One of Britain's most academically gifted teenagers set to play in the Premier League this season

A former student at Eton College could grace the Premier League in the not-so-distant future as he gets ready to join newly-promoted Ipswich Town.

Tudor Mendel-Idowu, 19, is set to sign for Kieran McKenna's side after a deal was reportedly agreed between Ipswich and Belgian side Anderlecht.

The teenager underwent a medical before Friday's deadline, according to Fabrizio Romano, with Ipswich viewing the Chelsea academy product as an "exciting" young player.

Born in Berkshire, Mendel-Idowu was regarded as a child prodigy. At the age of eight, he featured on Channel 4 show ‘Child Genius' and competed in a number of competitions.

He also attended the prestigious boarding school Ludgrove School before being made a King's Scholar at Eton College.

As explained by Mendel-Idowu in an interview with FIFA, King’s Scholars are the top fourteen brightest students in the UK, if not the world, and are admitted annually at the age of 13.

"It's decided after a rigorous examination process over two weeks, covering papers in a variety of subjects: Maths, Latin and Divinity to name a few," he added.

As he continued to flourish academically, Chelsea beat a number of top Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Spurs, to his signature.

Speaking about Chelsea's approach, Mendel-Idowu said: "It would have been around the age of 7 or 8 that I realised I had a special talent; about the same time, I saw my academic gift coming to fruition as well.

"There were different top academies across the UK that approached me. Chelsea were the ones who showed the most interest and essentially being the top academy, they really wanted to get me, and did in the end."

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After a decade at Cobham, the youngster reportedly turned down an offer from Barcelona to join Belgian First Division side Anderlecht.

But a year later, the midfielder is back on English soil with Ipswich. The deal will be confirmed next week, according to TWTD, who say he will join the club's development squad.

In his 2022 interview with FIFA, the former England U17 international was asked where he would like to be in five years time.

"It's hard to pinpoint exactly where I will be," he said. "In terms of football, in five years, I'll be 22. I want to be competing at the highest level. I have the same expectations for myself in football as I have as an academic.

"I want to be at the top. Playing in, and winning Champions Leagues. Playing at a World Cup. Maybe even a World Player of the Year Award – we’ll see."

Mendel-Idowu added: "Academically, it's a process of continually learning. I'm studying Latin, Greek and Modern History at A level at the moment. Students who study these subjects have a wide range of options.

"I'm looking at Classics courses which opens other pathways like Philosophy, Law, Literature and Archaeology. Foreign policy and international relations have always interested me too. I can really go in any of these directions."