Arsenal academy star Chris Willock eyeing road back to top after Emile Smith Rowe link-up

Chris Willock has heard all the stories about Premier League academy talents failing to make the cut, but sometimes it doesn't feel like that to the QPR star.

The forward took a roundabout route to the Championship club, coming through the ranks at Arsenal before spending time in Portugal with Benfica. However, since returning to English football, he can barely move for familiar faces from various stages in his young career.

Willock's younger brother Joe has carved a path for himself in the Premier League, while other Hale End graduates including Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka have made the step up to the first team.

The QPR man could also have Premier League football in his future, though, after the London side spent the majority of last season in the Championship play-off spots, and the 24-year-old spoke to Mirror Football about the different paths available to those who want to reach the highest level.

"I feel like every game there's someone I know, which is funny, you know," Willock says. "I think someone said to me less than 1 per cent make it from an academy into professional football, but it seems to me like every game I'm playing, there's someone where I'm having a 20 minute conversation after the match about life and football and stuff.

"It's good to see players I know playing well, and enjoying it as well - not just from my perspective but to see where they've gone onto. Some of the players like [new QPR teammate] Jake Clarke-Salter, I've played against them it feels like a million times.

"It's always good to see familiar faces, and to see there's other routes - not straight into the first team. Sometimes you might have to do other things to make it in football."

It's easy for two players' paths to