Nick Powell: Crewe Star's Wonder Strike Justifies Manchester United's Interest

If Nick Powell wasn't on the radar of every English Premier League powerhouse before leading Crewe Alexandra to a 2-0 win over Cheltenham Town in Sunday's League Two playoff, then he certainly is now.

Or he should be, althought I'm sure Sir Alex Ferguson wouldn't mind if the rest of the top flight kept their grubby hands off his precocious transfer target.

According to Mirror Football, Manchester United have already pegged Powell for a £4 million move this summer, even as Crewe anticipate their promotion into League One. The 18-year-old midfielder accounted for 15 goals and eight assists across all competitions while leading Crewe to 19 consecutive League Tow fixtures without defeat.

None of Powell's contributions were as important or as impressive though, as his 15th-minute wonder strike against the Robins to put the Railwaymen ahead for good.

Crewe will enjoy the spoils of a step up in competition, as has always been the case in club football, success comes not without its price. The attention heretofore showered on Alex's ascendance has turned Powell into a coveted commodity, at least among clubs who'd rather invest wisely in rising young talent than splash cash extravagantly at known quantities.

As has long been Fergie's practice. It seems unlikely that Powell would seem much time on the pitch next season if he were to join Man U. The gap in quality between League Two (i.e., the fourth level of English football) and the Premier League is a massive one that would likely require at least some bridging through a loan spell of some sort.

Then again, the Red Devils are somewhat pressed for depth in the midfield. They should be good to start the season in late summer, with Tom Cleverley, Anderson and Nani returning to fitness and Paul Scholes scheduled to stave off retirement for another farewell tour. Still, the threat of injury may force Fergie to dig deeper into his stores, as it did this past season, with Powell as a potential piece of the puzzle.

Ultimately, though, it will come as no surprise if United nab Powell and pack him away somewhere for further seasoning.


Follow @Josh_E_Martin