Man Utd battle Chelsea and Newcastle for 16-year-old Welsh wonderkid
Tom Weber
- Updated: 27 Nov 2023 18:11 GMT
- 3 min read
Several Premier League big-hitters are interested in Derby County teenager Cruz Allen, according to a report.
The 16-year-old has already made his senior debut for the Rams, though he still mostly features in the U18 Premier League for his side. His performances for the Rams' youth team have caught the eye, with Allen notching three goals and three assists in seven games so far this term.
Allen made his Derby first-team bow earlier this month when Derby beat Wolves' U21s 4-1 in the EFL Trophy, coming on for an 11-minute cameo. The teenager is yet to make his debut for the seniors in League One, but he has already featured for the U21s in Premier League 2 and is catching the eye of the big boys.
At least that's what The Sun claims. The report asserts that Manchester United are interested in the young Welshman, while Chelsea and Newcastle United are also monitoring his progress in the East Midlands. The highly-rated midfielder is a regular for Wales U17s and Derby, it is claimed, are bracing themselves for January bids.
Wales Under 17s - Cruz Allen pic.twitter.com/WDM3uI6hff
— dragonsoccer.co.uk - Wales National Football Team (@dragonsoccernr) August 24, 2023
Man Utd vs Chelsea
Allen isn't the only youngster who has caught the attention of Man Utd and Chelsea. The two Premier League behemoths are also set to battle for other promising talents in January.
Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian, better known as Messinho, for example, is also the subject of interest from these two English clubs. Like Allen, Messinho is only 16 and has starred for his country's U17s, being one of the players of the tournament at the U17 World Cup in Indonesia.
Unlike Allen, who could likely be snapped for a relatively affordable fee, Messinho already boasts a professional contract with a whopping €60 million release clause. The Brazilian is also being eyed by Real Madrid and Barcelona.
