Premier League giants Chelsea are reportedly leading the race to sign highly-rated 13-year-old South African prodigy Camden Schaper, currently on the books of Blackburn Rovers.
Chelsea appear to have beaten off competition from several English heavyweights, including Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool, all of whom had expressed interest in the talented teenager.
Rising star from Benoni
Camden, who began his career with SuperSport United in South Africa, first grabbed national attention when he captained their U11 side on a tour of Spain in 2021.
The youngster’s technical prowess and leadership qualities turned heads, with Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon reportedly monitoring his development at the time.
Now based in the UK with his family, the Benoni-born midfielder has been impressing at youth level for Blackburn, reportedly earning a £700 000 (R17 million) valuation.
Manchester City miss out despite family ties
Manchester City were thought to be favourites to secure Camden’s signature, particularly since his younger brother Astin Schaper is already in their academy.
However, Chelsea have now emerged as frontrunners, with reports indicating that the deal is all but done.
Camden came close to joining Manchester United in 2020, but Covid-19-related restrictions and foreign transfer regulations put the move on ice.
New generation of SA talent
Should the move to Chelsea materialise, Camden would join a growing list of South African youngsters making waves in England, including:
- Thorsten Brits – Goalkeeper, Manchester City
- Samuel Archer – Goalkeeper, Tottenham Hotspur
- Elyh Harrison – Goalkeeper, Manchester United (recently featured on the bench for the first team)
Chelsea have not yet officially confirmed the deal.
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