Stoke City player must put faith in Steven Schumacher and resist Chelsea, Rangers & AC Milan: View | OneFootball

Young midfielder Sol Sidibe is one of the brightest talents emerging from Stoke City's academy at this moment in time.

The 17-year-old has broken into the first-team squad this season, becoming the first player born in 2007 to feature in either of the top two divisions and playing under both Alex Neil and Steven Schumacher - proving how highly-rated he is by all at the club.

Sidibe made eight first-team appearances in the 2023/24 campaign, including an impressive performance on his first professional start in the EFL Cup first round 2-1 win over West Brom, aged just 16.

He is the son of Potters' cult hero Mamady Sidibe, who scored 26 goals in 186 games between 2005 and 2013 and helped Stoke to promotion to the Premier League in 2008.

Sol is now following in his father's footsteps by playing for Stoke, who he has been with since the age of eight, and should not be in a rush to leave the club just yet, despite some recent transfer interest from big clubs.

He should resist the temptation to join another team so soon into his career, by prioritising his own development and playing time at his boyhood club, rather than a lack of first-team chances at clubs where he is not likely to be as highly valued.

Sol Sidibe transfer latest

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Sidibe is reportedly being monitored by Premier League powerhouses Chelsea ahead of the summer transfer window.

It is not just English clubs that have been alerted to his talents though, with European giants AC Milan and Rangers both also believed to be keeping an eye on Sidibe's situation ahead of the summer.

He signed professional terms at Stoke last July, with his current contract running until 2025, so it would take a fee to prise him away from the Potters this term.

The 17-year-old's stock is only rising, and despite being born in Paris, he has played at U17 level for England and was called up to the Three Lions' U18 squad for the first time this week to compete in the Tri Nations Trophy next month.

Sol can follow in his father's footsteps

Mamady Sidibe defines the term 'cult hero' at Stoke City - he scored some hugely important goals in both the Championship and the Premier League in his eight years at the club, despite picking up numerous serious injuries.

His crowning moment for the Potters came in August 2008 in their first ever Premier League home game, as he netted the winner against Aston Villa in the 94th minute to send the Britannia Stadium into raptures.

Almost 15 years to the day, Sol was making his debut against Rotherham at the same ground for the club that he has supported since a boy, because of his dad's exploits.

The story almost writes itself - Mamady helped the Potters into the top-flight in 2007/08, and Sol could become a key player at the club in the Championship in years to come as they seek to return to the Premier League again.

He played in the final game of the 2023/24 season against Bristol City, and is surely going to be given more chances in the upcoming 2024/25 campaign, especially if he has a good pre-season under Steven Schumacher.

The club is also likely to be open to offers to midfielders Ben Pearson, Daniel Johnson and Lewis Baker, as they were in January according to TeamTalk, potentially opening the door for Sidibe to fight for his place in the team.

There is little reason for him to join a big club that will have tougher competition for first-team places and simply see him as a chance to earn money from selling on in years to come, as opposed to his boyhood club where he could become a legendary figure for a team that has underachieved since relegation in 2018.