Get to know Academy prospects on bench at Newcastle

Academy

4 Nov 2022

Patrick Vieira has named seven Academy prospects on the bench for Palace’s League Cup tie against Newcastle – get to know the next generation below.

Joe Whitworth

Harking from generations of Crystal Palace fans, Whitworth was a regular at Selhurst Park as a child despite an early youth career at AFC Wimbledon Under-13s. The oldest of three goalkeeping brothers, he was spotted by the Eagles and invited to sign.

Whitworth became the first-choice goalkeeper for the Under-23s at the age of 18 in the 2021/22 season, making 23 appearances in the Premier League 2 Division 1 and keeping three clean sheets. He saved three penalties in three successive games against Leeds United, Arsenal and Everton.

He has honed his game in the modern mould, with excellent distribution skills as well as shot-stopping ability.

In September 2022, Whitworth earned a call-up to the England Under-19s side to compete in their qualification campaign for the UEFA U19 European Championship. He has previously played for England at Under-15s and Under-18s level.

Kaden Rodney

Regularly playing up an age group throughout his development, Rodney was recognised for his form at Under-21s level with a professional Palace debut in the previous round at Oxford United.

The versatile 18-year-old was a conventional central midfielder in his early days with the Academy, before moving to right-back – while filling in at centre-back and on the left.

As well as playing 13 times for the Under-21s this season, he has featured for England’s Under-18s.

Kofi Balmer

The Northern Irish central defender joined the Eagles this summer from Larne FC, where he made over 40 appearances during their successful 2021/22 campaign – including securing a Europa League play-off spot.

Prior to playing for Larne, Balmer featured heavily for Ballymena United. He became a mainstay in the team after making his debut at 16 years old in the 2016/17 season, and helped them finish runners-up in the 2018/19 Northern Ireland Premiership.

In September 2022 he earned his first call-up to the senior international side, and in October featured in Premier League matchday squads against Leicester City, Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

David Ozoh

Now a mainstay of Paddy McCarthy’s Under-21s side, Ozoh was thrust into the limelight on Palace’s pre-season tour of Australia where he started against Leeds United in Perth at just 17-years-old.

Signing for the club as an eight-year-old, he progressed through the ranks to become an imposing central midfielder, blessed with technical ability and physicality beyond his years.

Featuring 14 times for the Under-21s this season and scoring at Selhurst Park in a six-goal thriller against Chelsea, he is crucial in Palace’s determination to win the ball back high up the park.

Killian Phillips

Phillips played a leading role on the pre-season tour of Singapore and Australia, starting all three games against Liverpool, Manchester United and Leeds.

Signing as a central midfielder, he has become adept at filling in the No. 10 role and scored a brace in the Under-21s remarkable 5-1 win away at Man Utd in August.

He could make his second appearance for the first-team after making his debut in the previous round against Oxford United.

John-Kymani Gordon

It’s been raining goals for the Under-21s prolific centre-forward this season, with Gordon scoring 11 times in 13 games – including hattricks against Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park, and Paris Saint-Germain.

The 2019/20 Under-18s Player of the Year has been named on the substitutes bench already this season in a Premier League game against Chelsea.

Adler Nascimento

Nascimento was just 16-years-old when he made his professional debut for Peterborough United in May, 2021, before joining Palace months later.

The Portuguese attacker can play on the left-hand side or as a conventional No. 9 and has become a key part of Rob Quinn’s Under-18s side this season, scoring five times in nine appearances.

Academy
First-team
Joe Whitworth
Kaden Rodney
Killian Phillips
John-Kymani Gordon
Adler Nascimento

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