Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is keen for Jesurun Rak-Sakyi to remain at Selhurst Park but admits it may be difficult to keep hold of the talented winger.
Hull City have lodged a loan bid with the Premier League side to bring the 20-year-old to the MKM Stadium, while Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers are both credited with interest.
City hope to convince both Palace, and Rak-Sakyi, that a move to East Yorkshire is right for his development after a thrilling spell at Charlton Athletic last season yielded 15 goals and eight assists.
Boss Liam Rosenior knows the youngster, and believes his relationship with Palace’s in-demand wing-man can give them an edge over their rivals in their quest to get a deal over the line.
Hodgson named Rak-Sakyi on the bench at Sheffield United on Saturday as the Eagles kicked their Premier League season off with a 1-0 win against City’s Yorkshire rivals, though he didn’t get off the bench.
Any decision to sanction his temporary departure may hinge on further cover being brought in by the Eagles, with Hodgson saying his options were limited on the flanks, though the experienced campaigner hopes his young talent will stay in South London.
“We like Jes – we’re happy to have him back. We like what we see in training. As a coach, I am in no hurry to ask him to leave to go on loan,” the Palace chief told London News online.
“One hopes that will be the case, but these matters with young players can be complicated because they have their own feelings about getting match minutes. They also have agents who are suggesting to them that the next move in their career needs to be another loan.
“It’s a constant matter for discussion. We, the coaching staff, are happy to have him and happy to be working with him. Who knows? Let’s hope he stays with us rather than go on loan.”
