Colchester United have signed Fulham forward Martell Taylor-Crossdale on a season-long loan.
The 20 year-old had appeared poised to join AFC Wimbledon, but the League Two side moved quickly to add him to their ranks. Head coach Steve Ball said:
‘We’re delighted to get him in. A lot of play in pre-season has been good up to the box but it’s just been about getting that finishing. We’ve worked the ball into really good areas and Martell will bring that edge to us. He’s been at Chelsea and Fulham, so we’re delighted to get him. He was actually going to sign for a League One club but he’s turned them down because he wanted to come to us. I really can’t wait to work for him’.
Taylor-Crossdale, a prolific scorer in his youth team days at Chelsea, joined Fulham after his Stamford Bridge contract expired last summer. He made his senior debut as a substitute in the League Cup defeat by Southampton in August, but has largely featured for Fulham’s under-23 side over the past year. He scored five times in seventeen appearances for the under 23s last season and Fulham view a loan as an ideal opportunity for the young striker to gain some first-team experience.
Taylor-Crossdale could make his Colchester debut in next Tuesday’s EFL Trophy tie at Portsmouth.
