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We all have a tendency to look at our past, relish in the glory days, and imagine what our club could have been if the manager didn’t make those transfers. As a Chelsea fan, I would have loved to see Daniel Sturridge shine like he does for Liverpool, or Kevin De Bruyne create brilliance from the midfield. Here is a list of low-profile clubs that have developed some of the biggest talents in the world, and what their starting XI could have looked like if they never sold a player.
Southampton:
The strong youth academy in Southampton takes pride in their developments and has trained some of the biggest Premier League stars playing for the top clubs in the league currently. What if they never sold any players? Could Southampton be title contenders with this lineup?
Southampton starting XI with Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott in the back. Photo: Southampton FC | Daily Mail
Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Fraser Forster. 4 - Luke Shaw, Jose Fonte, Toby Alderweireld, Nathaniel Clyne. 2 - Morgan Schneiderlin, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. 3 - Gareth Bale, Adam Lallana, Theo Walcott. 1 - Jay Rodriguez
Most notable amongst the eleven are Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott. Both products of the academy, they respectively moved on to Tottenham and Arsenal after their time with the Saints. They saw their names in headlines more often than not during their youths and have become football icons. Even Luke Shaw made a huge impact at such a young age during Southampton’s first year after promotion to the Premiership in 2012, and is progressing quickly with Manchester United at 19 years old.
SL Benfica:
Next, we move on to Portugal and current title winners SL Benfica to determine their best eleven players who have come and gone. A squad like this could easily make any opponent think twice with the amount of high profile players they have helped develop.
Benfica starting XI with David Luiz, Angel Di Maria, and Fabio Coentrao. Photo: @Esp_Interativo | Twitter
Starting XI (4-1-4-1): GK - Jose Moreira. 4 - Fabio Coentrao, David Luiz, Luisao, Maxi Pereira. 1 - Nemanja Matic. 4 - Axel Witsel, Ramires, Javi Garcia, Angel Di Maria. 1 - Rui Costa
The back four alone are all individuals who have climbed the ranks in club and international football and become anchors for their teams. Though Chelsea will likely not admit their mistake of selling Matic to Benfica and then buying him back, he gained all of his professional experience in Portugal and has become the ideal holding midfielder for Mourinho’s new squad. Then there comes the attack. Rui Costa, one of the most expensive players of his time at 42.5 million pounds, leads the attack as a lone striker with top United, City, and Chelsea midfielders behind him. Axel Witsel is the odd one out of the group, but he is more than worthy of a spot after his run with Belgium in the 2014 World Cup.
Ajax Amsterdam:
Last but not least is Ajax Amsterdam. Typically Ajax challenges clubs early on in the Champions League, but sadly exits the European stage quite early. If they never sold their players over the years, their Champions League campaign could end in a complete blowout.
The Ajax Amsterdam starting XI with Luis Suarez captaining his side. Photo: Getty Images | Timbers.com
Starting XI (3-5-2): GK - Maarten Stekelenburg. 3 - Maxwell, Jan Vertonghen, Gregory van der Weil. 5 - Daley Blind, Nigel de Jong, Christian Eriksen, Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart. 2 - Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Luis Suarez
This squad could have more Champions League titles than Real Madrid if they all stayed in Amsterdam together. Dutch keeper Stekelenburg would be the heart between the sticks with two current PSG defenders and Vertonghen in front of him. The midfield would be assembled with Daley Bind and Nigel de Jong, two holding midfielders who double as fullbacks, and an attacking force comprised of Eriksen, Sneijder and van der Vaart just in front. Possibly the biggest highlight to the whole squad, Ibra and Suarez together up front as strikers. The two have a combined total of 54 goals in all competitions for their respective clubs, and continue to make headlines for their impressive skills.
The past is always a sweet time to reflect upon, and had the cards been aligned perfectly, these clubs could have rivaled Spanish powerhouses for top clubs in the world. Who will develop next out of these training grounds of legends in the coming years?
