Aston Villa may be struggling in the Premier League, but the West Midlands Club is above that when it comes to representing the division at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
The biennial youth championship starts on Saturday in Chile, where Villa and Bournemouth each deliver two of the seven players who have been drawn from clubs in the English top flight.
A playground for rising talent, the tournament is rather honored by people like Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.
It promises to be obliged to look for club scouts throughout Europe and then – but at which players should Premier League enthusiasts look out for?
Omar Khedr (Aston Villa; FIFA U20 World Cup team: Egypt)
Omar Khedr, the 19-year-old left wing player who arrived in Villa Park last summer in a £ 2.4 million deal from ZED FC, is expected to play a key role for Egypt while they open their group A campaign against Japan in the Estadio Julio Martínez Prádanos.
The highly rated attacker was an early acquisition among V Sports, a holding company that belongs to Villa owners Nassef Sawiris and WES EDENS and has a partnership agreement with the Egyptian Premier League Side Zed.
Allegedly the most expensive Egyptian teenager in the transfer history, Khedr scored a memorable goal for villas under-21 within a few days after member of the club, although he is perhaps best known for a viral photo in which he gives water to a lost cat during a ZED training session.
Yeimar Mosquera (Aston Villa; FIFA U20 World Cup team: Colombia)
If Egypt is progressing the knockout phase, Kedr could be confronted with Villa Team-Mate Yeimar Mosquera.
The 20-year-old defender, recruited from Orsomarso SC last summer, was part of the Colombia team who finished third on the South American championship under 20 in Venezuela earlier this year.
Initially it borrowed to Villas Spanish sister club Real Unión, Mosquera played seven games for the third side before he was recalled in January by manager Unai Emery.
Mosquera has held a high degree through the Spaniard and has since participated in training the first team and has delivered a striking version alongside Spain International Pau Torres in a pre-season friendly against Walsall.
Alexéi Rojas (Arsenal; FIFA U20 World Cup team: Colombia)
Alexéi Rojas, goalkeeper Alexéi Rojas, standing in line behind Mosquera.
Born in Basildon from a Colombian father, Fernando, and a Russian mother, Yulia, the 19-year-old could have chosen to represent one of the three countries.
Yet his ambitions are firmly at Colombia, for whom he is already in line in two South American championships under 20, and from whom he dreams to represent at the World Cup next summer.
Given that the 6ft 1 in -stop is already training with the first team of Arsenal and is mentioned in various Premier League -Squadrons, that may not be as ambitious as it sounds.
Rojas was selected this summer for the pre-season tour of Arsenal by Asia and wants to become the first choice of the club on time.
“You always dream of being the starting goalkeeper,” he told Transfarkt. “One of my goals, in addition to being the best keeper in the world and playing for the Colombian national team, is the goal of being a starter in the Premier League.
“At the moment that is not going to happen because there is still a long way to go, but that is what I strive for, and that is where I work every day.”
Steven Hall (Bournemouth and Australia)
Rojas will not be the only young goalkeeper of the Premier League to be seen in Chile.
Seven months after he helped his country win the Asian Cup under the 20 Asian Cup, Bournemouth’s Steven Hall, signed from Adelaide United last summer, was again called by Australia.
The 20-year-old played a determining role for the young socceroos in the Asian Cup final against Saudi Arabia in Shenzhen and saved a spot kick from Bassam Hazazi to win a victory in the shooting.
In a moving tribute to his grandfather, who died a week earlier, fourth Hall by approaching a TV camera to reveal the message, “for you, grandpa” scribbled over one of his gloves.
“It was a tough week, but everyone in the group came around me, they are great boys, and they supported me during every game,” said Hall, who became the youngest A-League player in history when he made his Adelaide debut of 16 years and 350 days.
“I knew my grandfather kept an eye on me every game. He was in the goal with me.”
James Overy (Manchester United and Australia)
Hall will be accompanied in the Australian team by Manchester United defender James Overy.
The 17-year-old, who came through the youth system of Perth Glory, completed a complicated move to United for a trade fair deal last year.
An attacking full-back that is eligible to represent both Scotland and Australia has ended a difficult start of life in England after the injury had put him offside until February.
But since then he has trained with the first team and has signed his first professional contract this summer with United, who defeated the competition from various other Premier League clubs to secure his services.
Julio Soler (Bournemouth en Argentina)
Another defender who makes the trip to South America is the Julio Soler from Bournemouth.
Born in the Paraguayan capital Asunción, the 20-year-old moved to Argentina at a young age and has since had the under-20 side of the country captain.
Soler was signed in January by Bournemouth of Argentinian Primera División Side Lanús in a £ 6.6 million deal that could rise to £ 11.5 million.
The left back received a Premier League debut in April as a late replacement against Fulham and this period was set at the Bournemouth-Bank, in addition to the League Cup defeat last month against Brentford.
Eno González (wolves and Paraguay)
The completion of the seven-copy list of Premier League prospects that compete in Chile is Wolves-Vleugel player Enso González.
The 20-year-old Paraguayan arrived in Molineux just over two years ago after a relocation of £ 10 million from Libertad.
The hope was high that Wolves had dug up a jewel, with the former sports director of the club González the creativity and work percentage of González.
However, the attacker struggled to adapt to the English game and things were not made easier when he sustained a front cruciate ligament injury at the Olympic Games in Paris last summer.
It has been a long way back for González, and it is still to see how prominent he will perform in the Paraguay campaign.
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