Posh teenager Shofowoke aiming for Premier League

Peterborough United teenager Bolu Shofowoke says he hopes to reach "the very top", but intends to remain focused on producing his best for the Posh. The 17-year-old English-born Nigerian forward has already made 19 appearances for the first team in the past 15 months in all competitions. He made his debut aged 16 against Bolton in League One in April 2025, and scored his first goal in the side's impressive 5-1 away win at Championship side Watford in the EFL Cup last month. Speaking to BBC Look East in his first sit-down interview, Shofowoke said he was loving this "incredible" adventure. "The opportunities I've been given at a football club like this, it's been amazing," he said. "A younger me would be so proud of where I am at right now. It's actually living the dream to be honest. "I want to make the most of my time here, help the club as much as I can, take this opportunity, and whatever comes after comes after. Hopefully I can reach the very top and play in the Premier League." Shofowoke was scouted as a boy by Sutton United, where he spent two years, describing those early days in grassroots football as "brutal". He joined the Posh academy aged 13, going on to be prolific for the club's youth teams, including scoring six goals in one match. And Posh director of football Barry Fry has high hopes for Shofowoke, having first seen him playing for the club's under-18s as a 15-year-old, and then the under-21s the following year. "He scored 54 goals for those two teams playing three, four years ahead of his time," said Fry. "He's got explosive pace and scores goals for fun. "Because he's only 17, the gaffer (Luke Williams) has still got to be a bit careful. He can't play him 45 games this year, but he can certainly be in the squad all the time and come on for the last 20-30 minutes. "He's sensational with his pace and helps create chance after chance, either for himself or for others." As a 14-year-old, Shofowoke ran the 200m in an all-schools event in Derby in around 22 seconds, beating a GB age grade runner. In sprint training, he can run 9.8 metres per second, the club's quickest ever time. "Credit to my parents to get me to where I am today, including four-hour round trips from Derby to Peterborough for training, dragging along my little sister," the teenager added. "If it wasn't for them and the sacrifices they've all made, I wouldn't be where I am today." I've promised his parents he'll be a millionaire - Fry Fry has been involved at London Road for 31 years, firstly as owner and manager for nine years before becoming director of football in 2005. The club has a proud record of developing and improving players and selling them on for big fees. Those names include Kevin Lisbie, Dwight Gayle, Britt Assombalonga, Siriki Dembele and England striker Ivan Toney, whose subsequent transfers alone have earned the club around £14m. Fry fully expects Shofowoke to be the Posh's next big success story. "I've promised his parents one day he'll be a millionaire - but not on Peterborough money," said Fry. "Twenty two players have left us and become millionaires with their next contracts." Shofowoke's exploits in front of goal have seen him linked with a number of Premier League sides, inclduding Brighton, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest. French Ligue 1 team Strasbourg have also reportedly shown an interest, and the England youth set-up is already monitoring his progress. Shofowoke, 17, has already made senior 19 appearances, scoring once [Getty Images] However, Shofowoke looks set to stay at Posh until at least the end of this season, with the club already having him signed on a contract until 2027, with an option for a further year. "We've spoken to three Premier League clubs, but we wouldn't even consider a bid for him now," added Fry. "I don't think we will even consider any bids in January. "We had Dwight Gayle for 11 months before we sold him. We had Kevin Lisbie for 11 months. "He's worth what someone is willing to pay, but you've seen the ridiculous amount clubs are prepared to pay now for players, and it seems to be getting madder with every window. "He's without doubt the best we've ever produced since I've been here, 1,000,000%." Shofowoke himself does not seem too unsettled by the interest. "I don't read into it too much," he added. "It's nice to have these clubs looking at me, but I'm just focused on Peterborough and what I'm going to do here." Irish multi-millionaire Darragh MacAnthony bought Peterborough United 20 years ago this week, in 2006. Since then the club has been promoted up into the Championship three times before always coming down. "As everyone in the country knows, we are a selling club," said Fry. "I have to sell players every year to offset the losses we have. And Darragh and the rest of his investors have put in the rest of the millions. It's very hard to run a football club. "I've told Bolu he won't get a better club to develop at before moving on. There's no point going to a club like Arsenal now on £10,000 a week, and playing in their under-18s. "He might as well stay here and play men's football - that's when he'll grow up and then be ready to join a big club and play in their first team." All the latest Peterborough United news