Will Hughes

Derby County

Hughes made his debut for the club's reserve team as a 70th minute substitute in a 6–1 Central League win over Walsall on 22 September 2011 and made two additional appearances in the Central League Cup. It was his "outstanding" performance in a 1–0 win over Port Vale reserves in the competition on 1 November which brought him to manager Nigel Clough's attention for possible inclusion in the Derby first-team squad against Peterborough United four days later. Hughes made his full debut for Derby as a 90th-minute substitute for Jamie Ward. Despite entering the match late with the scores level, there was still time for Hughes' first-team debut to end in defeat as a 94th-minute goal saw Peterborough win 3–2. After Derby midfielder Paul Green, who was out-of-contract at the end of the season, rejected a contract offer, Clough dropped him and promoted Hughes to the first-team squad as his replacement for the penultimate match of the season at Portsmouth. Hughes started the match on the substitute's bench and came on in the 68th minute, replacing Theo Robinson in a 2–1 win. Hughes started his first match for the senior team in the final match of the season, a 1–1 draw against Peterborough United. Hughes' performance match earned praise from Derby manager Nigel Clough. At Derby's awards night, Hughes won the Scholar of the Year Award. After impressing in pre-season, Clough said that Hughes could be in line for a place in the starting line-up in the first match of…

On 17 January 2012, Hughes was called up to the England U17 for the first time for the Algarve Tournament in February 2012, he was joined by his teammate Mason Bennett. Hughes appeared in all three match, as England won the three-match tournament with seven points. Hughes scored a goal in the 2–2 draw against Netherlands U17 on 4 February 2012. Hughes was also called up the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Championship elite round in March 2012, however England failed to qualify for the main tournament, finishing third in their group on four points, with their exit confirmed in a 4–0 loss to Spain U17. In August 2012, Hughes was named as standby for the England U19 squad for a friendly against Germany U19 in September. In November 2012, Hughes made his first appearance for the England U21 squad in a friendly against Northern Ireland U21 on 13 November. Hughes came on as a 65th-minute substitute for Josh McEachran, becoming the second youngest player to get capped for the U21s, beaten only by Theo Walcott. Derby youth academy director Darren Wassall praised Hughes after his call-up to the England U21 side, saying "It's a great achievement to get in at 17 and we are all delighted for him. To make that rise into the Under-21s so soon is fantastic for him and everyone at the club." Hughes called the experience "surreal". On 19 November 2013, Hughes scored his first goal for England U21 against San Marino U21. Hughes claimed eligibility to play for the Wales national team through…

Hughes has been described as a "flair player" who uses through balls and mazy runs to create space for teammates and beat opposition defences in attacking positions. He has expressed a "love of a challenge, a 50–50". Hughes said in a December 2012 interview for the BBC, that he bases his play on Barcelona and Spanish international central midfielders Xavi and Andrés Iniesta. Hughes states his strengths are his passing and technical ability and targeted improvements in pace and physical strength. Growing up a Liverpool fan, his favourite player was Steven Gerrard, admiring his ability both in the tackle and as a playmaker. Hughes' former England U21 coach Stuart Pearce described Hughes as "technically a very sound player". "He rarely gave the ball away in training or in the game he played [against Northern Ireland], which is vitally important at international level. He's progressing really well."

Born in Weybridge, Surrey, Hughes moved to Derby at the age of two. Hughes was first educated at St Peter's Junior school and then Repton School for secondary school in Derbyshire, where he was a boarder attending on a sports scholarship. Growing up, Hughes also played cricket and tennis. He played for Repton's football team, reaching the final of the Independent Schools Football Association Under-15 Cup in 2010, where he scored the first goal in a 3–1 extra-time defeat to Brentwood. Having briefly been on the books of Nottingham Forest, Hughes played for local side Mickleover Jubilee, before leaving Repton to sign for Derby County as a first-year scholar in the summer of 2011. While at Derby he completed A-Levels in politics and business with the help of tutors.