Fulham will run the rule over teenager Sam Wilson next week by handing the Eastleigh striker a trial.
The 16 year-old has been tracked by a number of Football League clubs but it is Martin Jol’s side who have been given permission to take a closer look at Wilson, who joined the Blue Square South side last seen having previously been on Portsmouth’s books. The youngster scored ten goals in nineteen starts for Eastleigh’s reserves last season.
Wilson made his Eastleigh debut on the opening day of the new campaign in the defeat by Basingstoke and has been gradually introduced to first-team football, with his other seven appearances coming off the bench. Director of football Dave Malone realised that potential suitors were interested in Wilson but didn’t expect concrete offers to come in so swiftly.
Sam could have gone back to Portsmouth in the summer, but he decided to stay and I said to his dad that if he got anywhere near the first team, clubs would be swarming all over him. But I didn’t anticipate it happening in six weeks!
We said no to a couple of clubs because we can’t see the benefit in him going there at the moment, but Fulham have been quite persistent and you can’t deny a lad the chance to go to a Premier League club. But there’s no guarantee that, come the end of next week, Fulham will say they want him or will come up with what Eastleigh and the lad himself will be happy with.
If he were to join Fulham a fee would be applicable, but it’s absolutely not the case that that’s why we want him to go there. It’s completely up to him if he goes or not.
Sam’s a bit unusual given that most strikers in our league are 6ft 3in, 14 stone powerhouses. He’s more of a Kevin Keegan than a Ron Davies size-wise. But if Fulham take him, it will be his potential they’re investing in. He needs a couple of years to get stronger, but he’s got balls, a bit of pace and he’s not afraid of 9ft 3in defenders!
Wilson will start his week-long trial at Mostpur Park on Monday and is expected to be involved in Eastleigh’s home game against Staines Town on Saturday.
