Did you know? Six 'forgotten' England stars who now play abroad
Save for a number of exceptions - David Beckham, Michael Owen and Gary Lineker, to name just a few - it certainly has been a noticeable trend for English players, at least when compared to stars of other top footballing nations.
Former England man Andy Carroll bagged an absolute belter for Ligue 2 side Amiens over the weekend, and it got me thinking about other current players who have now left the country.
There are obviously players who immediately spring to mind, who won't be featured in this list, such as Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid. I will assume you know the clubs England's top players call home.
But just to get a few of those out of the way: Harry Kane (Bayern), Fikayo Tomori (Milan), Chris Smalling, Tammy Abraham (both Roma), as well as the aforementioned Bellingham and Carroll.
One caveat before we begin - the players listed don't necessarily need to have been England 'stars' or anything like that; they just need to have picked up a few caps or at least threatened to after impressing at youth levels.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Besiktas)
First up is a player who I bet half of you already realised had swapped Anfield for pastures new, but his choice of destination had flown under the radar for some.
'The Ox', now 30, left Liverpool behind this past summer after 103 Premier League appearances and a winners' medal in his locker.
The midfielder has got off to a wonderful start at Besiktas, where he has scored twice in his first seven games.
The most senior of the players to be featured on this list, Oxlade-Chamberlain picked up 35 caps for England during his time with former clubs Liverpool and Arsenal.
Chuba Akpom (Ajax)
A product of the Gunners' academy, Akpom didn't find much success in the Premier League but did eventually carve out a very respectable name for himself in the Championship.
The forward joined PAOK in Greece in 2018 after a slew of loan deals, before returning to the English second tier two years later - to join Middlesbrough, where he settled for a short while.
Between the start of the 2021/22 season and the end of last season, Akpom scored 40 goals in all competitions to earn himself a move to Dutch giants Ajax. He wears their famous number 10 shirt, but is awaiting his first goal with just two games under his belt.
At 28, there's a slim chance an impressive season or two in the Netherlands might just get England thinking of recalling their former U21 starlet.
Jonjo Shelvey (Rizespor)
One name that had flown under my radar! Shelvey, still on contract with Nottingham Forest, finds himself on loan at Caykur Rizespor - a team that was promoted to the Turkish top flight just last season.
The former Newcastle and Liverpool man joined Forest less than 12 months ago, but failed to make a significant enough impact and has been moved aside.
Shelvey has made five appearances for Rizespor so far and has one assist to his name. The club sits in seventh place.
Japhet Tanganga (Augsburg)
Touted as an exciting talent after signing a professional contract with Tottenham in 2019, Tanganga now finds himself in the Bundesliga on a loan deal.
He is yet to make his debut for 10th-placed Augsburg, but the club retains an option to make his move permanent at the end of the season.
Tanganga, still just 24, hasn't played for England's senior team, but played for the country throughout the youth levels.
Sheyi Ojo (Kortrijk)
A player who showed flashes of brilliance during his time in England (and Scotland), but unable to really catch fire with his performances in the long-term, Ojo is a bit of an enigma.
He has bags of potential, but has been unable to settle in the Championship and truly make a name for himself - something compatriot Akpom has been able to do.
Ojo is on the books at Cardiff City, where he has made 34 league appearances, but will spend the 2023/24 season on loan at K.V. Kortrijk in the Belgian top flight.
He has registered one assist in seven matches thus far.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Milan)
I end this list as I started it - with a player who you likely already knew had made this move, but it's still worth talking about.
Despite winning over Chelsea fans, for the most part, Loftus-Cheek was allowed to leave Stamford Bridge for the San Siro - after 19 years working his way through the club's youth and then senior teams.
In decent company in Serie A, the midfielder has made seven league appearances so far and has already bagged his first goal for Milan.
A talented enough player, Loftus-Cheek has made 10 senior appearances for England but hasn't been called up since 2018. Perhaps a good year or two in Italy can turn things around.
A few other notable mentions: Ryan Kent (Fenerbahce), Jack Rodwell (Sydney), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Lyon) and Angel Gomes (Lille).
