English Premier League sides West Ham United and Arsenal are competing with Arsenal to sign Ipswich Town’s exciting teenager starlet Tawanda Chirewa during the upcoming transfer window, according to TWTD.
The 18-year-old England-born Zimbabwean teenager was one of the top performers for Ipswich Town’s U23s during 2021/22, scoring 12 times in a league-winning campaign in the Professional Development League Two South.
The Shenfield-raised forward was due to be out of contract this summer but the English League One side recently took an option to keep him for a further season and are keen to keep him at Portman Road longer term.
However, according to the reports his performances for the U23s have attracted the attention of the Gunners and Hammers among others keen to recruit him into their development squads.
Chirewa, who qualifies to play international football for Zimbabwe, became Town’s second-youngest first-team player when he made his debut in the EFL Trophy tie at Colchester in November 2019 aged 16 years and 31 days old.
The Essex-based box-to-box midfielder had to get permission from his school in Shenfield to feature in the EFL Trophy as he came on as a late substitute in the match which Ipswich lost 1-0.
After his historic late cameo, Chirewa earned praises from Ipswich Town manager Paul Lambert.
Chirewa is the latest player with Zimbabwean roots to rise through the ranks at Ipswich Town after midfielders Tristan Nydam, Kundai Benyu and winger Zanda Siziba.
Nydam was recently forced into early retirement due to injuries while Benyu is now plying his trade in Iceland after an unsuccessful spell at Scottish giants Celtic.
Siziba is still part of the club’s development side but has been tipped to make an impact at Ipswich Town after penning his first professional contract at the club in July last year.