West Ham United hope to finalise a deal for Coleraine teenager Patrick Kelly before the end of the month.
Kelly has been on the Premier League club’s radar for the past year and it is understood a transfer is all but done barring any late hitches.
The 17-year-old midfielder, who made his Irish League debut last season, is set to undergo a medical inside the next 10 days with a move expected within the next fortnight.
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Kelly, who is currently on international duty with Northern Ireland U19s, had recently been linked with Manchester City and Sunderland who won promotion to the Championship last month.
But West Ham United, who have closely scouted the Portstewart native in recent months, are set to win the race for one of the Irish League’s most gifted youngsters.
Kelly, who signed a professional deal with Coleraine in October, made 22 Danske Bank Premiership appearances in a breakthrough campaign for the Bannsiders last season.
He also shone in a dramatic 4-3 defeat to Cliftonville in the BetMcLean League Cup final in March, earning plaudits from Northern Ireland boss Ian Baraclough in the process.
Baraclough, who was working for Sky Sports, said: “Patrick Kelly played for Coleraine and I thought he did superbly as a 17-year-old in a cup final.
“He wasn’t overawed by it and he’ll be better for the experience even though he was on the losing side. I thought he was great.”
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