Crystal Palace look set to fend off interest in academy star David Obou by securing his services to a three-year professional deal, according to The Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Obou profiled

Obou joined Palace’s academy in January 2021 and has seemingly caught the eye at international level, along with the attention of several clubs.

The 16-year-old, who can play on either flank or in a central attacking midfield role, is being tracked by France and has been invited to play for England at youth level.

He has already turned out for Palace’s under-18s, and it looks as if he will remain with the Eagles when he turns 17 in November.

The Latest: Obou set to sign new Palace deal

The Daily Mail’s David Kent shared a story on Monday evening, suggesting that Palace will fend off interest from Bayern Munich and PSV Eindhoven to secure Obou to a three-year professional contract.

They described it as a boost for Palace, with the club agreeing on terms for a professional deal to kick in when he turns 17 later this year.

The Verdict: Good news for Palace

Obou clearly has plenty of potential, judging by  the two European clubs being keen on his services, so Palace landing the teenager on a permanent professional deal can only be good news for Patrick Vieira.

The Eagles have a number of exciting attacking youngsters coming through, including Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and David Omilabu, who both penned professional deals last year, and Obou looks set to follow in their footsteps.

The next step for the 16-year-old could be to establish himself in the club’s under-23s over the coming years, with a view to eventually breaking through into Vieira’s first-team setup.

In other news: Journo says Palace are now ‘in talks’ with ‘effortless’ £19.8m-rated maestro.