the case with Ben Chrisene, with Premier League clubs reportedly circling the defender. It’s a big decision for the young players and their families to get right. Exeter, on the other hand, could be again left with voids to fill, although they have shown a propensity to keep churning out talent on their production line.

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