The stars who got away: West Brom XI of academy graduates who flourished elsewhere

In fact, Morgan Rogers, who comes from Halesowen and was nurtured in the Baggies' academy, has been one of the best players in the Premier League so far this season.

However, he is far from the only player who learned his trade in the youth sides at Albion, and has gone on to make a big impact at the top level.

It has been well publicised in recent years that a number of Albion's most prized assets have been picked off by other clubs, with a string of them heading across the West Midlands to Villa.

However, there are a number of other players in both England and Scotland who have flourished since being released by Albion, or being snapped up by other clubs.

The question of what would have happened if they had remained at Albion is one that no one will ever have an answer to - but it would have certainly been interesting to see how things panned out had the club kept hold of these talented stars.

Jonny Drury has had a look into an XI of Albion players who hardly or never played a game for the club and have gone on to have impressive careers at other clubs.

Ryan Allsop

A player well known for having a top EFL career, Allsop came through at Albion but never actually played a senior game for the club.

After leaving Albion he has racked up just the 382 appearances and is currently at Birmingham City.

Nathan Ferguson

Out of all the players in this side, Ferguson has made the most senior appearances for Albion, even though they came in a very short period.

He was thrust into the side under Slaven Bilic, seemingly from nowhere, and played a major part in the early section of the season in 2019/20, as Albion won promotion.

But he left that summer for Crystal Palace. Albion received a low amount of compensation for a player who was seemingly destined for big things.

But injuries have completely written off Ferguson in recent years and he is now without a club.

Jack Fitzwater

The 27-year-old is one of only a few on this list to be released - having spent most of his youth career with Albion.

One solitary FA Cup appearance was all Fitzwater was given at Albion - and he has gone on to carve out a good career for himself in Scotland.

He is now back in England, having joined League One side Exeter City in 2023.

George Harmon

The defender probably won't be a player many are aware of.

Harmon was released by Albion in 2021 - having not troubled the first team set up.

He dropped to non-league Oxford City in a bid to kick start career, and it did.

The defender now plays his football for St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership - and has made 83 appearances across three seasons.

Tim Iroegbunam

Probably a name that is well known among Baggies fans, despite the fact he never played a first team game for Albion.

The midfielder came through the Albion academy and there were high hopes for him at the club.

He was named on the bench for the final game of the 2020/21 Premier League season - but months later he was one of a string of players who were signed by Villa.

He moved for an undisclosed fee and in total made 19 appearances for Villa, before his surprise move to Everton in the summer.

Yan Dhanda

The midfielder certainly falls into the category of players who were whisked away before many had even heard of them.

The 25-year-old grew up in Tipton and spent his early youth days at Albion before Liverpool came calling.

However, he moved on to join the under 23 set up at Swansea, but was quickly thrust into the first team.

He would make 63 appearances over four seasons - before going on to carve out a career in Scotland with Ross County and now Hearts.

Finn Azaz

In the same summer as Iroegbunam, Villa also took Azaz.

The midfielder was at Albion from the age of nine, and after a loan spell at Cheltenham he moved to Villa.

Loan moves followed but he would never make a first team appearance for the club, before he was sold to Middlesbrough in January 2024.

He is now a key figure in Michael Carrick's side and is destined for a big career.

Alex Gilbert

The Riverside Stadium seems to be where many Albion academy graduates end up - because there is another couple coming up soon.

He joined Albion at under nine level and rose through the ranks, became a scholar but then turned down the offer of a professional contract in 2019/20 and joined Brentford.

After a handful of cup appearances and failed contract talks he left for the club and signed for Boro - with the North East club having to pay around £1m in compensation.

Marcus Forss

Another Albion academy graduate now playing his stuff in the North East.

The Finnish winger moved to England at the age of 13 and signed for Albion - but was released at the end of his scholarship in 2017.

He then moved to Brentford and would go on to break into the first team fold - making 74 appearances for the club.

And in 2022 he moved to Boro for £3m. Certainly one that got away.

Morgan Rogers

This is getting boring. Albion to Boro. There are a few different variants compared to the others though.

Rogers, from Halesowen, joined Albion aged nine and rose through the levels to make his debut as a substitute in the FA Cup in 2019.

But just a few months later he was snapped up by Man City for £4m. It is said he caught the eye of the Premier League champions in the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup.

As is the case with many youngsters snapped up by City, they never even trouble the first team.

Loan spells in the EFL followed before City went on to sell Rogers to Boro for £1m.

He spent just six months at the club, scored seven times in 33 appearances before heading back to the West Midlands with Villa.

A fee of £8m rising to £16m looks like good business now. Rogers is in blistering form, arguably one of the best attacking players in the Premier League and looks well on the way to an England call-up.

Louie Barry

Another whose name is known by every Albion fan despite being prized away before he could feature for the club.

He joined Albion at six, and was in the under 21 squad at just 16.

But his sparkling youth goal record had alerted giants like PSG and Barcelona and he signed for the latter.

He only had a short time there before returning to England and signing for Villa - while the saga around a fee Barca owed Albion rumbled on.

But FIFA ruled Albion were not entitled to compensation - as they had not formally offered Barry a scholarship.

He remains at Villa but has been out on loan a number of times and is currently at Stockport County in League One, where he has bagged six goals in nine games so far this season.