Newcastle United have joined Arsenal and Manchester City in the race to sign PSV Eindhoven wonderkid Riechedly Bazoer.
But PSV sporting director Marcel Brands has urged the 16-year-old central defender to choose first-team prospects over money.
Bazoer, who is regarded as the jewel of the Dutch club’s prolific youth system, has been offered a three-year professional contract by PSV after turning 16 last week.
However, it can be revealed that the Holland Under-17 international is also considering offers from clubs in Spain and Italy as well as the three leading Premier League outfits.
Speaking to Goal.com, Brands said: “We have offered him a professional contract now he has turned 16. I speak with the family, the boy and his agents. We hope we will get an answer soon.
“What is his intention? Is it to develop or go for bigger money in England? You have to ask him and his agent which clubs are interested in him. I don’t know and it doesn’t matter.
“It is his choice and the agent will do their best for the player. The only thing we can do is offer him good possibilities in terms of coaching and prospects.”
Dutch rules prevent clubs in the country from offering contracts longer than three years for players under the age of 18 and Fifa rules stipulate that the maximum compensation fee payable for transfers involving academy players is €364,000 (£296,000).
Asked if it is possible for PSV to compete with richer clubs in England, Spain and Italy, Brands said: “No, no, not at all. Nobody can. It’s not a financial thing, anyway. It’s important what is possible in a sporting way.
“It’s difficult in England to reach the first team of the big clubs after joining out of the youth academy. A lot of young players from Holland went to England and have not yet played in the first team. Many of them ended up being loaned out to other clubs. The players who were successful in England came later, like [Edwin] van der Sar, [Jaap] Stam and [Dennis] Bergkamp.
“PSV are delivering a lot of young players for the European market in Spain, England and Italy. It is difficult to compete with those kinds of clubs.
“The only special thing we have is that a lot of young players play in the league in Holland. Last year we had an 18-year-old for the national team (Jetro Williams) playing at left-back.”
Bazoer is regarded as the defensive star in PSV’s prolific youth system, which lost Andreas Pereira to Manchester United last year.
He made his debut for Holland Under-17s as a 15-year-old in March and played in all five matches for the team that went on to win the European Under-17 championships in the summer.
Brands said: “He is one of the talented players in our youth academy. He is a central defender, although not a typical central defender. He is not tall and plays football like the way we do in Holland. He is very comfortable on the ball and reads the game well.”
Originally Posted by Ach
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