Blackpool look certain to lose their teenage forward in the summer with Aston Villa or Newcastle United a potential destination.
With a whole host of clubs keeping tabs on Blackpool forward Bright Osayi-Samuel, it seems the question is not ‘if’ he will depart in the summer but ‘when’ and ‘where’.
According to The Sun, both Newcastle United and Aston Villa are interested in the 19-year-old who, despite making his debut when The Tangerines were still in The Championship, has exploded onto the scene with a series of impressive performances in League Two this season.
Potentially available for pocket change with a £1 million valuation on his head, Osayi-Samuel certainly suits Newcastle’s pursuit of young, affordable talents.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa are in need of more cutting edge in attack and the teenager, who has scored three in his last three games, could add an element of unpredictability to one of the Championship’s lowest scorers.
And although Blackpool would surely prefer to hang on to their prized asset, manager Gary Bowyer admits that they could be powerless to prevent his exit.
“My philosophy is simple – if [scouts] are coming to watch us, then it is a sign that we are doing something right and are helping players to progress,” the former Blackburn Rovers boss said in quotes reported by the Birmingham Mail.
“Do I want to lose any of the players? No, but I realise we are in League Two.”
Furthermore, Blackpool’s precarious financial position means that they can hardly afford to stand firm over Osayi-Samuel. Therefore, this should give Newcastle and Villa the encouragement to start the bidding in the summer.
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