QPR must integrate “cracking” prospect to the first team amidst Liverpool, Spurs interest | OneFootball

Emmerson Sutton has turned heads with stellar FA Youth Cup performances

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Young QPR winger Emmerson Sutton is quickly becoming one of the standout talents in the club’s academy, with his performances at youth level turning heads beyond the Loftus Road faithful.

The 18-year-old, who joined the R’s as an Under-12, has been a key figure in the Under-18 squad and has also gained experience with the Development Squad this season.

Sutton’s growing reputation bloomed when he netted a hat-trick in the FA Youth Cup against Arsenal, and his ability has not gone unnoticed.

Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, and Newcastle United have all previously shown interest in the young forward before he committed his future to QPR by signing his first professional contract in January.

Football League World spoke with resident R's expert Louis Moir on the club’s exciting prospect.

The Queens Park Rangers wonderkid who’s always scoring “worldies”

“I think the wonderkid at the moment at QPR has got to be Emmerson Sutton,” Moir told FLW.

“Obviously he’s not been featured yet in the professional set-up, in terms of the first team, but it’s not been long since he signed a professional deal at the club and he’s definitely the name that’s coming out of that youth team at the moment.

“It seems like every other game, or every game recently, he’s always scoring goals and, most notably, he got a hat-trick against Arsenal youth in the cup, and every time I see these goals for the youth team, they’re always like worldies as well.

“He seems to have a cracking strike on him, he looks quick, he looks technical, he looks direct.”

“The way he’s going at the moment, he could well be finding himself being involved in the first team set up, whether that’s on the bench or potentially getting minutes depending on what happens with us at the end of the season.

“I think it’d be good for him. I think he might deserve it. He could well be that next talented youngster coming through, but you don’t want to speak too soon - you say you’re going to sell on for millions in the future, but you know, with what he’s showing at the moment, he looks really exciting.”

“And hopefully continues to develop and progress and we get to see him in the first team, because there’s even been rumours of big clubs looking at him and wanting to snap him up early.”

“If he’s living up, or if he lives up to that hype I think we could have a real player on our hands. Emmerson Sutton - I really want to see him in the first team set up.”

Marti Cifuentes should take a chance on emerging QPR wonderkid

With QPR unlikely to be in serious danger of relegation or mounting a push for promotion as the season winds down, this presents the perfect opportunity for head coach Marti Cifuentes to give Sutton a clear route into the first-team squad.

As Moir suggests, his form at youth level has been too impressive to ignore, and beginning to introduce him to senior football now could accelerate his development.

Sutton himself has spoken about how seeing the pathway of players like Kieran Morgan, Alfie Lloyd, and Rayan Kolli has given him belief that he can break through.

Given the previous interest from the Premier League elite, it would be a significant statement from QPR to integrate Sutton into the first team rather than risk losing him before he reaches his full potential.

Cifuentes has the chance to make a bold call - one that could benefit both Sutton and the club in the long run.