Aston Villa may be struggling in the Premier League, but the West Midlands club is right up there when it comes to representing the division at the Fifa under-20 World Cup.
The biennial youth championship gets underway in Chile on Saturday, with Villa and Bournemouth each supplying two of the seven players drawn from clubs in the English top-flight.
A playground for emerging talent, the tournament has previously been graced by the likes of Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.
It promises to be required viewing for club scouts across Europe and beyond – but which players should Premier League enthusiasts be looking out for?
Omar Khedr (Aston Villa; Fifa U20 World Cup team: Egypt)
Omar Khedr, the 19-year-old left winger who arrived at Villa Park last summer in a £2.4m deal from ZED FC, is expected to play a key role for Egypt as they open their Group A campaign against Japan at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos.
The highly rated attacker was an early acquisition under V Sports, a holding company that belongs to Villa owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens and has a partnership agreement with Egyptian Premier League side ZED.
Reputedly the most expensive Egyptian teenager in transfer history, Khedr scored a memorable goal for Villa’s under-21 side within days of joining the club – although he is perhaps best known for a viral photograph in which he is seen feeding water to a stray cat during a ZED training session.
Yeimar Mosquera (Aston Villa; Fifa U20 World Cup team: Colombia)
Should Egypt progress to the knockout stages, Kedr could find himself facing Villa team-mate Yeimar Mosquera.
The 20-year-old defender, recruited from Orsomarso SC last summer, was part of the Colombia squad that finished third at the South American under-20 championship in Venezuela earlier this year.
Initially loaned out to Villa’s Spanish sister club Real Unión, Mosquera played seven matches for the third-tier side before he was recalled by manager Unai Emery in January.
Held in high regard by the Spaniard, Mosquera has since participated in first-team training and delivered an eye-catching performance alongside Spain international Pau Torres in a pre-season friendly against Walsall.
Alexéi Rojas (Arsenal; Fifa U20 World Cup team: Colombia)
Lining up behind Mosquera could be Arsenal academy goalkeeper Alexéi Rojas.
Born in Basildon to a Colombian father, Fernando, and a Russian mother, Yulia, the 19-year-old could have chosen to represent any of three countries.
Yet his ambitions lie firmly with Colombia, for whom he has already lined up at two South American under-20 championships, and whom he dreams of representing at the World Cup next summer.
Given that the 6ft 1in stopper is already training with Arsenal’s first team and has been named in several Premier League squads, that may not be as ambitious as it sounds.
Rojas was selected for Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia this summer and aims to become the club’s first-choice keeper in time.
“You always dream of being the starting goalkeeper,” he told Transfermarkt. “Among my goals, besides being the best goalkeeper in the world and playing for the Colombian national team, is the goal of being a starter in the Premier League.
“Right now, that’s not going to happen because there’s still a long way to go, but that’s what I’m aiming for, and that’s what I work towards every day.”
Steven Hall (Bournemouth and Australia)
Rojas will not be the only young Premier League goalkeeper on show in Chile.
Seven months after helping his country win the under-20 Asian Cup, Bournemouth’s Steven Hall, signed from Adelaide United last summer, has once again been called up by Australia.
The 20-year-old played a defining role for the Young Socceroos in the Asian Cup final against Saudi Arabia in Shenzhen, saving a spot-kick from Bassam Hazazi to secure a penalty shootout victory.
In a moving tribute to his grandfather, who had died a week earlier, Hall celebrated by approaching a TV camera to reveal the message, “For you, grandad” scrawled on one of his gloves.
“It was a tough week, but everyone in the group got around me, they’re great lads, and they supported me throughout every game,” said Hall, who became the youngest A-League player in history when he made his Adelaide debut aged 16 years and 350 days.
“I knew my grandad was watching me every game. He was with me in the goal.”
James Overy (Manchester United and Australia)
Hall will be joined in the Australia team by Manchester United defender James Overy.
The 17-year-old, who came through Perth Glory’s youth system, completed a complicated move to United on a scholarship deal this time last year.
An attacking full-back eligible to represent both Scotland and Australia, Overy endured a difficult start to life in England after injury kept him sidelined until February.
But he has since trained with the first team and this summer signed his first professional contract with United, who beat off competition from several other Premier League clubs to secure his services.
Julio Soler (Bournemouth and Argentina)
Another defender making the trip to South America is Bournemouth’s Julio Soler.
Born in the Paraguayan capital Asunción, the 20-year-old moved to Argentina at an early age and has since captained the country’s under-20 side.
Soler was signed by Bournemouth from Argentine Primera División side Lanús in January in a £6.6m deal that could rise to £11.5m.
The left-back was handed a Premier League debut as a late substitute against Fulham in April, and has been a regular on the Bournemouth bench this term in addition to starting last month’s League Cup defeat to Brentford.
Enso González (Wolves and Paraguay)
Completing the seven-strong list of Premier League prospects competing in Chile is Wolves winger Enso González.
The 20-year-old Paraguayan arrived at Molineux just over two years ago following a £10m move from Libertad.
Hopes were high that Wolves had unearthed a gem, with the club’s former sporting director hailing González’s creativity and work rate.
The attacker struggled to adjust to the English game, however, and things were not made easier when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at last summer’s Paris Olympics.
It has been a long road back for González, and it remains to be seen how prominently he will feature in Paraguay’s campaign.
