David Omilabu could be set for a bright future at Crystal Palace with chairman Steve Parish tipping the 17-year-old midfielder for big things, according to the Eagles’ official website.
Veteran manager Roy Hodgson is not the only Palace hero heading into the autumn of his career.
As the Standard have pointed out, the Londoners have the second-oldest squad in the Premier League with James McArthur, Scott Dann, James Tomkins, Gary Cahill and Joel Ward all in their 30s.
No wonder, then, that Hodgson is hoping to reduce the average age of his team.
Palace have already snapped up teenager Scott Banks from Dundee United with a number of academy starlets tipped to make their first-team debuts when Project Re-start gets underway, including left-back Tyrick Mitchell (below).
17-year-old Omilabu also has plenty of admirers within the walls of Selhurst Park. One of those, according to Palace’s official website, is chairman Steve Parish.
Omilabu caught Parish’s eye with his stand-out displays earlier this year and has since made the step up from U16 to U18 level.
“I felt much stronger, quicker and everything was less of a challenge. I’ve now adapted to the demands of Under-18s football – last year I was Under-16s playing up in the Under-18s,” says a man who scored four times in two games before the 2019/20 season was put on ice.
Goals have been in short supply for Palace in recent seasons, with Christian Benteke still a lumbering, bumping shadow of his former self.
So a player like Omilabu, who clearly has a knack of putting the ball in the back of the net, could find first-team opportunities coming his way sooner rather than later.
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