Colchester United defender Junior Tchamadeu has requested a transfer to Championship side Stoke City, reports journalist Alan Nixon.
Despite already landing Ki-Jana Hoever, Stoke are pushing ahead with a bid for the teenager, who wants the move too after asking for a transfer and missing Colchester’s most recent friendly.
The Potters have offered a deal reported to be £1 million, but the U’s would like the guaranteed portion of the money to be higher.
Barking-born Tchamadeu is hoping to be brought through the first team at the bet365 Stadium, initially acting as the understudy to Hoever.
Colchester had already knocked back a ‘substantial offer’ from an unnamed Championship club back in January, according to Football Insider.
The 19-year-old right-back has made 90 appearances in all competitions for the Essex-based side since becoming their youngest-ever starting debutant, at the age of 16 years and 349 days, in a 2-1 victory over Grimsby Town in December 2020.
After impressing in a breakthrough second season at the club, Tchamadeu won the EFL League Two Apprentice of the Season award for 2021/22.
The accolades continued to pour through for the starlet last season, as he was awarded the EFL Young Player of the Month award for January 2023, playing every minute as the League Two side took 13 points from six matches.
Having played 41 times and helping Colchester steer clear of relegation, the Londoner was named in the League Two Team of the Season and was crowned League Two Young Player of the Year.
Writer’s View
It is not a departure that will surprise many, as the 19-year-old’s ceiling is clearly higher than that of Colchester United’s. After rejecting a substantial offer in January in a bid to retain their EFL status, there was always going to be renewed interest this summer.
The talented youngster has become one of the first names on the team sheet at the JobServe Community Stadium, and he needs to ensure that he picks the correct club that will allow him to continue his rapid development.
