Speaking on the HLTCO podcast, Dan Cook has been giving his thoughts on the potential that Adler Nascimento has.
It has been reported that the Eagles have lost a highly-rated youngster in Zion Atta from their academy after they failed to agree on a new deal with him, which has seen the 16-year old leave the Premier League club.
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While this may be a blow for the Eagles, they should not be too concerned, as their academy products appear to be nowhere near slowing down.
They’ve already bled Tyrick Mitchell into the side and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi has made his Premier League debut this season, but it’s former Peterborough player Nascimento that has people at the club excited, as Cook spoke about.
Cook gave an insight into what people at the club are saying about Nascimento following the news of Atta’s departure.
“Quite clearly, the decision to not break the current wage structure to accommodate Zion Atta’s demands is something that we stand by.
“Of course, we brought in Adler Nascimento from Peterborough, and there is a belief behind the scenes at Crystal Palace that he is just as good, if not superior in talent to Zion Atta anyway.”
TIF Thoughts on Nascimento and Palace’s academy products…
Palace’s current wave of academy stars making names for themselves in the first team started a few years ago when Aaron Wan-Bissaka broke onto the scene at Selhurst Park, and eventually earned his big-money move to Manchester United, and players such as Mitchell and Rak-Sakyi have soon followed in his footsteps by earning minutes and spots in the senior side.
Palace pulled off a major coup this summer by reportedly beating Leeds United to the signing of 16-year-old Nascimento, who even made his debut for the Posh last season, and if people at the club are indeed excited that he could surpass what Atta may have been able to offer, then there is certainly reason to be excited rather than annoyed about the youngster’s exit.