Caolan McBride is a player with ‘superb ability’ and could bring the ‘X-factor’ to Aston Villa when his move to the Premier League club is completed, Glentoran U20 coach David Lowry has told Belfast Live.
The Midland giants have one of the most impressive academy systems in English football at present and, when ‘Project Re-start’ gets underway, a number of talented youngsters could make their first appearances in claret and blue.
Louie Barry, Mungo Bridge and goalscoring midfielder Aaron Ramsey have been training with Dean Smith’s first-team squad of late.
So McBride, a technically-gifted teenage who is set to sign a three-year contract at Villa Park, should be confident that opportunities will come his way if he catches Dean Smith’s eye at Bodymoor Heath.
The man who watched him rise through the ranks at Glentoran certainly believes that McBride has the talent to thrive on the other side of the sea.
“Caolan has been at Glentoran for a long time and has stepped up very successfully into the U20 set-up this season,” Lowry says.
“He has grown in stature and matured as the season has progressed and emerged as an important player. He has a superb ability to run with the ball at his feet in crowded areas.
“That provides an X-factor in any team.”
McBride is not the only Ireland-based wonderkid who is packing his bags and heading to England this summer.
Leeds United look set to beat a host of Premier League clubs to the sought-after signature of Linfield’s Charlie Allen (below), while Dale Taylor is on his way to Nottingham Forest (Belfast Telegraph).
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