Some eyebrows were raised recently amongst the Crystal Palace fanbase as Asher Agbinone was released.
The talented 20-year-old made his Premier League debut under Oliver Glasner in October 2024 during a 1-0 loss against Nottingham Forest, and seemed to be one of the most precocious young prospects at Selhurst Park.
That Premier League debut came after the winger scored a superb goal against Wolves in pre-season during the summer of 2024, a strike which suggested he had a bright future in SE25.
However, the decision was made to release Agbinone at the end of last season, but it has not taken long for the Croydon-born attacker to find a new club as he now links up with Christian Benteke at Al Wahda.
Would Oliver Glasner ruin his Crystal Palace legacy by moving to Nottingham Forest? 🤔
Al Wahda snap up Asher Agbinone after Crystal Palace exit
The Arabian outfit – who have won the UAE Pro League on four occasions – can boast a talented squad including the likes of former Southampton star Dusan Tadic and Benteke, and have now moved quickly to add Agbinone to the side.
It speaks volumes that the Londoner has found a new club so quickly, and suggests many were keeping a close eye on his progress at Crystal Palace.
It is nonetheless a strange move for Agbinone. Players who move to places like Abu Dhabi are often coming towards the end of their careers – such as the aforementioned Tadic and Benteke. Young talents rarely go to these areas and develop well enough to earn a move back to a leading European league.
Nevertheless, that should be used by the former Crystal Palace wonderkid as motivation to prove he can still have an exceptional career despite moving to Al Wahda at such a young age.
Hopefully, Agbinone realises his vast potential alongside the experience of Benteke and Tadic, and does not see his career fizzle out.
