Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton are still reportedly hopeful of signing Jamie Hamilton despite his recent trial at Premier League rivals Brighton.
Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers are still hoping to beat Brighton and Hove Albion to highly-rated defender Jamie Hamilton despite his recent trial at the Amex, according to the Daily Record.
And his manager at Hamilton Academical, Brian Rice, has admitted that a coveted centre-back is likely to bid farewell to the Scottish Premiership outfit sooner rather than later.
As it stands, it seems like only a matter of time before the appropriately-named Hamilton follows in the footsteps of James McArthur, Eamonn Brophy, Lewis Ferguson and co by outgrowing the relatively small pond that is New Douglas Park.
The Scotland youth star has spent the last few days on trial at Brighton though top-flight rivals Wolves and Everton are still hopeful of snapping up a man who is expected to move for a bargain £1.5 million this summer.
And, speaking about the future of one of the Premiership’s most exciting talents, Rice has pointed out that Hamilton’s ‘selling club’ status means he is all-but certain to fulfil his potential elsewhere.
“We bring them in, develop them and then move them on when the time is right. It is what we do,” Rice said of Hamilton, who is also a target for Bundesliga giants Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen.
“Jamie’s been developed and he is still progressing. He has a long way to go but he has had an interesting start to his career.
“The club and I have a good relationship with Brighton and it was a good opportunity for him to go and show his talent. I believe he did well so we will need to see what happens.”
An intelligent, ball-playing centre-half, a move to Wolves would see Hamilton become the latest exciting young talent to join an ambitious Black Country outfit who have spent the last few years scouring the market for the next generation of potential superstars.
Everton, meanwhile, have already snapped up one teenage centre-half in Jarrad Branthwaite since the turn of the year.
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