Liverpool have reportedly emerged as favourites in the hunt for Exeter City youngster Ben Chrisene, as reported by The Sun.
Chrisene is still only 15-years-old, but he’s emerged as a massive talent in the south-west and has already been handed his first-team debut against Coventry City in the EFL Cup in August.
He hasn’t yet made an appearance in League Two, but has featured in their squads for EFL Trophy matches against Newport and Cheltenham Town. He earned a three-minute cameo in the game in South Wales, getting eleven minutes for the visit of Cheltenham.
He’s likely to feature against West Ham Under 21s in November, but the Hammers Premier League rivals are already on the hunt.
Liverpool are currently leading the race, but Chelsea are also aware of the midfielder, as are Southampton and Bayern Munich. It’s believed Exeter are prepared to cash in on the prospect should they receive a fee which they feel offers them value for money.
The Grecians, who are currently second in League Two, have a reputation for producing exciting young players from their academy, with current Brentford striker Ollie Watkins one of the more recent to make a big move.
Our View
This is one of those tough situations that is a win on both counts for the League Two side. Of course, you want to see academy graduates coming through and making an impact in the first team, but a big sale can finance the squad and help fund the academy.
In an ideal world, Chrisene would graduate to their first team and help them with a promotion push in the coming years, but the reality is that money talks.
Even so, a big fee for a player who won’t be missed in terms of their first team picture is a bonus and sadly the Holy Grail for lower league clubs.
