Chelsea and Man City go 'head-to-head' for teenage wonderkid playing in Scottish third tier

Manchester City and Chelsea are reportedly set to lock horns in a bid to secure the signature of 17 year old sensation Ethan Sutherland. Currently on loan at Alloa Athletic from St Mirren, the youngster has been turning heads with his performances in Scotland's League One.

Despite being deployed mainly as a left-back, Sutherland's preferred position is on the wing. His impressive displays have not only helped Alloa secure a spot in the promotion play-off places but also caught the attention of Chelsea and Manchester City.

The Daily Record reports that both City and Chelsea have dispatched scouts to monitor the prodigy, with glowing reviews coming back. Crystal Palace are also said to be keeping tabs on Sutherland, having previously signed Dylan Reid from St Mirren. However, Sutherland still has a year left on his contract with St Mirren, where he is highly regarded by manager Stephen Robinson.

«We think Ethan is a real prospect, but what he lacks is experience, a mentality and a determination when things go wrong,» Robinson said when Sutherland was sent on loan to Alloa.

«The only way you do that is when you are playing games. He's not ready for the first team but going on loan will be the best for his development.»

Sutherland has also been delighted with how his loan in the third tier has gone so far. The youngster admitted he was pleased to be gaining game-time at a senior level.

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«I'm happy to be getting out and getting some minutes. I'm happy to be playing, good to get out, the boys here are good and it's something new,» he said after