In this past weekend’s win over Manchester City, we saw the surprise inclusion of Sean Neave on the bench, as injuries to the likes of Kieran Trippier and Will Osula blighted our matchday squad.
Though Neave didn’t notch up any Premier League minutes on Saturday, it’s a promising sign that Eddie Howe is quietly keeping an eye on the youngsters at his disposal ahead of a hectic December schedule.
Heading into tonight’s Champions League clash, the need to meet UEFA’s strict homegrown quota, coupled with similar injury concerns from the Man City game, makes it the perfect opportunity for another youngster to join the senior squad.
And footage circulating on social media has revealed just who Howe has given the nod to in Marseille…
It looks like 16-year-old Sam Alabi looks set to feature in tonight’s matchday squad against Marseille in a surprise but exciting call up for the highly-rated youngster.
Having featured in the UEFA Youth League squad in their respective campaign, Alabi has been filmed training alongside the senior squad at the Stade Velodrome on Monday as the team prepares for Tuesday’s 8pm kick-off.
He’s not the only youngster to feature, as the pair of Max Thompson and Alex Murphy retain their places in the wider squad, but it’s a reflection of the midfielder’s rapid progression to see him called up by Howe.
Should Alabi find himself playing at any point, he would become the youngest player in our history to play European football for the men’s senior side.
Since arriving from Oldham Town as a 14-year-old prospect, Alabi has enjoyed quite the rapid rise in the space of just two years playing in black and white.
Having captained the England U-17 squad in the recent international break, and played alongside fellow academy star George Mair, Alabi is one of the biggest prospects on the books.
He’s no stranger to training with the first team, doing so on some occasions last season, but with the games coming thick and fast over the next few weeks, Alabi’s skills and eagerness to play could see him handed some crucial developmental minutes.
Though it’s unlikely he’ll feature tonight, we only have to look at the Lewis Miley situation from two years ago in this very competition to see how much Howe must rate Alabi to hand him a place this week. If we sail into a comfortable enough lead at any point, then who would be opposed to the youngsters getting some minutes?
