Sheffield United: Youth academy given amazing ranking on the European money list

Sheffield United’s academy has been included on a list of the most profitable youth systems in European football.
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Academics working on behalf of the CIES Football Observatory, one of the game’s most renowned research institutes, ranked Bramall Lane’s development programme at number 37 according to data analysing the income clubs have received from selling home grown players.

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That places them above teams including Tottenham Hotspur, SS Lazio, Manchester United, Sevilla, Bayern Munich and Porto if fees and associated add-on payments since the summer of 2015 are taken into consideration.

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Aaron Ramsdale, who joined Arsenal earlier this season following United’s relegation from the Premier League, accounts for around 70 percent of the total monies they have raised across that period according to the CIES.

Kylian Mpabbe’s move to Paris St Germain accounted for 73 percent of AS Monaco’s total, which placed Philippe Clement’s employers at the top of the chart. Real Madrid are second while Olympique Lyonnais and Ajax sit third and fourth respectively.

The study, which estimates United have generated around 50m euros using this method over the past seven years, also revealed sides from France possess the most profitable academies - collectively receiving over 1.1 billion euros.

Femi Seriki has progressed through Sheffield United's youth programme: Darren Staples / SportimageFemi Seriki has progressed through Sheffield United's youth programme: Darren Staples / Sportimage
Femi Seriki has progressed through Sheffield United's youth programme: Darren Staples / Sportimage

United World, the company United owner HRH Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud established to oversee his sporting interests, recently added Chateauroux to its portfolio. Now playing in the third tier of the French game after being relegated last term, they count Florent Malouda, Stephane Dalmat and Said Benrahma among their former players.