Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Tue 5 December 2023 13:23, UK

West Ham, Everton and Brighton are among several Premier League clubs chasing Northern Irish teenage sensation Aodhan Doherty, sources have told Football Insider.

Doherty, 17, has been earning rave reviews playing for Linfield in the Northern Ireland Premiership and Northern Ireland’s Under-17 side.

The left-sided winger has made three first-team appearances for Linfield and his performances have alerted several clubs in England.

He has featured in each of the Blues’ last two Premiership games from the substitutes’ bench.

West Ham are the front-runner for Doherty‘s signature having already had the attacker over in England on trial earlier this year.

But several of their Premier League rivals are also monitoring the teenage talent and are ready to swoop.

Doherty signed a full-time professional contract with Linfield in September, pledging his future to the Northern Irish giants until the end of the 2025-26 campaign.

Both club and player admitted there was interest from rival Irish clubs.

The 17-year-old could join the likes of Sunderland ace Trai Hume and QPR’s Paul Smyth in making the move from Linfield to England in order to play professional football.

West Ham, Everton and Brighton all have reputations for developing young talent – even if it is the latter who have moved ahead in recent years.

The Irons won the FA Youth Cup last year and have an impressive crop of youngsters emerging, including senior squad regular Divin Mubama.

Everton and Brighton have also brought through several top talents in recent years, including Evan Ferguson, Ellis Simms, Tom Cannon and Solly March.

In other news, West Ham ready to accept offer for first-team star.