Chelsea have reportedly lost the race to sign highly-rated Millwall youngster Samuel Edozie, who is set to join Premier League champions Manchester City.
If the report from The Sun is to be believed, Manchester City have won the race to sign Samuel Edozie. The Premier League champions have signed the Millwall youngster, who was being heavily tailed by Chelsea as well. The transfer is said to cost City an initial £600,000 with the potential of the fee rising to £2 million if the bonuses are met.
The report states that the Premier League duo were not alone in pursuit of Edozie. The youngster was being chased by a trio of big Bundesliga clubs: RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, who have also lost the race alongside Chelsea for the Millwall youngster.
At 16, Edozie had already racked up appearances for the Millwall Under-18s and Under-19 squad in the 2018-19 campaign. The club had picked up hints of Edozie wanting a transfer and by the end of the season it was evident that the 16-year-old would not be signing an extension at Millwall, which meant the club had to cash in on the midfielder.
Transfer news ?:
Manchester City ??????? have completed the signing of Nigerian wonderkid Samuel Edozie from Millwall ???????.
City signed the 16-year-old youngster in a deal valued around £600,000 but could rise to about £2 million with ad ons. pic.twitter.com/4GYlh4wv9G— Details On Football (@theDOFootball) June 21, 2019
Edozie’s talent had already generated interest from Manchester City, Chelsea and the aforementioned Bundesliga clubs. But, it was a straight race between the two Premier League giants by the end of it. Chelsea chose to play a decisive card it seemed, inviting Edozie to the club training premises and introducing him to Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
While Loftus-Cheek isn’t a mega star by any means, the English international is proof that Chelsea now provide a pathway into the first-team and with Loftus-Cheek playing in almost the same position as Edozie, the player served as a mirror – a look into the possible future, should the Millwall starlet end up at Chelsea.
But, the move, as we now know, has failed to do the magic, with Edozie opting to join the Premier League champions instead. Manchester City are set to inculcate Edozie into their academy squad and it is still not clear whether he will be sent on loan to any club.
Perhaps, the managerial uncertainty at Chelsea has played a part in Edozie’s decision as City not only have a recent proven record of competing for and winning major honours but also a clear footballing system and a world-class manager at the helm.
City’s academy setup has become one of the best in the world in the recent years and it will be interesting to see whether Edozie is the next youth star to progress from their academy setup to the first-team in the years to come.
