Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass has backed Brighton’s Teddy Jenks to become the latest loan star to make an impact at Pittodrie.
The Dons beat off competition from a number of clubs to land the highly rated 19-year-old on a season long loan from Premier League Brighton and Hove Albion.
England U17 international Jenks has featured twice in the Carabao Cup for the Seagulls.
An attacking midfielder Glass insists the 19-year-old also brings a potent goal threat.
Hailing Jenks as an ‘exciting young talent’ Glass is tipping the teen to become the latest player from the English top flight to make a mark in the Granite City.
Leicester City midfielder James Maddison, a signing target for Arsenal, was a major hit during a six month loan spell in 2016-17.
Keeper Danny Ward, now at Leicester City and starring for Wales at the Euro 2020 finals, was on loan at Pittodrie in 2015-16 and a key player.
Glass reckons Jenks has all the attributes to make a similar mark.
Glass said: “We are very excited about what Teddy can bring.
“He carries a goal threat, is a central midfield player but not so much a sit in type.
“We have a few of them around.
“Teddy carries a little bit more of a goal threat.
“He will definitely add to the competition and the quality of the midfield.
“Teddy is an exciting young talent.
“There is a lot of competition for a young player like that so for him to choose to come here is great.
“Brighton were also willing to do business with us as a club to put him here.”
Maddison and THAT goal against Rangers
Aberdeen have tapped the loan market from English Premier League clubs successfully in recent years.
Maddison arrived on loan for the first half of the 2016-17 season from Norwich City and made 13 starts with a further four appearances off the bench, scoring twice.
He memorably netted a sublime injury time 25 yard free kick to secure a 2-1 defeat of Rangers at Pittodrie on September 25, 2016.
Following his loan spell at Aberdeen Maddison went on to become a first team regular at Norwich City which was the catalyst for a £22.5m transfer to Leicester City.
The 24-year-old has made 98 appearances for Leicester in the English top flight, 88 of them starts, and lifted the FA Cup with the Foxes last month.
England international Maddison is so highly valued at Leicester City the club have valued him at £80m in light of recent interest from Arsenal.
From Pittodrie to Euro 2020
Euro 2020 Wales keeper Ward made 29 starts for Aberdeen in the 2015-16 season, a campaign where the Reds made a concerted push on Celtic for the Premiership title.
Ward was fundamental to that push and the Reds were pushing at the top of the table when Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp activated his call back clause in January 2016.
The keeper would go on to sign for Huddersfield helping them to promotion to the top flight before switching to Leicester City in a £12.5m deal.
Ward has started all three of Wales’ group games in Euro 2020 as they progressed to the last 16 phase.
Another loan success story centre-back Michael Hector who impressed in 2013-14 during a loan spell from Reading, making 20 appearances and scoring once.
Within a year of his loan deal at Pittodrie Hector was signed by Chelsea in a £4.5m move.
Glass hopes Jenks can follow in their footsteps with a successful loan spell.
Jenks has a strong pedigree
Highly rated at Brighton the teenager signed a contract extension with the top flight outfit last season tying him to the club until summer 2023.
Jenks has been capped at U17 and U16 level for England and featured in the UEFA European U17 championship finals in 2019.
He netted in a 3-1 Group B defeat of Sweden at the Whitehall Stadium, Dublin in May 2019.
Glass said: “Teddy is an England youth international.
“If you have seen the games down there it is not easy to get into those sorts of squads.
“Teddy comes with a good pedigree as and has also made his debut for the Brighton first team.”
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