After enduring a frustratingly stale start to the 23/24 Premier League season under Roy Hodgson, many Crystal Palace fans questioned aspects of their generally successful co-owner, Steve Parish’s approach to running the South London club.
One of the biggest frustrations reported by Crystal Palace supporters was, that despite having elite-level training facilities, a transfer policy that targets London-born prospects, and a strong Category One awarded academy status, there has been little academy representation in the club’s first team in recent seasons.
Palace are well-situated in South London, a densely populated area in the English capital that, according to Transformer, produces a higher combined total player value than any other city in the world. So, naturally, many supporters want to see their club make better use of the hotbed of footballing talent available to them on their doorstep.
Crystal Palace, who with the January addition of Adam Wharton – who has hit the ground running – and the return to fitness of star man Michael Olise look a more youthful side, have achieved an impressive 53.85%-win percentage under Glasner, including victories over Liverpool, Manchester United, and Aston Villa.
So, with the Eagles looking to build on their strong end to the 23/24 season, and still aiming to redefine their identity to place greater importance of youth representation in the first team, which academy prospects could join Glasner’s team for their upcoming pre-season tour in the United States?
Crystal Palace, whether through their academy or the acquisition of local talent from other clubs, are serial producers of talented wingers and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi has the talent to join a list of illustrious names that have come before him, including Wilfred Zaha, Michael Olise, and Eberechi Eze.
Rak-Sakyi is arguably the most exciting emerging
academy player at the club right now. The 21-year-old spent the 22/23 season on loan at local rivals Charlton Athletic, where he provided 25 goal contributions in 49 games, winning the club’s Player of the Year award in the process.
Upon returning to Selhurst Park at the beginning of the 23/24 season, Rak-Sakyi received minutes in six of Crystal Palace’s first nine Premier League matches, before a hamstring injury ruled the talented winger out for the remainder of the season. Back to full fitness now, he will get his first opportunity to impress new boss, Oliver Glasner, during this summer’s pre-season
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