According to an exclusive report from TEAMtalk, Premier League trio Crystal Palace, Watford and Brighton & Hove Albion are monitoring 18-year-old midfielder Adam Lovatt, who plays for non-league outfit Hastings United.
The teenage sensation has been making huge strides for the Arrows in the Isthmian League South East Division – the eighth tier of English football and has reportedly attracted interest from the aforementioned top-flight outfits. In addition, a number of lower league clubs including Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers are also interested. (h/t TEAMtalk)
With interest in abundance in the midfielder, let’s take a look as to what makes the 18-year-old such an attractive prospect.
The midfielder is a product of the Eastbourne Borough academy and had made rapid progress through the youth ranks, breaking into and establishing himself as a regular in the U18 outfit two years ago. In fact, Lovatt was a part of the U18s outfit that reached the Ryman League Youth Cup semi-final in 2016/17.
As a result, Hastings United swooped for him ahead of the 2017/18 campaign, during which he played an important role as the club finished 9th. The youngster signed a new contract with the Arrows in March earlier this year, committing his future for the 2018/19 term. The deal also includes an option for the club to extend it by another year.
Lovatt has grown into an integral part of the non-league outfit and has been at the heart of their blistering start to the ongoing season.
The 18-year-old is a central midfielder by trade, who has excelled in a box-to-box role for Hastings United over the past year. Possessing solid technical abilities, along with the necessary physical traits, Lovatt has shown signs of growing into an all-around, energetic operator in the engine room.
His positioning sense and the ability to read danger has been key for his ascension in the Arrows’ team, where he has made the defensive midfield slot his own.
He is equally efficient with the ball at his feet and keeps things moving in the middle with accurate passes. However, the 18-year-old has been found wanting in terms of impact in the attacking half of the field and he needs to develop the knack of starting attacking moves with through passes and long diagonal passes.
In his budding career with Hastings United, Lovatt has been making all the right noises so far. The midfielder clearly possesses bags of potential and has the talent to grow into a special player in the near future.
A move to any of the Premier League clubs mentioned above – Watford, Palace and Brighton – should appeal to the midfielder. However, a transfer to a club in the lower divisions would prove more beneficial for the 18-year-old since he will receive greater playing opportunities when compared to top-flight clubs.
