BBC Sport’s TV and radio commentators have picked a Fulham player who will be worth watching out for in the next few months.
Let’s find out who he is.
Josh King
Age: 18 Position: Midfield Country: England
Tom Gayle: The time feels right for Fulham to release the handbrake from underneath Josh King. As I wrote back in February, the club has a history of struggling to keep hold of prodigious talents, so it is no surprise to see they have employed a more cautious, drip-feed approach when it comes to his development and exposure to first-team action.
Reading between the lines, the fact King signed a new long-term deal in July, his second contract agreement in the space of just over 18 months, says or in fact screams to me that a) there has been interest from other teams, and b) Fulham believe he is ‘Premier League ready’.
Securing top-flight game time will not be easy, though. Right here and now, the experience of both Andreas Pereira and club-record signing Emile Smith Rowe, means they have a far greater claim to the number 10 position than the teenager.
Still, I have no doubt assurances will have been made to King regarding a significant increase in Premier League minutes over the coming year. Manager Marco Silva knows their demanding schedule will inevitably lead to the youngster being granted a ‘next man up’ moment. Given his impressive cameos to date, I expect King to flourish when given an opportunity.
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