Crystal Palace have unearthed some gems over the years, with not many academy graduates as prolific in the Premier League era as Wilfried Zaha.
The Eagles have a host of top names that have succeeded from the academy set-up at Selhurst Park, with England manager Gareth Southgate being one that has enjoyed a successful playing and managerial career from his foundations in south London.
Other stars from the Premier League era who were notable members of the academy include Nathaniel Clyne and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who was sold to Manchester United for a club-record fee of £50m in 2019.
Crystal Palace's most expensive departures
Rank
Player
Club
Year
Fee
1
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Manchester United
2019
£50m
2
Yannick Bolasie
Everton
2016
£25m
3
Alexander Sorloth
RB Leipzig
2020
£18.9m
4
Wilfried Zaha
Manchester United
2013
£15m
5
Dwight Gayle
Newcastle United
2016
£10m
Following the departure of Zaha this summer, who ended his 18-year association with Palace to join Galatasaray for a new challenge, club chairman Steve Parish dubbed the 30-year-old as the Eagles’ “best and most influential player."
Parish also touched on the influence that the former winger will have on the academy considering his journey to stardom, with him lauding the 30-year-old as being the driving force behind the new wave of players that “dream of being the next Zaha."
One player in the club’s academy is tipped to have a bright future, with winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi having all the tools to one day be the true heir to the Ivorian.
Who is Jesurun Rak-Sakyi?
In 2019, Rak-Sakyi switched his alliances from west London to south, as he joined Palace’s academy from Chelsea as part of a free transfer.
The 20-year-old has adapted to life at Selhurst exceptionally well, giving the club a taste of his ability at both youth and senior level over the years following his move.
In his debut season at Palace in 2020/21, the winger made a statement by netting nine goals in 26 appearances for the youth team, as well as contributing eight assists alongside scoring himself.
Despite recording impressive numbers in his first year with the Eagles, his form seemed to turn up a notch the campaign after, contributing to 25 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions of 2021/22.
The dynamic forward scored 19 times that season, and recorded six assists, making a statement in Premier League 2 by scoring 18 of his goals in the competition.
Such form earned him the prize of the club’s U23 Player of the Season, with everything set up for him to develop and move closer to the first team.
How much does Rak-Sakyi earn?
The youngster’s talents are highly thought of at Selhurst Park, as reflected by his five-year contract signed last summer, taking his stay at the club to at least 2027.
Speaking after Rak-Sakyi penned a new deal, chairman Parish waxed lyrical about the forward, tipping him to have a “bright future” and adding that his “long-term contract is indicative of that”, via the club’s official site.
Upon committing his future to the south Londoners, the 2002-born star received an updated salary of £390k-per-year, amounting to a weekly wage of £7.5k.
What is Rak-Sakyi's style of play?
The 20-year-old is a left-footed forward best deployed on the right flank to be exploited as a menace in the final third.
Lauded as “wonderful” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the Englishman is a skilful and direct player with electric pace and agility described to make him “glide past players” by Mango.
While performing at youth level is integral for any academy star who dreams of succeeding in the first team, having senior experience can make all the difference when the time comes to leave the comforts of the academy.
Last season after signing his new deal, Rak-Sakyi endeavoured on a loan spell to Charlton Athletic in order to gain valuable minutes at senior level in League One.
From the moment the winger was given a chance to showcase his ability for the Addicks, it became apparent just how much of a star the youngster could one day become for Palace.
In his League One debut, the forward scored during a 5-1 win over Plymouth Argyle, marking just the start of what he would achieve come the end of his loan spell with the club.
After 43 league appearances, the Eagles whiz ended the campaign as Charlton’s top scorer with 15 goals in League One, as well as registering an impressive eight assists, seeing him named the club's Player of the Season.
Former Addicks boss Dean Holden was bursting with praise for his loan player’s achievements, suggesting that he is one of the best young players he has worked with in his managerial career.
“His individual brilliance in terms of one-v-one ability is there for all to see. I’ve worked with some wonderful young players over the years but he is right up there. He is a joy to work with. He is not a minute’s hassle – he is low-maintenance but he is high output.”
In terms of his playing style, Palace’s official website noted that the 20-year-old is ‘modelling his game on Eberechi Eze’, who has been an explosive addition to the squad at Selhurst following his arrival in 2020.
The Eagles are renowned for their strengths in wide areas, with the trait stemming from the pace and power of Zaha, who was a handful for defenders during his years in the Premier League.
While the youngster has a long way to go to reach the levels of the Ivorian, there are signs that he could one day follow in the club legend’s footsteps.
How much is Rak-Sakyi worth?
At the point of signing for Palace as an under-the-radar academy talent, the former Chelsea man’s expected transfer value (xTV) was determined by Football Transfers to be in the region of €0.2m (£171k).
As expected, his value has begun to rise, with it hitting an estimated high of €4.7m (£4m) during his time at Charlton, communicating the rise in his performance.
The numbers are considerably low considering the inflation that has become normalised in today’s market, however, the increase in value after one season of senior football makes for encouraging reading for Palace.
What does the future hold for Rak-Sakyi?
Now that Zaha has departed, the door is open for the next crop of talent to attempt to fill the void left by the tricky Ivorian, who became a staple of what to expect from Palace.
The 20-year-old has already gained some Premier League experience, securing his debut in 2022 against Chelsea, and making his full debut against Manchester United in May that year.
This season has started exactly as hoped for the winger, who has already secured one appearance in the Premier League, coming on as a late substitute against Arsenal.
Roy Hodgson has named the winger in his squad for all four of Palace’s fixtures so far this campaign, telling of what direction he hopes this season will take him.
The Palace manager lauded his player’s “remarkable maturity” during his time with the club, claiming that he will only get “better and better” as he continues to grow with the first team.
Zaha has left big shoes to fill, however, if one name can one day succeed at the task of filling them, pointers are identifying Rak-Sakyi as that individual.