Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Everton are all keen on signing Blackburn Rovers defensive sensation Tom Atcheson.
Tom Atcheson’s sensational rise has not gone unnoticed. Amidst increasing interest, Blackburn Rovers moved quickly to secure his future with a new long-term deal. Despite that, some of the biggest clubs in the country could test their resolve this summer.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Everton are all interested in signing the teenage defender who has been dubbed the ‘New Phil Jones’.
Tom Atcheson has come up the ranks at Blackburn Rovers. While he is not yet officially a part of their first team, the teenager made his debut back in December and has quickly established himself as a key figure in the team under Michael O’Neill.
The youngster’s rapid rise has also helped him make his international debut for Northern Ireland. He has shown exceptional defensive awareness and has a strong physical presence, qualities that are needed to succeed in English football.
Thanks to his impressive performances, a host of top clubs from the Premier League are now after the signature of the 19-year-old. While O’Neill did manage to convince the club to hand him a new deal, it might not be enough to keep hold of Atcheson.
Premier League clubs are after Atcheson
The teenager has been compared to Phil Jones, who famously came up the ranks at Blackburn Rovers before joining Manchester United, who will be busy in the market in the coming weeks. Atcheson could follow a similar path, as the Red Devils are interested in signing him. They are looking to invest in him for the long run, and the youngster can be Harry Maguire’s long-term successor.
While Manchester United are keeping a close eye on him, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, and Everton could make things difficult for them. All three clubs have made checks on the teenager in recent weeks. They believe he has the potential to be a special player and do not want to miss out on his signature.
While Tottenham are worried about the long-term futures of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, Newcastle United must plan for life after the ageing Fabian Schar and Dan Burn. Meanwhile, with James Tarkowski and Michael Keane on the wrong side of 30, Everton can do with a new centre-back.
Blackburn Rovers are determined to keep hold of the 19-year-old, which is quite clear given the new long-term deal. But the Riversides might still struggle to do so, given the stature of clubs that are after his signature. It will be interesting to see how things pan out over the next few weeks.
