Manchester United and Crystal Palace are reportedly leading the race to sign Derby County starlet Malcolm Ebiowei.
Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, in his recent tweet, has offered an update on the future of Malcolm Ebiowei. The Derby County wonderkid is currently regarded as one of the hottest attacking prospects in the English lower leagues and could be on the verge of leaving the Rams this summer.
Manchester United and Crystal Palace are among the clubs interested in securing his services. Ligue 1 giants AS Monaco are involved in the chase, too, but Fabrizio Romano has suggested that the 18-year-old English sensation is likely to remain in the country, with both Manchester United and Crystal Palace emerging as the front-runners.
Formerly of the Arsenal youth academy, Ebiowei has been a part of the Derby County setup since last summer. He was brought in as a youth prospect looking to make his mark in professional football. But in light of Derby’s economic disaster, the teenage wonderkid had to be fast-tracked into first-team action by Wayne Rooney.
In 16 matches, Ebiowei, who is a right-winger by trade, scored once and assisted twice. His performances were not enough to save Derby from the wrath of relegation, but the 18-year-old could not have done much as the club were plagued by a series of point deductions.
Nevertheless, following Derby’s relegation, Ebiowei is looking to create a new chapter by moving elsewhere. Earlier this summer, he was linked with a move to a variety of Premier League clubs including Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United, among many others.
But it appears the 18-year-old may join Manchester United or Crystal Palace ahead of the new season, as the two Premier League clubs look to battle it out for his signature this summer.
Manchester United have lost out on multiple talented English players in the recent past, including Jude Bellingham. But they have no intention of missing out on Ebiowei, who could be an interesting prospect to work with for new coach Erik ten Hag, as he prepares for the departures of Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and potentially Marcus Rashford.
Crystal Palace, though, could be a more attractive option for Ebiowei. The Eagles have become the breeding ground for young and talented players in the recent past, and with Jordan Ayew into his thirties, the 18-year-old Derby County wonderkid may have an excellent opportunity to make a breakthrough at Selhurst Park next season.
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The temptation to sign for Manchester United, though, could be a key factor in this chase and with that in mind, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Malcolm Ebiowei this summer.
