According fabrice romanoDerby County youngster Malcolm Ebiowei is set to join Crystal Palace on a 5-year deal after completing a medical at the club’s Selhurst Park. The player has attracted a lot of interest after appearing 29 times and scoring eight goals for the Pride Park club this season.
English talent Malcolm Ebiowei will not join Manchester United. He is set to sign his contract with Crystal Palace after medicals completed this week, it’s a done deal. 🚨🔵🔴 #CPFC
Ebiowei will leave Derby County to join Palace – the contract will run until June 2027. pic.twitter.com/EMtfJiwIbS
— Fabrice Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 22, 2022
Malcolm Ebiowei chooses Selhurst Park over Old Trafford
Ebiowei to strengthen Crystal Palace
Ebiowei has had an impressive season for the Championship team. The youngster has become an integral part of Wayne Rooney’s side and impressed on the right. Manchester United were linked with a move for him, but the youngster made his preference clear by agreeing to move to London.
He joined Derby County after spending four years at Arsenal’s academy. After leaving Arsenal, the England Under-16 international spent 12 months in Scotland with Rangers before moving to Pride Park.
Shortly after breaking into the Derby County first team, Ebiowei won his manager’s applause after a 1-1 draw with Coventry City: “I thought he was excellent the whole game – the best player on the pitch.” said Rooney. “It was one of the best performances I’ve seen from a young player, consistently for 90 minutes, in a long time.” Earning this praise from Rooney shows what a prodigious talent he is.
What Ebiowei brings to Selhurst Park
The Derby County youngster received plenty of praise for his performances in last season’s struggling side. The Championship side have had a nightmarish campaign on and off the pitch.
Despite the team’s struggles, he’s had a great attitude all season, as expressed by Rooney and the Derby County hierarchy at various times this season. He is quick, direct and brave with the ball. Ebiowei is brilliant at firing players in one-on-one situations. It’s an exciting prospect, and it could prove to be a real coup for Crystal Palace and a missed opportunity for Manchester United.
With restrictions in place for their takeover, preventing the club from arranging contract extensions, it has become impossible to keep their prized young asset at Pride Park as his contract expires this summer.
