Former Arsenal academy graduate Malcolm Ebiowei is set to join Crystal Palace after turning down Manchester United, according to reports.

Fabrizio Romano reports that Malcolm Ebiowei is set to join Crystal Palace on a five-year deal after completing a medical this week. The club have all the paperwork ready, and they’ll pay Derby County a compensation fee.

Ebiowei is technically a free agent this summer, but his age means that Derby would be due a fee anyway, likely determined through a tribunal.

Rather than going through that process, Palace have agreed a fee with Derby directly.

For Palace, they’re removing the uncertainty over payment, whilst Derby obviously need the money immediately in the current situation. So that resolution works for everyone.

It’s not going to go down so well in Manchester, as Manchester United were pushing hard to complete the signing.

But Ebiowei has chosen to join Palace instead, so United will have to look to other targets.

Ebiowei played for Arsenal as a young player, before leaving as a 16-year-old to join Rangers after reports of problems behind the scenes.

There was never any doubting the youngster’s ability, and Arsenal had already used him at u18 level at just 15, fast-tracking him through the ranks.

Ebiowei spent a season and a half at Rangers, before joining Derby County last September. But he only signed a one-year deal, and with Derby’s relegation to League One, the teenager is now set to move on.

The winger ended the campaign on a run of 11 consecutive Championship starts, and looks to be developing into the player he promised to be before his departure from Arsenal in 2020.