Missed out on £35million: Mohamed-Ali Cho exit could haunt Everton
By Adwaidh Rajan
Everton could be about to rue their misfortune with it being reported that their Premier League rivals Leicester City are eyeing a deal to sign 17-year-old forward Mohamed-Ali Cho, who left their academy only last year.
Cho began to earn a name at the youth academy of French giants Paris Saint-Germain before moving to England to sign for Everton where he honed his skills between 2015 and 2020 and represented England under-15s and under-16s in youth internationals.
However, the youngster decided to sign his first professional contract with Ligue 1 side Angers SCO last year becoming the youngest ever to do so in French football at the age of 16. Since then, Cho has emerged as one of the first names in the Angers team sheet and one of the hottest talents in the league.
According to a report by L’Equipe, several clubs have expressed an interest in the 17-year-old striker including former Premier League champions Leicester. The report also claims that Angers will demand £35million for the youngster if a sale should happen next summer.
Cho, who has also played for France under-21s and is yet to make his senior international debut, is also being earmarked by the Morocco national team, thanks to his Moroccan origins.
Everton could regret letting go of this wonderkid
It is tricky to predict whether a youth prospect fulfils his potential or not and it is only natural for clubs to ignore talents from time to time. But overlooking Cho should be hurting Everton badly and that feeling could only worsen if the youngster returns to the Premier League with either the Foxes or another side.
He is the first player born in 2004 to make a Ligue 1 appearance and also became Angers’ youngest-ever scorer in the top flight at 17 years and 222 days. Adding accolades one after another, Cho seems to be headed to the top echelons of the game.
It sounds logical not to keep a youngster looking for first-team action in their youth set up against his wishes. But in hindsight, the Toffees could have now boasted of one of the hottest prospects in European football in their ranks had they convinced Cho to stay at Goodison Park last year.
In other Everton news, Fabrizio Romano has shared a transfer update on midfield sensation the Toffees want to sign.
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