Just before the weekend, we covered a rather fun story that both Crystal Palace and Aston Villa were looking at a 13-year-old forward in France.
His name is Daniel Akinleye and he plays for Quevilly-Rouen Métropole’s U14s, but had already featured for the U15s, showcasing a talent many see as promising going forward.
Following the news, All Nigeria Soccer went to find the youngster to have a chat with him, where he revealed he had ambitions to play at Old Trafford one day for Manchester United.
He said: “My dream club where I wish to play for in the future is Manchester United like Odion Jude Ighalo. My qualities as a striker: speed, strong, technique. I need to improve my left foot, my finishing in front of goal and maturity in my game.
“I model my game after Romelu Lukaku because he is strong. I like his technique and he scores every time!”
There’s no need to remind United fans about the Belgian’s successes in Italy, although it’s fair to say Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, until his injury, picked up where he left off.
As for the future at international level, Akinleye explained he was ‘born in France’ but his ‘parents were born in Nigeria’, making him eligible for either country.
He said: “I don’t know where my future lies but when the opportunity comes, I will see what is best for me and my family.”
