During the summer transfer window, a former Derby County young player might make a big-money move into the Premier League.
Notable graduates of Derby County’s academy in recent years include Max Bird and Morgan Whittaker, who will face Derby County in the Championship game the following year.
Another well-known player who began his career at Pride Park was Will Hughes, a midfielder who has played in 150 Premier League games for Watford and Crystal Palace.
In recent years, former Republic of Ireland U21 defender Eiran Cashin has solidified his position at center-back thanks to the Rams’ academy. Cashin has gained valuable experience with the Rams and now has a large transfer value.
Though his present club values him at a hefty £20 million charge, one former young product that Derby County cashed in on for a six-figure fee is apparently in talks with a Premier League giant.
Omari Kellyman, an offensive prodigy from Derby County, is valued at £20 million by Aston Villa. According to journalist Matt Law, Chelsea is apparently in talks to purchase the 18-year-old.
Kellyman has played only 11 games for Aston Villa U21s in the Premier League 2, but he has already scored seven goals in those games. Despite this, Kellyman has played in just 35 minutes for Unai Emery’s club in the Premier League this season.In March 2022, Derby County sold the young player to Aston Villa for a sum of £600,000, even though he never made an appearance for the Rams first team.
Exclusive: Omari Kellyman, an 18-year-old offensive prospect, is being courted by Chelsea and Aston Villa. He’s worth £20 million to Villa. Complete narrative to come #cfc #avfc
— June 22, 2024, Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT)
See Tweet Who at Derby County is “the next Omari Kellyman”?
The former Derby County young player was sold back in 2022 when the team was in administration, implying that if circumstances had turned out differently, Kellyman might have eventually established himself on the Derby team.
Fortunately, there is talent in the Rams’ pipeline. Lennon Wheeldon, an 18-year-old striker, joined the junior setup back in July 2022.
Paul Warne gave Wheeldon his first taste of senior football this season when he came on as a substitute in the EFL Trophy, helping Derby defeat Wolves U21s 4-1.
The young player has averaged a goal per 182 minutes in the U18 Premier League and has earned some well-earned playing time in the Premier League 2.
Even though the talented young player isn’t quite ready to play regularly for the first team, you should keep an eye on him as a striker in the near future.
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