Elliot Anderson and Morgan Rogers – Why English midfielders are so in demand

With the traditional number nine becoming an endangered species, clubs are turning to other positions to provide a goal threat.

This makes the midfielder a sought-after player, especially one with some creativity who can unlock defences.

England appear to have produced a number of players suitable for this purpose in a similar period of time; but Tottenham spent £185 million on midfield duo Sandro Tonali and Portuguese Matheus Fernandes this summer.

With the Premier League’s self-sufficiency rule in place, whereby at least eight places in a club’s 25-man squad are reserved for players trained in England or Wales, clubs are also expected to pay a premium price for players coming through Football Association academies.

With Anderson and Rogers securing their moves, could Scott and Wharton be next?

Bournemouth have already rejected Chelsea’s £64m bid for midfielder Scott, who are particularly keen to keep hold of the 22-year-old, who has had an impressive season on the south coast since January.

Scott was named in the England starting squad last November and was later called up to Thomas Tuchel’s lengthy pre-World Cup training camp in Florida but is yet to feature at international level.

Crystal Palace midfielder Wharton is also a long-coveted player; Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City have previously attracted interest.

The pair, both just 22 years old, highlight the abundance of British talent and potential currently available in this position.

Although they are not currently the best in the world, they are one of a group of players in their early 20s who are approaching their prime and will therefore only switch clubs for top prices.