Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City are the latest clubs to pounce on Port Vale’s youngsters.
Port Vale have announced that two of their academy players have left to join Premier League clubs in Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City.
In a statement on their official website this afternoon (Tuesday), the League Two side confirmed the departures of James Storer (Wolves) and Herbie James (City).
Wolves are said to have paid ‘above the going rate for a player of (Storer’s) age’, more than four years after the goalkeeper joined the Valiants at Under-9 level – while it is claimed that James, an 11-year-old striker, turned down ‘several north-west based Premier League clubs’ in favour of moving to Manchester City for an undisclosed fee.
Port Vale’s statement adds that the club has negotiated with Wolves and Manchester City to ‘secure payments noticeably higher’ than they would have been due under the EPPP (Elite Player Performance Plan) introduced in 2011.
Meanwhile, Vale say they have received a further payment after their former academy player, Jacob Twyford, signed his first professional contract with neighbours Stoke City.
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