Makai Bernard-Ferguson has now signed his first professional contract at Crystal Palace.
The 17-year-old has been in exceptional form under Javier Alonso in the U18 side this season, scoring seven goals and providing three assists across 16 appearances.
One of these strikes, an effort against the Sheffield United U18 side back in November, even secured the Crystal Palace Goal of the Month award for the teenager.
After Bernard-Ferguson penned a professional contract at Selhurst Park and edged closer to the senior side, let us take a closer look at his talent.
Meet Makai Bernard-Ferguson, an “electric and fearless winger”
“Electric” and “fearless” are two words we would have used to describe Wilfried Zaha at Crystal Palace, and the Eagles use those exact adjectives to label Bernard-Ferguson on the official club website.
The forward – who joined Crystal Palace at the age of seven – can play on either flank, and has the benefit of being a relative of a Selhurst Park icon in Jason Puncheon.
The man who made 169 appearances for Crystal Palace and scored in the 2016 FA Cup final for the Eagles is actually the uncle of Bernard-Ferguson, so the youngster has an invaluable source of advice if he needs it.
Following in the footsteps of former academy graduates Zaha and Victor Moses, Bernard-Ferguson loves to dribble at defenders, with highlights reels regularly showing the youngster twisting opponents inside and out.
Not only that, but the former Lambeth Tigers attacker typically seems to deliver some form of end product at the end of these dazzling runs, which can often be the hard part for young talents to nail down.
After Joel Drakes-Thomas made his Crystal Palace debut at the age of just 16 in the UEFA Conference League, which just paid out a nice chunk of prize money, earlier this season, we hope to see Bernard-Ferguson be the next to make his full debut.
- Full name: Makai Keon Hugh Bernard-Ferguson
- Age: 17
- Date of birth: 20th February 2009
- Nationality: England
- Place of birth: Lambeth
- Club: Crystal Palace
- Position: Winger
