by Alex Hoad

Teenage Herne Bay striker Tunji Agbaje could be set for a move to Championship side Crystal Palace this week.

Agbaje, who turned 19 last month, came through the youth ranks with his home town club and enjoyed a spell at Chelsea before joining Premier League Stoke City’s set-up in 2010 after being spotted scoring five goals in a game for the Blues at a youth tournament.

He earned England under-18 recognition while at the Potters, however he returned to sign for Bay in September after becoming disillusioned with academy football at the Britannia.

He has impressed up front for Bay in Ryman League, Division 1 South as he sought a move to a full-time club in the Championship or League 1 and has already spent time training with Charlton Athletic this season.

Boss Simon Halsey (pictured) left Agbaje out of his line-up for Saturday’s visit of Maidstone, which Bay lost 3-1 despite pushing the title-chasers all the way, and the Bay boss said: “We spoke about it but I took the decision to rest him.

“If I’d have asked him to go out there I know he would have run through a brick wall for me but it wasn’t fair for me to risk him going out there and getting an injury and potentially risking his chances of getting another chance in the professional game.

“He’s been at Crystal Palace for two trials and was up there for four days last week. We’re still waiting to learn what’s going to happen but we’re expecting good news for him. We’ll know more by the end of the week, hopefully.”

Bay visit Tooting on Saturday after suffering a 3-0 home defeat to a youthful Charlton Athletic side in the Kent Senior Cup quarter-final on Wednesday night.