Too many young footballers in England are not prepared to work hard enough to make the grade at the top level, one of the Barclays Premier League’s top academy heads has claimed.

With many people wondering why the Premier League is full of foreign players and others asking why the England national team continues to underperform, top clubs are continuing to scour the continent for new talent this summer.

But Manchester City youth chief Mark Allen has claimed that the opportunities are there for youngsters in English academies but only if they are prepared to put the effort in.

Allen said: ‘Today, people think that if you start doing extra work, their mates will poke fun at them, and I am sorry to say it is especially true in British football.