Izzy Brown was dubbed one of the brightest talents in English football as a youngster at West Brom but his career has stalled somewhat since.
Chelsea starlet Izzy Brown has posted a cryptic message on Twitter just hours after West Brom academy chief Steve Hopcroft claimed he left the club just as they were preparing to make him an “integral” part of the first team.
Chelsea controversially snapped up the then-16-year-old attacker in 2013, with the Baggies reportedly demanding a £1.2 million bill in a tribunal, according to the Telegraph, as they were unable to sign him to a professional contract due to Brown being under the age of 17.
The Peterborough-born winger, however, has only featured once in the Premier League for Chelsea and is currently embarking upon a season-long loan at Rotherham United after a disappointing stint in the Eredivisie with Vitesse in 2015-16.
And West Brom’s academy chief Hopcroft suggested that Brown departed the club he joined as a 13-year-old in 2010 at the wrong time in his development.
“He was the one that got away for me,” Hopcroft told The Star. “The manager at the time, Steve Clarke (below), was ready to make him an integral part of the team.
“We had a potential £20-30-40 million player who the fans would have loved, full of flair and skill. He could take on six players from his own half and score.
“I was bitterly disappointed, as was everyone in the academy. He’s still potentially a world-class player, the best we’ve lost, without a shadow of doubt.”
Later on Thursday afternoon, Brown posted a cryptic message on Twitter saying: “Don’t believe everything you read.”
Whether the now-19-year-old’s exclamation was in response to Hopcroft’s comments is uncertain, but what is definite is that Brown needs to make the most of a second successive loan spell away at Stamford Bridge due to the club’s reputation of letting young talent stagnate amid a succession of temporary deals.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
