Crystal Palace have announced the signing of Margate striker Freddie Ladapo this evening after impressing during a trial at the club.
The 23-year-old scored 10 goals for the Blues in their debut season in the Vanarama National League South, bringing the himself to the attention of the Eagles’ scouts in recent months.
Ladapo featured in two under-21 games for Crystal Palace in recent weeks, scoring a hat-trick against Watford, of which the Eagles won 5-0, as well as being the “main threat’ against Leeds United U21s at Selhurst Park in his second trial game.
The former Colchester, Kidderminster and Margate striker has signed a two-and-a-half year deal at Selhurst Park for an undisclosed fee. Ladapo will not be eligible to play for the first team until 1st July so will feature for the U21s in their final games of the season, beginning with Sheffield Wednesday on Friday.
Speaking to the Croydon Advertiser, Academy Director Gary Issott said:
Freddie did really well in those two games, he looks like a goalscorer and got three at Watford. He was also our main threat against Leeds.
He turned down an opputrunity to join Grimsby in the January transfer window and has had a number of scouts watch over his performances recently.
