Crewe wonderkid attracts Premier League interest

 

 

In the past there has been a shortage of Crewe 'wonder kids' that have moved on to better things having been given their chance by veteran Alex boss Dario Gradi and in 17-year-old Max Clayton they might have found another one.

 

The teenager's finishing ability was praised by the Alex boss after his goal earned them a 1-0 win over Macclesfield Town in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Wednesday evening on his full first team debut, though he has scored 5 goals in total now in the Railwaymen's shirt.

 

Gradi told the PA after that game: "Max Clayton will do better than that and he will probably be disappointed with his performance. He sets his expectations higher than that but he got a great goal with a header and proved he is a great finisher. He took his goal very well. He hasn't played a lot at this level and probably needs to convince himself he can do that. But he has got a first goal out of the way and even if he had wasted every pass and missed good chances I would be happy because he has got his goal."

 

Well, as we know at Roots Hall, that means Premiership interest, though at only 14 Liverpool were reported as offering a million for the youngster which Crewe took the FA as an illegal approach!

 

In midweek there were believed to be up to 16 scouts sniffing around, enough for The Daily Mail to write that Harry Redknapp's Spurs are on the verge of making a bid! 

 

However, Alex fansite www.crewe.vitalfootball.co.uk has kicked this one into touch saying: "It needs little explaining though that the club is in no mood for selling. Dario has reiterated since day one that the club's youngsters will need to be first team regulars at Gresty Road before any offers are even considered."

 

Even so, and Max has already been capped at England under 16 and 17 levels, when the pigs get their nose in the trough, there's usually only long you can hold out before feeding them.