Exclusive: Crystal Palace have fended off interest from a host of top European sides and persuaded starlet Zion Atta to commit his future to the club.
Palace snapped up the highly-rated forward from Millwall in 2018, beating Tottenham and Arsenal to his signature at the time, and he has since emerged as one of the top prospects in European football.
Knights' Zion Atta scored the winning goal in the U15s National Cup Final for Crystal Palace, their first ever National Cup win!
— Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy (@HabsKnights) May 7, 2019
Match report: https://t.co/qtbBBIhXkg
Watch the goals: https://t.co/SpvmYtA4G1
Congratulations Zion and all @KnightsPE#aspirationandachievement pic.twitter.com/kNjC006u1D
Atta has continued to be pursued by numerous top Premier League sides, but 90min understands the 15-year-old has turned down interest from Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United in order to remain at Selhurst Park. Inter and Juventus were also following the Italian-born teenager.
The teenager is now staying with Palace on scholarship forms, as he is unable to sign a professional deal until he turns 17 in early 2022.
Atta is held in incredibly high regard, and many believe the 15-year-old forward could be making his senior debut within 18 months.
The youngster has been capped at youth level by England this season - scoring his country's only goal as the England Under 15s lost 3-1 to the Republic of Ireland in December - but is still available to play for Italy.
In May 2019, the forward scored the winner in the Premier League National Super Floodlit Cup final against Wigan as Palace won the prestigious youth tournament for the first time in their history.
After spending five years in the Millwall youth system, Palace reportedly paid the club £60,000 in compensation to bring Atta to Selhurst Park in late 2018. Atta was just 13 at the time, but his progress has been beyond even their expectations.
The forward is aware of the huge interest in him but he and his family are happy with how he is developing at Palace, and believe they are the best club for him to progress his career at this point.
The Eagles have a proud history of bringing through youngsters and giving them opportunities in the first team, with Wilfried Zaha, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Victor Moses all coming through the Palace youth system and breaking into the first team before they had turned 21.
Source : 90min