HAMMERS JOIN THE RACE FOR DALE ACE KWADWO
WEST HAM are the latest club linked with a summer move for Rochdale starlet Kwadwo Baah.
The 18-year-old forward has impressed with his performances at the Crown Oil Arena since making his league debut in December 2019, finding the net three times this season for Brian Barry-Murphy’s side.
With his contract elapsing in the summer, there are plenty of elite clubs sniffing around trying to tempt the teenager with a move, including Premier League table toppers Manchester City.
A move to City seems to have been put on hold following the player’s recent medical at the Etihad though, leaving the door open for another potential suitor, with the Hammers said to be showing a keen interest in taking him to the London Stadium.
As a club that prides itself on rearing local talent, Barry-Murphy has seen his fair share of youth products come up through the ranks at Rochdale, but admits Baah stands head and shoulders above the rest.
“He’s probably one of the most talented wide players we’ve ever had at the club,” the Dale manager said.
“I understand the deal with Manchester City is still not completed, so a lot of other clubs are monitoring that closely.
“I’m privileged to have him in our squad going forward because a lot of our attacking moments go through him and, at 18, that’s a great credit to him.”
The teenager has made 27 appearances for Dale this season, scoring three goals.
The former Crystal Palace youth player is also said to be attracting interest from Old Firm clubs Rangers and Celtic, who could sign him for a relatively low development fee thanks to the cross-border rule.
JIMMY Floyd Hasselbaink insisted Burton still have much to do this term despite Kane Hemmings’ hat-trick inspiring the Brewers to a sixth consecutive win.
Hasselbaink has dragged the Brewers from the bottom of the table and victory at Gresty Road has moved Albion seven points clear of the drop zone.
But despite the turnaround, Hasselbaink refused to rest on his laurels and stressed: “We are not there yet. While we are going in the right direction, we have done nothing yet.
“Today was a brilliant execution and a brilliant game, but we need to just keep on going. The result is the most important thing, although we can’t celebrate too long as we have another difficult game on Tuesday.”
Hemmings made the most of poor mistakes to grab a hat-trick inside 34 minutes. When Tom Hamer’s long throw bounced several times in the box without being cleared, the frontman was on the end to head an easy close-range finish.
He then outpaced Omar Beckles to fire in the second, before leaving Beckles trailing again to race clear from the halfway line and drill the ball under Dave Richards.
Hasselbaink added: “We are getting stronger and forced Crewe to make mistakes and capitalised on them.”
Crewe improved after the break and Tommy Lowery was denied by former Alex keeper Ben Garratt, who also excelled himself in the first half when pushing around Luke Murphy’s low drive.
The Brewers may have added to their tally, but
Sean Clare’s volley was gloved over by Richards.
After seeing his side’s 11-game home unbeaten run ended, Crewe boss Dave Artell branded Burton’s goals unacceptable. “Some of them are really too comfortable and I shouted at them at half-time not because it was 0-3, but because some of them were not running around,” said Artell.
“The goals were unacceptable, the first one bounced four times before the lad touched it in, the second was a goal-kick and the third the lad has just nicked it.
“But you have to tell them and it is disappointing as I can’t remember the last time I had to.”