- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
West Ham United and Crystal Palace are among the clubs keen on signing Olly Box, HITC understands.
Sources have told HITC that West Ham United and Crystal Palace are among a number of clubs who battling to land non-league starlet Olly Box.
West Ham United and Crystal Palace eye Olly Box
The Hammers, who want to sign Samuel Iling-Junior, and the Eagles have scouted Box, who is one of the best young players in non-league football.
The 18-year-old has come through the youth ranks at National League South outfit Dartford and has burst into the first team in recent weeks.
Box was a star of the club’s academy and was generating interest, but now he has been given his chance and has taken it with both hands.
The attacking midfielder has scored three goals in his last two games, and he has done it in front of scouts from a host of clubs.
HITC can reveal that West Ham United, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough, Millwall and Leyton Orient are among those looking closely at Box.
Contrasting objectives
Both West Ham United and Crystal Palace are big clubs based in London and are established in the Premier League.
However, the two clubs are having very contrasting seasons at the moment.
While West Ham, who could lose Lucas Paqueta to Manchester City in the summer transfer window, are aiming to clinch a European place in the Premier League table and are still in the UEFA Europa League, Palace are in danger of getting relegated to the Championship.
The Hammers are ninth in the Premier League table with 36 points from 25 matches. David Moyes’s side have lost their last three league games.
Palace are 15th in the league table with 25 points from 25 matches. They are only five points above the bottom three and have lost three of their last five league games.
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