On Premier League 2 fixture release day, we’ve taken a look back at our winning side from 2017/18 and found out what the players are up to now.
Our under-23s were crowned PL2 Division 1 champions at the London Stadium following a 3-1 win over West Ham United thanks to goals from Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson, and these are all of the players who were in the squad that day.
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Joao Virginia
Portuguese goalkeeper Virginia moved to Everton, where he won the 2018/19 Premier League Cup, and made his Premier League debut in 2021 as a substitute for Jordan Pickford against Burnley. He spent time on loan at Reading, Sporting CP and Cambuur before moving to Sporting permanently in July.
Jordi Osei-Tutu
While with us, Osei-Tutu spent time on loan at VfL Bochum, Cardiff City, Nottingham Forest, where he won the 2021/22 EFL Trophy, and Rotherham United. He completed a permanent move to Bochum in 2024 before going on loan to PAS Giannina. He’s been on the books at Bolton Wanderers since 2024.
Tolaji Bola
After spending 12 years in our academy, Camden-born left back Bola got minutes under his belt on loan at Rochdale before completing a permanent move to Rotherham United. During that time, he went out on loan to Bradford City and Burton Albion. He switched his focus in 2024 and is now graduating from The Open University with a first class degree in economics and mathematical sciences.
Josh Dasilva
Dasilva left us in 2018 for Brentford, where he has gone on to make almost 150 league appearances. Following a long-term injury, forcing him out of the side for 18 months, he scored on the opening day of 2022/23 against Leicester City with a goal that Thomas Frank described as his “moment of the season.” He unfortunately missed all of last season with another injury.
Joe Olowu
Olowu was a part of our academy setup for 13 years and played on loan at Cork City and Wealdstone before moving to Doncaster Rovers in 2021. The Nigerian centre-back played for them for four years and won League Two in 2024/25 before a recent summer switch to Stockport County.
Zech Medley
Medley spent time on loan at Gillingham and Kilmarnock after progressing through our ranks and subsequently completed a switch to KV Oostende, where he continued to ply his trade for three years. Fleetwood Town came calling in 2024 and the centre-back has been there since then.
Vlad Dragomir
Romanian attacking midfielder Dragomir left us for Perugia in 2018, before moving to Virtus Entelle and then Cyprus side Pafos (who recently signed David Luiz), where he’s made 117 league appearances in the last four years. He won the Cypriot First Division with them last season.
Joe Willock
Willock has stayed in the Premier League, initially going on loan to Newcastle United in 2021 before making the move permanent with the Magpies later that year. He’s racked up over 100 league appearances for them and was a substitute in last season’s Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool.
Eddie Nketiah
Another player now accustomed to the Premier League, Nketiah did drop down to the Championship for a loan spell at Leeds United in 2019. He left us after 19 league goals in 116 appearances in 2024 for Crystal Palace, where he won the Emirates FA Cup last season.
Reiss Nelson
Nelson has been back training with us this summer following a loan spell at Fulham last season. Prior to that, he’d gained experience on loan at Feyenoord and TSG Hoffenheim. His youth career began with us in 2008.
Emile Smith Rowe
Alongside Nelson at Fulham last season was Smith Rowe, who didn’t take long to make an impression at Craven Cottage. He delighted Fulham supporters with six goals in 34 Premier League matches, benefitting from previous loan spells at Huddersfield Town and RB Leipzig.
Charlie Gilmour
Gilmour has been something of a journeyman since leaving us for Norwich City in 2019. From there he went on loan to SC Telstar and then moved to St Johnstone, who he went on loan from to Alloa Athletic and Cove Rangers. 57 league appearances say he became more settled at Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the last three years, but the defensive midfielder has now completed a move to Dunfermline Athletic.
Hugo Keto
Finnish goalkeeper Keto completed his academy education at Brighton & Hove Albion, from where he was sent on loan to Waterford in 2019, before spending the next five years at Klubi 04, HJK, Sandefjord and IFK Varnamo.
Tyreece John-Jules
John-Jules had plenty of loan spells during his time as an Arsenal player, namely across Lincoln City, Doncaster Rovers, Blackpool, Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich Town and Derby County, before making a permanent switch to Crawley Town in 2024.
Xavier Amaechi
Amaechi has already got his 2025/26 season under way in League One with Plymouth Argyle, who he moved to from 1. FC Magdeburg in the summer. After leaving us he went to Hamburger SV and spent time on loan at Karlsruher SC as well as Bolton Wanderers.
Danny Ballard
Stevenage-born centre-back Ballard took part in loan spells at Swindon Town, Blackpool and Millwall from 2019 to 2022 before leaving us permanently for Sunderland. It was his goal that sent the Black Cats to the Championship play-off final last season, netting in the second leg of the semi-final against Coventry City.
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