Fulham are fighting to retain the services of the England under-17 skipper Seth Ridgeon, who has yet to sign a new deal at Craven Cottage.
The talented number ten, who was promoted to Fulham’s under-21 side in the middle of last season, is attracting interest from several leading Premier League sides and has yet to sign the scholarship that has been offered to him over the course of the summer. Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool have approached the sixteen year-old about signing professional terms when he becomes eligible for one in September.
The peerless playmaker, who is the son of world championship silver medallist in the 110m hurdles Jon Ridgeon, has been making waves in Fulham’s academy set-up over the past couple of years. He has made 23 appearances for the Whites’ under-18s, scoring six goals, and skippered Ali Melloul’s side to the semi-finals of the Dallas Cup last year. Ridgeon’s progress at Motspur Park saw him promoted to Fulham’s under-21 team, for whom he has made seven appearances and scored three goals.
Ridgeon has been capped eight times at under-17 level for England, scoring one goal. Fulham remain hopeful that one of their leading young talents will remain at Craven Cottage – but Ridgeon is taking his time over where he will start his professional career.
Another one who will waste his talent. So many fall and fail to see where they are better off
What are the club doing wrong that they cannot retain players when they become professionals. It looks like the same old story
It seems very difficult for Fulham to retain talent. I’ve not seen this lad play so cannot comment but there is a cliche that comes to mind, if he is good enough he is old enough. Why are we not fast tracking some of these youngsters? Give him a vision, put him in the senior squad and give him increasing game time. We will quickly learn whether we have a real diamond. We must show our real potential stars we are committed to them.
This is becoming an unwelcome habit.
It must be tempting at that age to go for the money, no doubt egged on by his agent, who’ll pick up a %age.
I would hope that he’s being given a ‘the grass isn’t always greener’ speech by one of the senior players.
I know the rules say we have to have an academy, but all ours seems to do is train players up to then be tapped by other clubs and leave for a song.
Same old story why can’t we keep our best young players and’ I see we are being linked to another 32 year old from Milan . What is Silva doing we need to bring in younger players not older ones.
I’m sure the club are doing their best to keep the young starlet but at their age it’s about improvement, roadmap to the first team, and protecting them, and we have to believe in the process, the parents advice and the concerns of the young chap himself. It’s a complicated and important decision with many variables.
Being a Fulham fan I hope he stays but if he doesn’t I wish him well in his career.