Serie A table-toppers Napoli will rival Tottenham for Gambia’s 18-year-old rising star Adama Bojang

Italian league leaders Napoli are ready to rival Tottenham for highly rated teenage striker Adama Bojang.

The 18-year old has become the biggest rising star in his country Gambia after his goal scoring exploits at the recent Afcon U20 Championships where the ‘Young Scorpions’ finished the tournament as runners-up to Senegal.

Nicknamed ‘The Gambian Hurricane’, Bojang plays for Steve Biko FC and is a prolific scorer but it was his performances for his country while in Egypt last month, notably a hat-trick against South Sudan and the winner against favourites Nigeria in the semi final, that has alerted club scouts across Europe.

Premier League sides see him as one for the future and would need to loan him out at first before he could qualify for a work permit.

Foreign sides would have an advantage on that front with the likes of Royal Antwerp also showing a keen interest to rival Napoli and the Premier League teams on Bojang’s trail.

Nottingham Forest were also following Bojang but have put interest on hold as they look to cut a number of players from their squad this summer first.

Forest were the Premier League’s biggest recruiters in the summer transfer window as boss Steve Copper brought in 21 new players to aid the newly-promoted side in their bid to stay in the English top-flight.

Speaking after becoming the first Gambian to score a hat-trick in a CAF tournament at the start of March, Bojang said: ‘I feel so excited to score a hat-trick; these are my first goals in this tournament,’ he said.

‘Coming to his tournament and showing my talent to Africa and the world, and having a hat-trick for my country as a youngster, is so amazing.’ 

‘We are preparing strongly and scoring goals is very important,’ Bojang told media.