“They were foolish for selling him, they sold him for just £17M and now he has become the best player in the world and he’s at the top of the world” — Former Chelsea Boss Mauricio Pochettino says player Premier League club sold for £17M in 2019 is now an absolute world class and has turned into a beast.

In a shocking revelation that has sent ripples through the football world, former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has come forward with a brutally honest verdict about a former Premier League player — who was sold for just £17 million back in 2019. According to Pochettino, the decision to part ways with the player was not only hasty but, in hindsight, downright foolish.

“They were foolish for selling him. They sold him for just £17M, and now look at him — he’s become the best player in the world. He’s at the top of the world,” Pochettino said in an interview that’s now gone viral among football fans and pundits alike.

Though Pochettino didn’t directly mention the player’s name or the club involved, speculation has exploded across social media, with two top names dominating the conversation: Moussa Diaby and Serge Gnabry.

Let’s start with Moussa Diaby — the rapid French winger who was sold by Paris Saint-Germain to Bayer Leverkusen in 2019 for precisely £17 million. At the time, Diaby was a promising youngster struggling to break into PSG’s star-studded first team. Many dismissed him as just another academy graduate who couldn’t make the cut.

But fast forward to 2025, and the story couldn’t be more different. Diaby has emerged as one of the most electrifying wingers in the world. After dominating the Bundesliga with his blistering pace and sharp eye for goal, he secured a blockbuster move to Aston Villa in the Premier League — a transfer that has transformed both club and player.

At Villa, Diaby has not only taken the league by storm but also proved his doubters wrong. He’s been terrorizing defenders with his pace, trickery, and intelligence — while also chipping in with goals and assists in almost every match. Fans now chant his name, pundits rave about his rise, and opposition full-backs have nightmares after facing him.

And then there’s Serge Gnabry — a name forever etched in the conversation about football redemption. Once viewed as a misfit at Arsenal and infamously mocked by Tony Pulis during his disastrous loan spell at West Brom, Gnabry’s career took off after his move to Werder Bremen, followed by a meteoric rise at Bayern Munich.

At Bayern, Gnabry has become one of Europe’s most feared attackers. He’s lifted the Champions League, won multiple Bundesliga titles, and has become a key figure for the German national team. He, too, was sold for a similar amount — making him a perfect example of what Pochettino meant when he referred to foolish decisions by big clubs.

Whether Pochettino was talking about Diaby, Gnabry, or perhaps even another hidden gem, the underlying message remains the same: Premier League clubs often fail to show patience with young, developing talent. Instead of nurturing potential, they rush to sell — only to watch those same players flourish elsewhere.

This isn’t just about misjudged talent — it’s about the short-sightedness that often plagues top clubs. The modern game is increasingly obsessed with instant results, and as a result, some of the most talented youngsters are denied the time or trust to grow into world-class professionals.

In the wake of Pochettino’s comments, fans have taken to social media to list other examples of “premature exits” — Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah are prime among them. Both were let go by Chelsea early in their careers and went on to become global superstars with Manchester City and Liverpool respectively.

It’s a recurring theme that continues to haunt club hierarchies. Young players with undeniable skill are discarded, while clubs invest millions chasing replacements with lesser impact. The rise of Diaby and Gnabry has only poured salt into those old wounds.

Pochettino’s comments are also being interpreted as a veiled jab at his former club Chelsea, who have developed a reputation for offloading talent prematurely. In fact, many fans believe that his statement reflects deep frustration over how Premier League institutions handle their developmental systems.

It also raises questions about recruitment strategies and youth integration. Clubs like Brighton and Brentford have shown how well-structured planning and patience with young players can yield phenomenal results. Perhaps it’s time the so-called “big six” take note.

Moreover, Diaby’s success story is a testament to mental toughness. Rejected early in his career, he didn’t let disappointment define him. Instead, he worked harder, took his chances, and has now become a player who is considered indispensable at both club and international level.

For Pochettino, who has managed some of the finest talents in football, including Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe, his praise doesn’t come lightly. So for him to crown Diaby — or Gnabry — as the “best player in the world” speaks volumes.

Football is a game of fine margins. One transfer decision, one misjudged loan move, or one undervalued sale can come back to haunt clubs for years. If anything, Pochettino’s statement serves as a warning — and perhaps a lesson for club owners and sporting directors across Europe.

As this debate continues to rage, one thing is certain: the football world will always remember the names of players who proved everyone wrong. And for every star that slips through the fingers of a Premier League club, another team somewhere else will be there to catch and polish that gem.

In the end, it’s not just about who a player is today — it’s about who they could become tomorrow. And those who fail to see that potential early on? They’re the real losers in this story.