England produces a number of talented footballers, some of them even regarded the best in the game. The England national football team is also enjoying some of its best years since the start of the new decade. The squad is considered by some as the ‘New Golden Generation’.
Despite all of this, we rarely see world class players from the Three Lions playing abroad. So who are the best English footballers abroad currently playing in other countries?
The Best English Footballers Abroad
Jonathan Panzo
The first and youngest player on our list, Jonathan Panzo, is only 18-years-old. The defender joined Chelsea when he was only nine-years-old, and in July 2018 he completed a move to Monaco until 2021, which was worth £2.7 million.
Panzo was part of the England U17 team which won the silver in the 2017 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. The defender, only 16 at the time, was then part of the squad who beat Spain to win the 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup. He is currently representing England at U19 level.
The talented player was a reported target of Juventus, Borussia Monchengladbach and Valencia before officially moving to the French club.
Sheyi Ojo
Sheyi Ojo is a young and promising Liverpool player currently on loan at Stade de Reims in Ligue 1.
Ojo became the first MK Dons trainee to receive an international cap at youth level. He was then bought by Liverpool, beating some of Europe’s top teams, including Chelsea.
The 21-year-old winger has got much of his first-team experience out on loan, playing for Wolves and Fulham, the latter of which he helped to get promoted to the Premier League in 2018.
As Ojo was born in England, he can represent England and through his Nigerian heritage is also eligible to play for Nigeria in international football. After little first-team experience in the England youth teams, in September 2018 Ojo stated he could represent Nigeria in future.
Ronaldo Vieira
Vieira spent his early life in Portugal, where he signed for the academy at Benfica, the club he supported. After moving to England, the midfielder impressed the Leeds United academy, as well as former Leeds striker Richard Cresswell, and signed a deal with the club. Vieira played promisingly for Leeds and became a regular starter, being named their Young Player of the Year in 2017.
Since July 2018 Ronaldo Vieira is a Sampdoria player, starting in four out of ten games. The deal was reportedly worth over £7 million, with the Italian side looking to replace departed midfielder Lucas Torreira.
Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho is undoubtedly the most successful English player abroad at this current time. The 21-year-old winger is a fundamental part of Borussia Dortmund’s team, currently standing on top of the Bundesliga.
The talented ex-Manchester City player was bought by Dortmund for £8 million and is currently worth more than £65 million. After a perfect breakthrough season Sancho deservedly got a regular starting place for the German team and has been irreplaceable ever since.
He is rated one of the best young players in football and is the top summer target for many world-class teams, including Manchester United, who are willing to spend more than £100 million to bring him to Old Trafford.
Reiss Nelson
Another of the Bundesliga’s top players and a close friend to Sancho also happens to be English. Arsenal‘s Reiss Nelson, currently on loan at Hoffenheim, has impressed football fans by his skilful playstyle and goals.
The gifted winger’s market value has skyrocketed from £360,000 to £15 million; it’s only a matter of time until it grows even more.
Fortunately for Arsenal fans, there is no option to buy in Nelson’s loan contract so he will be in the Gunners’ squad next summer. Nelson himself has insisted that he remains determined to prove his worth back in England at his boyhood club Arsenal.
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