Crystal Palace have rejected an approach from Chelsea for the permanent transfer 18-year-old defender Mofe Jemide, The Palace Way understands.
Jemide, who has been called up to England’s U20 squad ahead of the upcoming international break, is highly rated in South London, and featured significantly in Palace’s pre-season preparations.
However, he is yet to be named in a senior matchday squad by Oliver Glasner despite Palace’s limited depth, with the Austrian manager including two goalkeepers on the bench for multiple games instead.
Palace have no intention of letting another of their best prospects leave to join Chelsea, with The Blues having poached young talents Jesse Derry and Reggie Watson from South London in the last year. The fact that both of the aforementioned players are sons of former Palace players – Shaun Derry and Ben Watson – has contributed to frosty relations between the two clubs.
Jemide has also been the subject of loan interest from a variety of clubs in League One and the Scottish Premiership, however, finding both a good level and receiving assurances over game time has proven difficult.
Palace have struggled to convince their home-grown talents of the existence of a pathway from their Category One academy to the first team. The only player to have crossed the road and become a regular since its completion is Justin Devenny, who was bought from Airdrieonians in Scotland just two years ago, and already had substantial men’s football experience under his belt.
Jemide is currently expected to remain in South London, but there is concern over his pathway to the first team in light of the incoming signing of Igor Julio on loan, and with Marc Guehi's sale to Liverpool in limbo. It would be disastrous to lose another home-grown starlet to a rival club.