Talks between us and Blackburn are ongoing over 2 promising younsters: Striker Olly Mehew (aged 16) - a deal could be concluded later this week after a successful trial spell at Ewood Park. Goalkeeper Marcus Beauchamp (under 16) - is in Lancashire this week for a trial. Mehew caught the eye of Reading, Spurs and Fulham after featuring for Rovers under 18 side this season and was close to signing for Premier League club Norwich City at the turn of the year, but the deal stalled and Blackburn are now in the driving seat to claim his signature. Beauchamp has also been attracting interest from Premier League side Chelsea. Should the deals be finalised, Beauchamp and Mehew, will follow in the footsteps of goalkeeper Matt Macey in leaving for a higher league club after he was signed by Premier League giants Arsenal earlier this season. Head of youth Tom Curtis said: "That there are clubs from higher divisions looking at our youngsters reflects well on the quality of our youth programme. We have a number of scouts from Premier League regularly attending our games across the age groups and I think that shows that the investment made by the board of directors and the hard work of our staff is paying real dividends. We obviously set out with the intention of developing players for our own first team and that Tom Lockyer and Ollie Clarke have signed contract extensions this week shows that we are having some success in that doing just that. The simple fact of the life in these times, however, is that clubs at every level are spending vast amounts of money on trying to find players with potential at a very young age. If we are developing young players of a good enough standard to move on to higher league clubs I don't see that as a bad thing because in those instances we as a club benefit from a financial point of view. It is quite an achievement to play as many first team games as both of them have after graduating from the youth set up and they both know that they have a responsibility to act as role models for other young players at the club. That they have earned these new deals should be an encouragement to every player in the youth team to know that there are chances available here for them to progress into senior football if they are prepared to put the work in." Taken from the Post
There ought to be a sell on clause of some sort. Even big clubs like Southampton have this problem. I think we need to persevere with the academy because we will still bring through really good youngsters and for them, seeing some of their mates moving on up the football ladder can only spur them on. Southampton managed to hang on to a few gooduns even though they lost the likes of Bale and Walcott. If we're turning up these sorts of gems, something must be working. But the compensation bit definitely needs to be thought through.
It's completely wrong this sort of thing happening. The FA should ban all transfers of youth players until they reach 18 or have played in the first team. Whichever comes first.
