Hull City submit bid for player wanted by Crystal Palace, West Ham | OneFootball

The Tigers are trying to fend off Premier League interest for the teenage talent

Hull City have submitted a £150,000 bid for Coleraine’s teenage talent Alfie Gaston, according to a report from Football Insider.

The 16-year-old is said to be one of the brightest young talents coming out of Northern Ireland, and the Tigers are keen to get a deal done for the starlet this summer.

The playmaker made his debut for the club last April as a 15-year-old, as he appeared as a late substitute in a 3-0 victory over Larne in the NIFL Premiership.

Gaston made four more appearances for the club in the previous campaign, although any deal with City would have to be completed on the midfielder’s 17th birthday, which will be later in the year in October.

Hull City interested in bringing Northern Ireland teenage sensation Alfie Gaston to the MKM Stadium

A number of English clubs are said to be interested in Gaston this summer, with the Tigers looking to get a deal agreed early and fend off the competition for his signature.

Premier League outfits Crystal Palace and West Ham United are both said to have taken an interest in the teenager in the past, with both seeing the Northern Irishman as a player likely to strengthen their respective academy sides for the time being.

Football is obviously in the blood, with Gaston being the nephew of former Northern Irish international Rory Hamill, who also played for Southampton and Fulham over the course of his career.

Gaston made his first start for Coleraine earlier this year at the age of 16, as he played over an hour in a 2-2 draw with Linfield at Windsor Park.

His current boss Oran Kearney showed full faith in his abilities at such a tender age, with the manager saying afterwards: "I've no doubt it probably raised a few eyebrows, throwing in somebody at 16 years of age, but even when I named the team nobody batted an eyelid in the changing room, there wasn't a huge hullabaloo about it from that perspective.

“Alfie's trained with us for nine months. It's not one of those on a whim where you're grabbing somebody and throwing them in to try and create a bit of noise of whatever. He deserves it – he's probably been ready for it for a few months.

“The important thing about the Linfield game was we played him in a central role but we surrounded him with quality and experience everywhere and that allowed him to flourish.

“Ideally I wanted this to be a lot earlier in the season but, sadly, we just haven't been in a place where you feel confident and safe that you're putting him in an environment where he doesn't suffer as a young player, rather than growing.

“I thought from the word go (against Linfield) he was really good but I'm not shocked because that's the Alfie that we know.”

Hull City transfer business set to continue ahead of 24/25 Championship campaign

The Tigers are yet to fully click into gear regarding incomings this summer, with Ryan Giles the only player through the door at the MKM Stadium, following the full back’s loan spell at the club in the previous campaign.

Tim Walter’s side have waved goodbye to a number of stars already though, with Ozan Tufan [pictured] agreeing a deal to return back to his homeland with Trabzonspor, after two years with the Championship outfit.

Adama Traore is another player to move to Turkey after agreeing a deal with Amed SK, while Ryan Woods and Billy Sharp have moved a bit closer to home; with the pair agreeing deals with Exeter City and Doncaster Rovers respectively.

Ryan Allsop has also left the Humberside club this summer, with the goalkeeper completing a switch to Birmingham City, as the Blues look to get out of League One at the first time of asking.