Having already seen the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Aaron Wan-Bissaka propelled to top-flight stardom in recent years, it is no wonder that Palace’s youth academy system is garnering some serious attention.
Club chairman Steve Parish has repeatedly iterated the importance of Palace’s youth setup towards the long-term future of Crystal Palace as an established top-flight English side. With the Eagles establishing a 99-year lease on their current and now-exclusive academy training ground, expect some serious investment – and high-quality players – to find their way into the rejuvenated academy structure.
However, one more recent name has been floating around the rumour mill in what could prove to be an increasingly significant transfer saga.
Jadan Raymond, who scored the winning penalty in the most recent Syrenka Cup final for England, is also a promising and prolific member of Palace’s youth teams. He is widely considered to be one of the Eagle’s most prized talents.
However, there’s an impasse; Palace have so far been unable to tie Jadan to professional terms, meaning he could leave for as little as £250,000 in the January window.
This is of course terrible for Palace; to make matters worse, it is understood by the Daily Mail that Valencia and Benfica are both plotting shock moves to secure the teenage starlet’s services. Impressing during the entire tournament alone, it is no wonder that such notable European giants are showing interest.
Palace are reportedly pushing hard to extend his deal, and he may find himself rising through the age brackets in Palace’s squads as a result. He could follow 19-year-old Nya Kirby in a faster-than-expected rise in a similar manner.
Read Crystal Palace’s Verdict
Such a loss would potentially impact Palace in the follwoing years to come. It is evident that the Palace board views its academy as the focal point of its long-term trajectory; this means retaining such phenomenal quality such as Raymond is vital.
Should Raymond leave the club, there is little doubt that Palace fans will be kicking themselves with frustrated fury, should Raymond live up to the hefty expectations thrust upon him.
As Raymond finds himself in the final year of his contract, he will surely be considering his options. Remember the name, football fans.
