Ryan Sessegnon has been making a name for himself in the Championship this season.
If you were not aware of who Ryan Sessegnon was, then you be well acquainted with him after his brace guided Fulham to a 3-1 victory over Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Saturday.
At just 16, he has already written himself into the record books. After scoring in Fulham’s 2-2 draw with Cardiff City on 20 August, he became the first player born after the millennium to score a professional league goal and the youngest player to score in a Championship goal.
Sessegnon is a left-back by trade and all of his appearances for the Cottagers has been in his favoured position. However, he played in a more advanced left midfield role against Newcastle.
To say he excelled in his new role would be an understatement. A return of two goals, his fifth and sixth of the season, and a man of the match of display against the league leaders capped off the perfect afternoon for the youngster.
Talk has naturally turned to where his next destination will be. A number of Premier League clubs are said to have been tracking Sessegnon’s progress throughout the season. A report from the Sun today suggests that Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool will make their move in the summer in a £10million move.
It is a foregone conclusion that the future of Sessegnon will be in the Premier League and it is expected that he will move to a club in the division where European football is in their season schedule. A move away from Craven Cottage is inevitable and it is an unavoidable outcome that the West London club will need to contemplate.
Amidst all of the talks of an impending big money move, one scenario has not been scrutinised. Sessegnon could well be playing Premier League football next season. Fulham currently sit one place outside the play-off places. With the gap at only two points and with a game in hand, Slaviša Jokanović’s men are plotting a convincing promotion push.
However, even if promotion is not achieved, the perfect place for Sessegnon to continue to develop is at Craven Cottage. It is easy to forget his age when watching him on the football pitch. He plays with a maturity well beyond his years and his performances have fast tracked him into becoming a key figure in this Fulham side.
How many times have we seen a big move for the next star of tomorrow materialise too early? The results can be often disastrous. A player is signed to provide the long term solution to a side’s future defect. While they are not quite ready to make the step up to the first team, they are either left to progress in the under-23 ‘development’ team or secure a handful of short term loan moves for first-team opportunities.
Careers filled with such potential and promise are thrown out into the scrapheap and in the harsh reality of football, a player may never recover. At this point in his career, Sessegnon should be looking no further ahead than his next game in a Fulham shirt.
He is playing in a side who are in great form and playing under a dynamic manager who is putting together an exciting team together. There is no plausible reason why Sessegnon should not be a key component in the short-term success of Fulham.
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