Getafe starlet John Patrick is attracting interest from Premier League trio Leeds United, Everton and Burnley with his contract due to expire in summer 2022, as reported by TEAMtalk.
When most of us were 18, the biggest decision we faced tended to revolve around whether to experiment with a dash of lemon and herb or stick with old, reliable, moderately lip-tingling peri-peri.
Spare a thought, then, for young John Patrick.
He may be an imposing figure at 6ft 4in but, make no mistake, Patrick is still a kid in a man’s game. Yet he already faces decisions that could define his footballing career.
Is John Patrick on his way to Leeds United?
According to TEAMtalk, Patrick is able to represent Spain, the Republic of Ireland or Cameroon at international level.
He recently accepted a call-up for Ireland’s U19 side, the Madrid-born midfielder turning away from the country of his birth in favour of his father’s boys in green.
His future at club level, however, is more uncertain.
Patrick has already made six La Liga appearances for Getafe, albeit totalling just 54 minutes.
But, with his contract expiring next summer, does Patrick stay in Madrid or risk it all as Premier League clubs eye a cut-price January swoop?
TEAMtalk believes Manchester United are long-time admirers of Patrick.
Everton, Burnley and Leeds make up the race and it feels appropriate to point out when it comes to player development, the spellbinding Marcelo Bielsa is a wizard, waving his magic wand over Luke Ayling, Stuart Dallas, Liam Cooper and Patrick Bamford.
Then again, while Bielsa is responsible for Kalvin Phillips blossoming into England’s player of the year, opportunities for the club’s most exciting teenage talents have, at times, been harder to come by than you might expect.
John Patrick faces a tough decision indeed.
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