HITC is aware that Brighton & Hove Albion will have to contend with rivals Manchester United and Chelsea for the services of one academy player.
Irish striker Evan Ferguson is a shining example of how Brighton & Hove Albion, one of the top teams in the Premier League, develops talent from its academy.
Roberto De Zerbi has been replaced by former St Pauli manager Fabian Hurzeler, who will be responsible for carrying on Brighton’s tradition with their academy.
Manchester United and Chelsea are interested in the teenage sensation Darius Lane, but insiders tell HITC that Brighton has done enough to hang onto the American midfielder.
Brighton resists outside interest in retaining Lane.
The 16-year-old midfielder, who has been training with the US Olympic team, is expected to pledge his future to The Seagulls, sources have told HITC.
Both Chelsea and United, who have recently made an effort to strengthen their academy setups, expressed a great deal of interest in him, but he will stay on the South Coast.
Lane has also been the target of interest from a number of European teams, notably French teams for whom he is eligible, such as Lyon and Marseille.
Lane is a midfield player to “watch out for.”
Brighton’s youth players now have more of a clear path than before, which will greatly improve the team’s chances of retaining important players.
According to a BBC report, they asked a senior scout who players in the Premier League academy they should be on the lookout for, and Lane was one of them.
Another name to keep an eye out for is Brighton’s Darius Lane. The scout stated, “He’s a French-American center midfielder who recently received a call-up to represent the United States.
“He is an all-action, box-to-box player, and if Brighton gives him the right path, I think he has a great chance to succeed.”
