Raheem Sterling: The Human Cost of Academy Transfers

Raheem Sterling's journey exposes the harsh reality of young footballers treated as commodities in a child labour market.

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What happened. Raheem Sterling's career path highlights the absurd pressures young footballers face as part of a child labour market that has barely been questioned.

• Sterling was among the first big-money academy transfers.
• The child labour market in football remains largely unexamined.

This story underscores the need for greater scrutiny of youth transfer practices in football.

In this story

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