Crystal Palace are reportedly keeping tabs on Derby County teenager Malcolm Ebiowei along with Manchester United.
The 18-year-old forward is of reported interest to several Premier League clubs after breaking into Derby's first time last season under the management of Wayne Rooney. Ebiowei is a striker who can also play on the wing and made 16 appearances for the Rams during the second half of the season, scoring one goal and assisting two more as Derby were relegated to League One.
The teenager's contract at Pride Park expires at the end of June, though, and he has plenty of suitors from the top-flight, with Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United both said to be keen on him in the past, as well as Newcastle. Palace boss Patrick Vieira is said to be 'pushing hard' for Ebiowei to come to Selhurst Park, where the Eagles have already snapped up his teenage teammate Luke Plange in January for a £1million fee.
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They might have to battle with United for Ebiowei’s signature, however, and the Red Devils could have the upper hand thanks to Rooney’s connections to Old Trafford. New manager Erik Ten Hag is currently going through his squad and deciding where he needs to strengthen the most, meaning Palace might have to make their move quickly for the forward or risk losing him later in the window.
Ebiowei’s career started in the junior ranks of Arsenal in 2015, where he stayed for four years before joining Rangers, completing a single season with the Gers before joining Derby in 2021. He has also previously featured for the Netherlands Under-15s and England Under-16s at international level, though he is also eligible to play for Nigeria should he choose to.
Although he is expected to leave Pride Park this summer, it’s clear that Rooney would rather have Ebiowei around for a while longer. England’s record goalscorer was full of high praise for the teenager after he broke into the Derby team, especially following his performance for the Rams during a 1-1 draw with Coventry in March.
Rooney said: “I thought he was excellent all game - the best player on the pitch. ‘It was one of the best performances I have seen from a young player, consistently for 90 minutes, in a long time. He deserved that because he has worked extremely hard. His attitude is incredible, he wants to learn, and he is an exciting young player.”
He later added: “First of all, his attitude is very good. He has got an enormous amount of ability. He is brave, he will take the ball. He is not afraid to take players on, get tackled and make mistakes. So he has got a really bright future.”
