According to [The Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-15107763/Tom-Brady-Birmingham-City-English-contract-Premier-League.html), Birmingham City are ready to make a big effort to tie down 14-year-old goalkeeping prodigy Alfie Smith to a new deal. The prominent rise of the young star in the background has many Premier League heavyweights angling for an early move, with the Championship side eager to keep hold of their talent.
Big Premier League teams are already looking at young talents from across different academies; they could bring them in early and potentially develop them into their mould. There is a race of sorts happening in the background that has seen those clubs accumulate young talents, but very promising to have a real chance of becoming top-rated performers in the future.
Of those teams, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea are all chasing a 14-year-old goalkeeping prodigy in Alfie Smith from Birmingham City. The young stopper has made his mark with some terrific performances, that has seen him break records despite his tender age.
For instance, Alfie Smith became the second-youngest keeper ever to feature for the Premier League Under-18s, and the youngest this season at the very least. He has already shown plenty of promise to have the maturity to sustain the level of the U18s despite being far lower in the age bracket.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool are all keeping close tabs on his situation. Those teams are eager to bring him early and develop his talents into the mould of a player they would want for the future. The idea of moving to a prominent top-flight side early may have its benefits for the 14-year-old goalkeeping prodigy, but there are obvious risks that could curtail his current development path.
Birmingham City wants to keep Alfie Smith
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Birmingham City are building an ambitious project, and they want to enter the Premier League conversation in the coming years. However, they are also eager to keep hold of their top talents such as Smith. Hence, the Championship side are ready to make a big effort with the player and his family to agree on a new deal to ward off interest from those big Premier League sides.
They have a good enough chance to convince Alfie Smith that his immediate and long-term future is with Birmingham City. Given how they have played an instrumental role in his rise so far, the 14-year-old goalkeeping prodigy might see the positives in staying with a familiar atmosphere, rather than risk certain things with a mog move away, at least at this stage of his career.