Report: Man City Beats Chelsea, Tottenham to 16-Year-Old GK Prospect Bazunu
Premier League champions Manchester City have beaten rivals Chelsea and Tottenham to the signing of 16-year-old goalkeeping sensation Gavin Bazunu.
According to the Telegraph, the Etihad side have parted with around £420,000 to secure the player from Shamrock Rovers, a record fee for a non-professional in Ireland.
Spurs and Chelsea are said to have made several bids for the youngster, with the latter growing confident over a deal after he visited their club. But City tabled the best offer and presumably convinced Bazunu that they were the perfect outfit with which to develop his career.
Per the Telegraph, the player and his family touched down in Manchester this week to meet with City's academy director Jason Wilcox, after which he signed terms with the English top flight side.
With Bazunu intent on completing his Leaving Certificate in Ireland, he will remain with Rovers for the time being and no decision has been made regarding his joining date as yet.
However, he is expected to move to Manchester in January or anytime ahead of next season, when he will join their developmental squad.
And, given that he turns 17 next February, Bazunu will be able to sign his first professional deal then. City have shown immense faith in the teenager by paying Rovers such a fee but his performances this season have backed their trust.
Bazunu got off to a very impressive start this term, making his debut for the Irish side in the League of Ireland Premier Division and Europa League qualifying matches. He also kicked the campaign off with four consecutive clean sheets.
The Manchester club have a policy in place which makes it so that their third-choice keeper is always homegrown. And, with Angus Gunn having headed to Southampton this summer, Bazunu's arrival will help on that particular front.
