What happened to the 11 players tipped to be the future of England back in 2015 with six no longer in Premier League

A decade ago, Ross Barkley, Will Hughes and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were tipped for a 'bright future' with the England national team back after showing promise in the early stages of their career.

Ahead of an international break in 2015, The Guardian picked teams consisting of players under the age of 23 from nine different countries – Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Ghana – to see "where the future looks the brightest".

They also identified 11 standout players from England, with then-Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland being named alongside the likes of Calum Chambers, John Stones and England's all-time top goalscorer, Harry Kane.

"Even a more established player such as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has plenty to do before he proves he is capable of excelling at the highest level," said journalist Daniel Taylor.

"The defence has both potential and vulnerability. The goalkeeper, Jack Butland, has not progressed quite the way it was once hoped and Ross Barkley appears to have regressed slightly at Everton."

He added: "On a more positive note, Barkley is worth persisting with and a front three of Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane and Patrick Bamford offers a good mix of attacking qualities."

So what happened to the 11 players who were identified as standout talents in England?

Jack Butland – Stoke City

Now plays for Scottish Premiership side Rangers following spells at Crystal Palace and Manchester United [on loan]. He picked up nine caps for England between 2012 and 2018.

Eric Dier - Spurs

Now plays for Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich after a decade-long spell at Tottenham Hotspur. He has played 49 times for England.

Calum Chambers - Arsenal

Now plays for Championship side Cardiff City. The defender spent eight years at Arsenal before joining Aston Villa on a free transfer in January 2022. He has picked up three caps for England.

John Stones – Everton

Now plays for Premier League champions Manchester City. A year after this list was created, the centre-back joined City from Everton in a deal worth around £47.5 million. He has made 83 appearances for England.

Stones featured heavily for England under Gareth Southgate. Image credit: Getty

Luke Shaw - Manchester United

Still plays for Premier League side Manchester United and has made 278 appearances for the Reds. The left-back has picked up 34 caps for England since making his debut in 2014.

Will Hughes - Derby

Now plays for Premier League outfit Crystal Palace following a four-year stint at Watford. He made 23 appearances for England U21's but the midfielder has failed to earn a senior cap for the Three Lions.

Ross Barkley - Everton

Now plays for Premier League side Aston Villa. After leaving Everton in 2018 to join Chelsea in a deal worth £15 million, Barkley went on to play for OGC Nice and Luton Town. He has made 33 appearances for England.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – Arsenal

Now plays for Turkish side Besiktas. He left Arsenal for Liverpool in 2017 for a reported £35 million and went on to make over 100 appearances for the Reds before making the switch to Besiktas. He has played 35 times in an England shirt.

Raheem Sterling - Liverpool

Now plays for Arsenal, on loan from Chelsea. He joined Manchester City in 2015 for an initial £44 million, and spent seven years at the Citizens before joining Chelsea in 2022. He has made 82 appearances for England.

Sterling has made 82 appearances for England. Image credit: Getty

Harry Kane – Spurs

Now plays for Bundesliga side Bayern Munich following a 13-year spell in North London. He is England's record scorer after breaking Wayne Rooney's previous record of 53 goals with a strike against Italy in March 2023.

Patrick Bamford – Chelsea

Now plays for Championship side Leeds United. He left Chelsea for Middlesbrough in 2017 for a reported £5.5 million but only spent a year at the Riverside before joining Leeds in 2018. He has made just one appearance for England; a World Cup qualifier against Andorra in 2021.