SA teen Camden Schaper to London giants in R17 million deal
In a historic move for South African football, 13–year–old Camden Schaper has signed with Chelsea FC.
This makes him one of the youngest and most expensive African talents to join a Premier League team of this magnitude. The deal, worth £700 000 (17 million ZAR), saw Chelsea beat out London rivals Manchester City for the skilled midfielder's John Hancock.
Schaper started his career at SuperSport United. The young talent rose to prominence after captaining the club's U11 side during a tour of Spain in 2021. His acumen on the pitch drew in the watchful eye of European scouts, which led to Camden's tenure at Blackburn Rovers. He amazed in the U14 squad with a staggering 45 goals and 65 assists in a single season.
Schaper's hallmarks are his creativity and vision, often playing as a number eight or 10. He has been touted as one of the most exciting prospects to be unearthed in South Africa in recent times. This move to Chelsea marks a significant moment, not only for his trajectory but for South African football and how this is perceived on the global stage.
This deal has led to nationwide praise for Schaper in most footballing circles. Fans and pundits are in awe of this momentous milestone. The call for local clubs to sink more time and resources into local talents has been resounding. The risk of future talents slipping through the cracks needs to be reduced so as to see instances like these occur more frequently.
Schaper still has a long way before playing football at the highest level. However, his efforts so far may very well inspire a new generation of rising talents. The youth academy at Chelsea is synonymous with nurturing young talent.
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