Arsenal interest in Patryk Sykut revealed

Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony says Arsenal are considering Patryk Sykut before committing to a long-term contract.

Peterborough United have entered a new chapter this season as Luke Williams makes his mark at London Road. After replacing Darren Ferguson, the boss took PUFC away from the League One relegation zone and into the mid-table pack.

Posh’s potential play-off charge has slowed, with injuries playing a part. However, the positive side of this situation has been the emergence of several high-profile prospects within the academy, with 17-year-old attacking midfielder Patryk Sykut among those to catch the eye.

Now, speaking on his podcast ‘The Hard Truth’, Peterborough United chairman and co-owner Darragh MacAnthony has revealed that Arsenal were interested in Sykut before the teenager signed a long-term contract. “We didn’t want to draw attention to him, even though Arsenal were monitoring him.” MacAnthony said.

“We might have gotten £1m for him, but he’s probably worth five times that to us now because he’s signed a long contract. And the upside for him is he gets game time under a manager who has faith in his young players. That’s priceless for him and for us.”

Clever Patryk Sykut plays for Peterborough United as Arsenal go into hiding

Peterborough United have long been renowned for their ability to discover gems and turn them into big money assets or first-team stars. However, the majority of successes in this area have been achieved through players recruited from other clubs.

However, in recent years Posh has increased its investment in its own academy. Now holding category two status, they are entitled to higher compensation when young people are recruited by top clubs.

MacAnthony revealed Premier League clubs were chasing an unnamed 15-year-old, while another unnamed teenager left to join Newcastle United for £350,000. This shows that they are already bearing the fruits of their work in favor of young people.

There was, however, a clear desire not to lose Sykut. Keeping him a bit of a secret before handing him his senior opportunity and a new long-term contract means they can land a significant fee if Arsenal, or anyone else, makes a move for the PUFC ace in the future.

Peterborough United hope to see Luke Williams put faith in youth

Sykut was catching the eye at Peterborough United’s academy before earning his chance at the first team. He has made six League One appearances to date, scoring on his only start against Exeter City in February.

The Ukrainian-Polish hopeful is not, however, the only youngster highlighted by Williams. As mentioned previously, injuries have created gaps in the senior ranks.

Pemi Aderoju started midweek as PUFC beat Rotherham United. He was replaced by young David Kamara, who scored twice from the penalty spot.

Bastian Smith and Lucca Mendonca were also on the bench. James Dornelly and Harley Mills are prominent members of the senior team who started on the right and left respectively.