Chelsea join Man Utd and Arsenal in transfer race for 17-year-old Brad Young as keeper stars at Hartlepool
CHELSEA are winning the race for Hartlepool’s giant young England youth keeper Brad Young.
The Blues have joined Arsenal and Manchester United in the hunt to snare the teenager away from Victoria Park.
SunSport exclusively revealed in November how the Gunners and the Red Devils were keeping tabs on the talented shot-stopper.
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But it is now understood that Chelsea are in pole position to nab the 17-year-old.
Frank Lampard’s side are inviting Young for talks ahead of snapping him up from the National League outfit for a six-figure fee.
Young has caught the attention of the London club over the past few months and through his call-up to the ranks of the young Three Lions sides.
It is a major turnaround for 6ft 4in Young, who was released by Sunderland as a kid but has developed into a top prospect.
Former Chelsea back-up Ross Turnbull is Hartlepool’s goalkeeping coach, and the 35-year-old was full of praise for the player following his call-up for an England training camp.
He said: “At the moment, it’s all potential with Brad. Whenever anyone asks me about him I always say that if his work ethic and willingness to learn continues as it is then he will give himself the best opportunity to go and have a career as a professional footballer.
“That’s got to be his goal. He’s on the right path at the moment but it’s still early days and this is just some good recognition for the work he’s been doing.
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“I have spoken to him and told him this is a reward for the effort he puts in every day because I have worked with him for more than 16 months now and he’s been great.
“This is an added incentive for him now. He’s got in a training camp so he can go there and do himself justice and push himself towards getting in a squad, playing friendlies and competitive international games.
“It’s one step at a time, of course, but I will be there pushing him every step of the way. I’m not happy with a training camp – can he go and get in a squad? I won’t be settling for anything less.”