Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley are all keeping tabs on 16-year-old Senegalese defender Serigne Afia Ndao.
The teenager currently plays for the Be Sport Academy in Dakar. His quick rise has already caught the eye of top Premier League sides and several clubs across Europe.
The defender recently travelled to England for trials with both Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town. Newcastle, Wolves and Burnley are also closely watching his situation alongside Portuguese giants Benfica and Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Qadsiah.
Be Sport Academy confirmed the player’s recent trip to London and Suffolk. The academy revealed that former Chelsea U21 boss Mark Robinson gave the youngster a glowing review during his trial spell.
“Serigne Afia trained with the reserve teams of Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace, where he impressed everyone,” the academy said in a statement. “He stood out for his quality on the ball, his height, and his physical presence.”
“He received strong endorsements from the coaching staff of both academies, including Mark Robinson, former coach of Chelsea’s reserve team. Robinson placed Serigne Afia in the same category as Levi Colwill, Trevor Chalobah, and Ben Chilwell, whom he coached a few years ago.”
“He is currently on the radar of Newcastle United, Wolverhampton, Burnley, Benfica, Al Qadsiah, and others.”
The young defender could feature for Senegal at the 2026 U17 World Cup in Qatar, which runs from November 19 to December 13. If he makes the squad, interested clubs must wait until after the tournament to hand him further trials.
The defender turns 18 in December 2027. English rules mean UK clubs cannot officially register him until January 2028, but suitors can strike a deal early to secure his signature.
