Manchester United are now close to signing one of the best young talents at Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace fans have already been handed some bad news regarding the academy this week – with Chelsea set to sign U15 gem Reggie Watson, son of Ben Watson.
Now, Manchester United are close to pinching another precocious talent from Crystal Palace…
Manchester United close to signing Samuel Lusale from Crystal Palace
The Manchester Evening News have now revealed that Manchester United are close to signing Samuel Lusale.
The Slovakia U17 international has been with Crystal Palace since the age of 13 – but is now heading for Old Trafford at the age of 16 due to some brilliant performances in the youth ranks in SE25.
Lusale, who is represented by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, was even named on a list of London’s top 50 academy prospects in the Evening Standard, who described the teenager as a “tricky winger with an eye for goal” in the article.
The attacker also has a profile on Roc Nation’s website, where he is called “one of the most exciting attacking players in the United Kingdom at U16 level” – by all accounts, Crystal Palace are losing a real prospect here.
Steve Parish needs to show these talents a pathway
When writing about the aforementioned Watson on Wednesday, we called for calm, and opined that Chelsea sniffing around our young talents suggest the academy is working, and is bearing fruit.
However, that was before Manchester United pinched Lusale, and this worrying trend could keep happening unless a pathway into the first-team is shown to these young talents, who may be feeling concerned by recent developments.
For example, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi has been handled terribly across the last 12 months, with Crystal Palace deciding to keep the England U20 international on the bench for the entire 2023/24 campaign, rather than find him a better loan, or use him regularly, after he scored 15 goals and provided ten assists in 50 games for Charlton in the 2022/23 season.
READ MORE: Crystal Palace make offer to sign £30m Championship star
Hopefully, Crystal Palace do not lose any more young talents after Watson and Lusale depart for Chelsea and Manchester United respectively.
