Nabay has become one of English soccer’s most sought-after commodities after the central midfielder bagged an impressive 12 goals for Birmingham City’s youth team, according to the Mail.
Originally from Sierra Leone, Nabay quickly moved to the top of the wish-lists of a host of England’s giants … despite the fact that he’s yet to celebrate his 14th birthday.
One would imagine it’s hard to predict a player’s performance before he’s even reached puberty, yet England’s top soccer institutions are embroiled in a fierce contest to secure the player’s signature.
Liverpool, Arsenal, and (most discouraging of all to Birmingham fans) Aston Villa have already given their best sales pitches to Nabay, while Manchester United is reportedly due to state its case on Tuesday.
Interest is certainly not restricted to just the aforementioned clubs. United’s cross-town rival Manchester City and newly-crowned European champion Chelsea are both hoping to convince the player to sign on.
Usually, a bidding war amongst wealthy sides is quietly welcomed by smaller clubs in dire need of extra funding. Unfortunately for Birmingham, the youngster’s free-agent status means the club is only due a meager £65,000 (about $101,000) for developmental costs.
However, all is not lost for the Blues quite yet. Nabay is said to still be considering continuing his development with the Championship club, feeling he could have an easier path to senior-team action.
Staying put may be mutually beneficial to both player and club. Competitive minutes from an early age would vastly improve Nabay’s game. Meanwhile, Birmingham would stand to recoup a sizable fee when the player’s inevitable move to a bigger club arrives.
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Photo via Twitter/@ManUtdGlory2
