Crystal Palace may have made their decision on teenage striker Rylan Brownlie, as they could offer him a permanent deal at the club.
According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace are closing in on the signature of Rylan Brownlie after the teenager has been training with the team since the summer. Having left Brisbane Roar earlier, Palace are now open to handing him a contract and making him join their U-18s side.
Rylan Brownlie has been considered one of the top talents to come out of Australia. In the A-League, he did become Brisbane Roar’s youngest-ever goalscorer, as he netted last season after signing his first professional deal.
However, he has since chosen to leave Australia to try out a pathway into English football, and so far, things have worked out for Brownlie. He has been training with Crystal Palace since the summer, and his progress has impressed the Eagles to a level that they are open to handing him a deal.
The 17-year-old attacking prodigy operates in the centre-forward role but possesses a profile that could allow Palace to develop him further and potentially explore his versatility through different phases. In any case, he is likely to be handed a permanent deal, as he’s well past the age of signing professional terms with an English side.
Brownlie will turn 18 in February of next year, and English rules could potentially make him wait until signing a contract with Palace. It could be with regulations pertaining to foreign players, as Browlie might be only permitted to sign a deal with the Eagles after he comes of a certain age.
Palace making key transfer plans
Palace are not only targeting the likes of Brownlie but also looking at other young talents from around. They are also keen on Sunderland teenager Tom Watson, as the club are increasingly looking to add to their youth side along with targetting key senior professionals to improve their attack, as recent links to Patrick Dorgu tend to suggest.
They are also keen to bring some attackers in the January window as there are links to Manchester City’s James McAtee, which would be helpful for their aim to rise up in the standings. As for the Brownlie deal, this is a good move for the teenager as well as the club, as they could develop him into a proper star in the future.