Stoke face fight to keep Emre Tezgel with Chelsea, Manchester United and City tracking striker
Stoke are facing a battle to hold onto teenage striker Emre Tezgel amid mounting interest led by three of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.
Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are among the sides tracking the prolific Tezgel, described by Stoke’s academy director Gareth Owen as ‘a Harry Kane-type forward.’
Ezgel only turned 16 last month but was a regular for Stoke’s under-18s last season and trained with their under-23s during the summer.
Chelsea, Man City and Man United are among the sides tracking Stoke City’s Emre Tezgel
Tezgel has been compared to England captain Harry Kane (above) in terms of his playing style
He has already scored seven goals in just four games at under-18s level this season including a hat-trick against Liverpool.
Tezgel is currently part of the England under-17 setup and provided further glimpses of his potential during the September international break.
He scored four goals in three games to help Tom Curtis’s side to the Syrenka Cup final in Poland, which they lost 3-2 to Holland.
Tezgel followed in the footsteps of the likes of Jude Bellingham by being named player of the tournament. Captain Bellingham earned that honour following the 2019 tournament, which England won on penalties against hosts Poland.
Tezgel has followed in the youth international footsteps of England’s Jude Bellingham recently
Tezgel is now a youngster in demand with top flight trio Chelsea, City and United among his admirers.
Stoke academy boss Owen said of Tezgel and his qualities: ‘He’s a Harry Kane-type centre-forward. That gets bandied about but his movement is good, he can hold the ball up and he is decent in the air.
‘His main attribute, though, is his finishing and that’s what good centre-forwards have.
‘He plays like a seasoned pro, pulling off at an angle, giving little nudges to the centre-back and making space. It’s great to have that bank of knowledge already at his age.’
