Arsenal and Chelsea in Transfer War over Dutch Wonderkid - Report
16 year old Riechedly Bazoer of PSV Eindhoven is rumoured to be the next big thing from Dutch football
Riechedly Bazoer, the 16 year old central defender from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, is now the subject of a three-horse transfer race, with Premier League giants Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City having offered the teen a contract.
A Goal.com report indicates Bazoer visited City's training grounds and facilities over the weekend and will now travel to London to talk to officials from the Gunners and the Blues before making his decision.
Bazoer also has the option of remaining in Holland with Eindhoven, something which many, including the club's sporting director Marcel Brands, believe could be best for the player's long-term future. The Dutch club are presently second in the Eredivise, only a point behind leaders FC Twente with 11 games played.
"What is his intention? Is it to develop or go for bigger money in England? You have to ask him and his agent which clubs are interested in him. I don't know and it doesn't matter," Brands explained, adding, "It is his choice and the agent will do their best for the player. The only thing we can do is offer him good possibilities in terms of coaching and prospects."
Brands confirmed the club has offered the player a three-year contract, which according to Dutch rules, is the maximum contract that can be offered to an U18 player. In addition, the fact Fifa rules prohibit transfer fees exceeding €364,000 (£296,000) for academy players means any move for Bazoer will be a gamble definitely worth taking.
Meanwhile, in addition to the complexities of choosing between Arsenal, Chelsea and City, Bazoer may also have to factor in interest from clubs in the Italian Serie A and Spanish La Liga. However, there has been no concrete development from that angle. In any case, Bazoer will face the extra difficulty of learning a new language if he decides to shift to the continent... and that may put off any thoughts of a transfer there for now.
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