Ryan Sessegnon: I want to play for Fulham in the Premier League

Teen's pledge to promotion hopefuls after historic double at EFL Awards
On target: Sessegnon has scored 14 Championship goals this season
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Giuseppe Muro16 April 2018

Ryan Sessegnon said he wants to play for Fulham in the Premier League, after an historic night for the 17-year-old at the EFL awards.

Sessegnon became the first ever to be named Championship Player of the Year and Football League Young Player of the Year on Sunday night.

Standard Sport last week revealed Fulham are determined not to sell Sessegnon for at least a year should they get promoted this season.

Sessegnon is wanted by Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Paris St-Germain but he said: “I just want to play in the Premier League with Fulham.

“I have been at the club since the age of eight. It has been a dream to play in the Premier League with Fulham. We are so very close I just want to get over the line. Hopefully we do it automatic but if not then via the play-offs.”

Sessegnon, who has played a major role for Fulham in their promotion push, will hope to follow in the footsteps of fellow Football League Young Player of the Year winners Gareth Bale and Dele Alli — then of Southampton and MK Dons respectively.

However, Bale, in 2007, and Alli, eight years later, did not win Player of the Year which shows the size of Sessegnon’s achievement.

Real Madrid star Bale was named Football League Young Player of the Year in 2007
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Sessegnon has scored 14 goals in 43 league appearances for Fulham under Slavisa Jokanovic this season and is valued by the club at £50million.

“We have played an attractive brand of football which has helped me in the way I like to play,” said Sessegnon, after beating team-mate Tom Cairney and Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves to win the Championship Player of the Season award.

Sessegnon was included in the EFL team of the season and he was also named Championship Apprentice of the Year. “It is credit to the team the way we are playing this season,” said Sessegnon. “The gaffer has put a lot of confidence in me, as someone so young, he can only improve me as a player.”

Fulham’s automatic promotion hopes suffered a blow on Saturday when they conceded a 94th-minute equaliser to draw 1-1 with Brentford.

Prize guy: Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon with his historic haul  at last night’s  EFL awards ceremony
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Fulham dropped out of the top two after Cardiff won 2-0 at Norwich on Saturday to move back above them.

Cardiff have a game in hand but Sessegnon says Fulham, who are unbeaten in 21 matches, are determined to go up automatically.

He said: “The heartbreak in the play-offs last season was a sad moment for Fulham. This season we have come out angry and wanting to success.

“I just want to carry on the way I have been going. Whenever success does come, I enjoy it for a moment but then put it to the side and focus on the main objective. The main objective is to get us to the Premier League.”

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