How Liverpool FC and Swansea City stole Charlton Athletic's millions with star who earned six England caps | OneFootball

The story of how Charlton Athletic lost out on millions while others profited from their academy graduate Jonjo Shelvey

Jonjo Shelvey's journey from Charlton Athletic prodigy to multi-million pound midfielder saw Liverpool and Swansea City pocket the profits, while the Addicks watched their academy graduate become a Newcastle United star.

Shelvey emerged as a real talent at Charlton, breaking into the Addicks' first team as a teenager to make 44 appearances before joining Liverpool in 2010. The Reds sold Shelvey on to Swansea three years later - and then the Swans also made a profit by selling him to Newcastle.

The story of how Charlton Athletic lost out on millions while others profited from their academy graduate is a tale that could still sting for supporters at The Valley.

Charlton Athletic's financial desperation led to bargain Jonjo Shelvey sale

When Liverpool swooped for Shelvey in 2010, Charlton Athletic were in severe financial difficulty. The club had been relegated from the Premier League in 2007 and had substantial debts mounting.

"It's with the greatest reluctance that we have accepted an offer for Jonjo from Liverpool," said Charlton chairman Richard Murray at the time, which shows just how desperately the club needed the money - the initial fee was a mere £1.7m.

Shelvey became Charlton's youngest-ever player when he made his debut at 16 years and 59 days old against Barnsley in April 2008, beating the previous record held by Paul Konchesky.

As a result, he was also the club's youngest-ever goalscorer when he struck against Norwich City in the FA Cup.

Despite his obvious talent and potential, Charlton's financial position meant they had little choice but to sell their prized asset for what would prove to be a fraction of his true value.

Liverpool's smart Jonjo Shelvey business set up future profit chain

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez saw the signing as part of a long-term strategy, saying at the time "We are trying to bring in British players with passion."

"Players who you can feel what playing for Liverpool means to them. Shelvey is one of these," he added.

The initial £1.7m fee could have risen to £3m with add-ons, which was clever business for a player who would go on to represent England at senior level.

During his three years at Anfield, Shelvey made 69 appearances and scored six goals - though he never quite established himself as a regular starter.

His performances, however, were enough to attract interest from other top-flight clubs when the Merseyside outfit decided to cash in.

Liverpool nearly tripled their money with Jonjo Shelvey

In July 2013, Swansea City signed Shelvey from Liverpool for £5m, nearly trebling Liverpool's initial investment.

The 21-year-old England international penned a four-year deal at the Liberty Stadium, with Swansea paying the fee upfront plus additional add-ons worth up to £1m.

Chairman Huw Jenkins had spoken about the need to increase their quota of homegrown players, and Shelvey fitted the bill perfectly as an established international.

"We have got to make sure that the make-up of our squad is right," Jenkins said, "And obvioulsy part of that is making sure that we have so many British players in there."

Shelvey played 96 matches for Swansea, finding the net 10 times and earned six England caps during his time in South Wales. His consistent performances helped the Swans achieve their highest Premier League finish of eighth in the 14/15 season.

Swansea City made a 140% profit on Jonjo Shelvey

By January 2016, Shelvey had attracted interest from Newcastle United, who were battling relegation from the top-flight at the time. The Magpies agreed to pay £12m for his services - a 140% profit for Swansea on their initial investment.

The transfer meant that from Charlton's original £1.7m sale, the combined profits made by Liverpool (£3.3m) and Swansea (£7m) totalled over £10m.

But while both of these sides pocketed millions from their Shelvey dealings, Charlton Athletic continued to struggle financially.

Charlton Athletic's financial struggles after selling Jonjo Shelvey

The club that had nurtured Shelvey from a six-year-old into a professional footballer received no further benefit from his subsequent transfers - if only they had glimpsed into the future and included a sell-on clause.

The Addicks' debt problems persisted for years after Shelvey's departure though, with the South-East London side owing large amounts to various owners. Also, their wages exceeded revenue, which required more player sales to balance the books.

The sale of Joe Gomez to Liverpool for £3.5m in 2015 was deja-vu of Charlton being forced to sell their best young talents because of pressures off the pitch.

For Charlton supporters, watching Shelvey represent his country while playing for other clubs perhaps served as a painful reminder of what might have been - but it also shows the challenges faced by lower-league clubs in developing young talent during times of uncertainty - Derby County and Liam Delap is a more recent example.