Arsenal the best club for blooding youth in the first-team… but it’s bad news for Chelsea
No fewer than 21 players have racked up 934 combined appearances for the Gunners compared to just 106 for the Blues
ARSENAL are officially the best Premier League club for blooding youth in the first-team.
Arsene Wenger has clearly made the most of his academy during his long tenure in North London.
Eddie Nketiah burst onto the scene recently as he shone in the Carabao Cup clash against Norwich - scoring a late equaliser and the extra-time winner.
However, he is by no means the first young Gunner to break into the first-team in the past ten years, according to stats from bwin.
After all, no fewer than 21 youth products have gone on to play for the Arsenal first-team - totalling an incredible 934 combined appearances.
Aaron Ramsey is a fine example of a youngster to break into the first-team and stay there, having played 217 times in the Premier League.
At the other end of the scale though, it's bad - and inevitable - news for Chelsea.
While Blues youth products have combined to make well over 1,000 league appearances - only 106 of those at 10.4 per cent have been for Chelsea.
That tally is easily the lowest in England, with stars like Nathaniel Chalobah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek high-profile youngsters to be shipped off.
Manchester City are another team infamous for buying top talent rather than plugging youth.
In fact, Etihad club debutants average just NINE appearances for the club, while also ranking amongst the worst clubs for developing their own youth products.
Arsenal's North London neighbours Tottenham are another team focused on youth - with Harry Kane a clear success story.
73.8 per cent of all Spurs youth products' first-team appearances have been for Tottenham - rather than elsewhere.
That tally has seen ten youngsters - including Kyle Walker and Gareth Bale - play 701 times.
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Manchester United are another team to produce a host of talented youngsters - however more than HALF of those games have been for other clubs.
Elsewhere, Liverpool have dished out the most Premier League debuts to teenagers - while also being the most prolific "youth poachers".
The Reds have signed no fewer than ten youngsters from other clubs, including Jordan Henderson and Mamadou Sakho.