Palace are set to tie down a talented youngsterPalace are set to tie down a talented youngster
Palace are set to tie down a talented youngster | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Crystal Palace are said to have all-but tied down a young star who is attracting attention.
Crystal Palace have moved to tie up one of their young talents who has been linked with an exit. The Eagles have done a fine job of producing and procuring young talent over the years, and they have now moved to avoid they don’t lose one before he gets the chance to become a star.
Palace have sold a fair few of their talents over the years, but not before they have shown their potential, and it looks as though versatile full-back Caleb Kporha will be the latest to get the opportunity to do just that.
Kporha was set to be out of contract this summer, but according to the Standard, Palace are now set to agreed a new four-year deal to end any interest in his services. The 18-year-old had reportedly garnered interest abroad, while there were also reports that he had decided to leave the club at the end of his current contract.
But it seems that is not the case, with a deal set to be agreed, according to the report. Sporting director Dougie Freedman leaves Selhurst Park on Monday, and it’s reported that he was keen to get a deal agreed with Kporha before moving on.
The youngster has made four senior appearances for the Eagles so far this season, made up of two Premier League appearances and an outing in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup. For the Palace youngsters, he has made eight Premier League 2 appearances, scoring once and assisting four times.
In truth, Kporha has been caught between the first team and the development side, finding himself sat on the bench as an unused substitute for 19 Premier League games this season, while the two times he did get off the bench have only allowed him to rack up 11 minutes of game time.
The wing-back should get a better opportunity next season, keeping in mind he is still young, but he will surely seek some sort of assurance over first team opportunities before penning a new contract.
What Glasner has said about Kporha
Asked about Kporha’s game time in February, Glasner said: "I'm always considering, 'is it the best moment for the young players', to give them minutes. We want to find the right moment for him [Kporha] to show his strength, but we have a lot of trust in him, that's why he trains every day with us. He's doing really well, he's improving and improving, and if we feel it's the right moment, he will get the minutes."