Wayne Rooney issues prediction regarding Derby County player

Malcolm Ebiowei has been a bright spark in a difficult final third of the season at Derby County in the Championship.

The 18-year-old has bamboozled defenders with his flair and trickery, and he is starting to add some end product to his game too.

Ebiowei tapped in his first senior goal in the Rams’ 2-0 win at Blackpool at Saturday, it could possibly be the easiest finish of his whole career, but it was a great moment after months of hard work from the player and the coaching staff.

The 18-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, and Wayne Rooney offered his reaction to the goal when he spoke to The Athletic, stating that there will be much more to come for the teenager.

He said: “Ebiowei has deserved a goal, and I’m delighted for him.

“It is a positive for us getting him off the mark.

“It is a shame there is only one game left, but I am sure there will be a lot more in his career.”

It would seem that Rooney is prepared to continue to prioritise the development of young players in League One next season.

Eiran Cashin, who added the second at Bloomfield Road, is more likely to stay than Ebiowei.

However, if Chris Kirchner can get the green light from the EFL, then there is a chance players of the calibre of Ebiowei can be offered extensions.

The Verdict

Derby’s youth setup had been producing a lot of impressive players before all the concerns around the club’s future arose.

But no one would have expected the upcoming crop to be so strong, that they could give themselves a chance at achieving survival this season.

Ebiowei, despite only breaking into the team in the second half of the season, has been one of the standout players and will have plenty of suitors if he becomes a free agent this summer.

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