3 months ago
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Assan Ouedraogo’s father says there is a lot of interest in his son from the Premier League and Bayern Munich have made a move, but they are in no rush to leave Schalke.
The 18-year-old burst into the first team at Schalke this season, making 17 appearances in the 2.Bundesliga and scoring three goals.
The teenager has been capped for Germany at Under-16 and Under-17 level and while Schalke continue to struggle in the second tier, he is being tipped for a big move.
The prospect’s father is Burkina Faso international Alassane and he says a decision is yet to be made on where his son goes next, although Bayern have made their interest clear, as have Premier League outfits, with reports touting Liverpool and Newcastle as two of the interested parties.
‘Unfortunately, there are many false reports about Assan in circulation,’ Alassane Ouedraogo told Sky Germany. ‘The fact is there was never a commitment from Assan and us to FC Bayern, although we had had a well-paid contract from FC Bayern ready for signature for months. The idea and perspective were more important to us than Bayern’s financial possibilities.
‘We knew Bayern’s current situation and of course followed it closely. Bayern have now informed us openly and honestly that they do not want to afford a transfer of Assan this summer for various reasons.
‘Assan recently turned 18. We are grateful and proud of the great interest in our boy. But we have a valid contract with Schalke 04 and will not make any hasty decisions.
‘The next step is incredibly important for his personal and footballing development. The financial aspect is not decisive, but primarily the idea and trust of the future coach and those responsible.
‘We will continue to work together with Schalke 04 to find a great solution for the club and for Assan. Assan has Schalke in his heart, I can assure you of that.
‘We have not yet made a commitment to any club. Not just from Bayern. Many clubs, especially from the Premier League, have been very interested in Assan.
‘There are teams from England who would like to sign Assan directly for their professional team in the summer. We will make the right decision soon.’
Although inexperienced, the prospect would not represent a great gamble for Premier League clubs as his release clause is set at just £12m, reports Sky Sport.
However, that release clause must be activated by ‘mid-June’ so a deal will have to be done quickly to get the potentially bargain deal done.
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