Bristol Rovers: Calderon’s Brighton links should lead Gas to 7-goal prodigy | OneFootball

16-year-old Harry Howell is one of the most exciting talents in English football, could Iñigo Calderón bring his former player in this January?

There are many factors to this, of course. Appointing a young, hungry new manager with Premier League-level tutelage showed ambition from the board, and his UEFA Pro Licence and a master's degree in sports psychology suggested he is destined to eventually prove overqualified for League One.

But there was one more, perhaps over-wishful factor, that would have inevitably popped into the heads of Gasheads en masse: his ties to one of the most exciting academies in English football, if not the world.

With now-Premier League regulars Elliot Anderson and Jarrell Quansah having spent time at the Mem in recent years, the Pirates are developing something of a reputation as a successful loan destination for teenage talent.

With all this in mind, it does seem for all the world like a signing between the two clubs could be on the cards.

Calderon had plenty of attacking favourites at Brighton

So, let's say the Spaniard does secure an ambitious loan move for one of his former favourites, who among the Seagulls' current crop of youngsters could prove the most exciting addition, if any?

While the age range dictates that, regardless of talent, a relegation fight in League One may be a little too much for a defender, let's take a look at the attack-minded options.

Welsh striker Joe Belmont could attempt to fill a Promise Omochere-sized hole until his April return, and forward-thinking utility player Shane Nti appears to show the competency in attacking movement that suggests he may be a centre-forward after all.

However, among the players mentioned, there is one clear stand-out in terms of talent and first-team readiness: Harry Howell.

Harry Howell - Jack Hinshelwood's cousin and one of England's brightest talents

Few players in English football have matched the performance levels that Harry Howell has before their seventeenth birthday.

Born in April 2008, the versatile forward-thinking midfielder has already scored 20 goals across various elite youth levels, including Brighton U21s and England's U17s, and sits behind only Leeds' Alfie Cresswell for Premier League 2 minutes in his age group.

Left-footed, capable of playing on either wing, attacking midfield, or in a centre-forward position, 5ft 11" Howell possesses technical and physical ability well beyond his 16 years.

Howell is the son of former Arsenal youth prospect Jamie Howell, but his familial connections don't end there, as he is also nephew and cousin to Adam and Jack Hinshelwood, perhaps Brighton's most iconic footballing family.

Howell has been scoring important goals for the U18's since the age of 14. However, it has been his premature competency in the U21 side that has really caught the attention of scouts worldwide.

In January 2024, the young forward came on in the final minute of an EFL Trophy knockout match against Reading's first-team. Remarkably, then-15-year-old Howell scored the winning penalty to send the Royals out of the tournament, gaining nationwide attention.

Howell has recently gone on to become a bonafide star-man in the U21 side, boasting seven goals in nine games so far this season, including a double versus rivals Crystal Palace and a hat-trick against Tottenham, and has been shortlisted for the PL2 player of the month for December.

He also scored twice against League One high-flyers Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Trophy, both coming from the penalty spot.

Having been training sporadically with Brighton's first team for the last three months, the ease at which he is ascending through youth ranks suggests he may be confident enough to experience a taste of the professional game.

Having played under Rovers' new manager 15 times during the 2023/24 season, the prodigic talents of Harry Howell could see Bristol Rovers as an ideal destination to earn his EFL stripes, and having yet to find a challenge too tough, who is to say he's not ready.

With the likes of Scott Sinclair (35) and Chris Martin (36) regularly occupying the Gas' attacking positions, the addition of pace and youthful desire could provide an invaluable asset to the South West side, much like Elliot Anderson proved to be in 2022.

If Bristol Rovers are to use Calderon's little black book, despite his age, Harry Howell should be the first name on the watchlist.